- CD Format

The LG 2166D supports up to 48X reading speed for CD media and up to 32X for RW media. We used both these media types to verify the drive's reading speed with the CD-DVD Speed utility.

After several retries, in order to confirm the results reported by CDspeed and a Pressed Plextools CD-ROM, the maximum supported reading speed was only 42X instead of the 48X stated in the manufacturer's specifications. The 32X maximum reading speed for CD-RW media however, was confirmed.

- AudioCD

For these tests, we used a pressed AudioCD and the Advanced DAE CDSpeed feature.

According to the Average DAE Speed test, the average reading DAE speed for the 2266D was 31.5X, whereas Nero CD Speed Advanced DAE Quality test awarded a perfect 100 quality score with an average speed of 28.65X. The drive can read leadin and subchannel Data and CD Text.

- 90mins Audio disc

- 99mins Audio disc

Unfortunately, the drive could not read the 90min Audio disc, but managed to successfully read all the way to the end the 99min Audio disc.

- DVD Format

We repeated the reading tests, this time using a collection of pressed SL and DL DVD media to test the drive's reading capabilities with DVD media.

All three drives support up to 16X reading speed with Pressed SL media. The reviewed drive along with the Samsung, produced a distinct 16X maximum reading speed while the LiteOn reported a max speed of just 14X.

The two layers of a PTP DVD-ROM disc are read sequentially with the drive starting reading from the inner part of the disc, which is the beginning of each layer, progressing towards the outer range, for each layer. 8X maximum supported speed for this DL Pressed DATA disc.

The graph shown above indicates the reading performance of the drive with OTP dual layer media. The first layer of an OTP dual layer DVD-ROM is read exactly the same way as the first layer of the PTP disc we tested previously. The difference here is the reading strategy of the second layer of the disc. The beginning of the second layer is located in the outer part of the disc, so the drive starts reading from the outer tracks towards the inner part of the disc. More or less same performance from all three drives, as all three devices support the same reading speed with this kind of media.

Both -R and +R Write Once media were read by the 2266D at a maximum speed of 16X, while the Samsung and LiteOn drives support 12X and 8X maximum reading speeds respectively.

The reported ripping speed was 8757Kb/s, which is approximately 6.6X DVD speed.

- DVD-RAM

The maximum supported speed with DVD-RAM media is 5X. No changes in speed with the RAM format yet, but we will soon witness changes, with speeds going all the way up to 12X from all the well known manufacturers.

Overall, the GSA 2266D is a good reading device, with good speeds for both CD and DVD. Even though the drive could not reach 48X for CD-ROM media, as per the manufacturer's specifications for this media, it managed to read at 16X, both DVD+R and DVD-R write once media, which is quite impressive when compared to the other two external drives.

- Appendix

Nero CD-DVD Speed Graphs

• CD Pressed / US-RW
• DVD Pressed SL / DVD Pressed PTP DL / DVD Pressed OTP DL / DVD-R / DVD-RW / DVD+R / DVD+RW