DAE Tests

- Test Method:
We used CD DAE 99 v0.21 beta and EAC v0.9 prebeta 9 software in order to check the DAE performance of the Iomega Predator USB CDR-W - with various AudioCDs (both pressed and CDR). The posted DAE results are the average of both applications, but the CPU usage only taken from CD DAE 99, since EAC occupies the system a lot more. As a last note, we used the "BURST" reading mode of EAC. We made a full CD Rip starting from the first to the last track of the CD. The Average DAE reported speed along with the CPU Usage displayed in the test graphs.

- DAE features
We used EAC v0.9 prebeta 9 to examine the drive's features. As the program reported, the drive does not "Caching" data, supports "Accurate Stream" and doens't "C2" error info.

- Pressed AudioCD results: (click here to see the CD Speed error and here for the graph)
The Iomega Predatorgave back DAE speed 5,72x (average). That shows the drive is a rather bad solution when you want fast ripping. Plus, the Iomega Predatordidn't like all of our pressed audio cd samples (76:15", 73:38" long) while also didn't like ANY disc with over 74mins Audio at the CD Speed 99 and refused to finish the test. We tried with a 61:42 min CD to be able to complete it (Soul II Soul, Time for change)...

- CDR AudioCD results: (click here to see the CD Speed 99 graph)
The Iomega drive continues to be as slow as before with a DAE speed locked at 5,64x (average)with CDR media. The drive's CPU usage was pretty high in both DAE tests...

- Advanced DAE Quality

The CD-Speed Advanced DAE Quality test was not able to complete, due to the known problems that we have stated in the previous pages... We contacted again the CDSpeed, Erik Deppe who kindly sent us an updated version of the program, (0.83 beta) which was far better, but unfortunately, came up with similar results with a blank 74:00min CDR. (The drive produced a clicking noise and start-stops all the time and we were forced to quit the test to avoid any damage...) We then tried a TRAXDATA 16x-80min CDR, and executed the Advanced DAE tests again... This time the test was succesful, and here are the results:

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As you see the drive didn't perform well at all, on the Advanced DAE tests. It produced 32 Sync and 1229092 Data errors.

- Ripping 90 and 99 mins AudioCDs
The Iomega Predator didn't regognize anything above 74min when it came to AudioCDs. (The drive produced a clicking noise and start-stops) This is very dissapointing and -if it's not a problem of the particular CDRW we had in our hands- it's certainly something that Iomega Engineers should check.