[atlantaprog] CD Manufacturing

CD Manufacturing

The original question was about duplication (which would be CDRs), but it 
sounds like we're talking about replication.  I've only had a little over a 
dozen albums released on CD, so I don't have as much experience with this as 
some of you might have, but here's what I know about some of the different 
manufacturers:

ON4 (on4prod.com) - I've used ON4 for two CD replication jobs in the last 
year and was very happy with both their price and their quality.  All of the 
guys there are very friendly.  Plus they are local and I like to support 
local businesses.

Atlanta Manufacturing Group (www.amgcds.com) - Another local company.  They 
are very friendly.  I have never used them, but I believe that Matthew from 
Karma Lingo has used them.  From what I hear, they are also a very good 
company with good prices.

Discmakers (www.discmakers.com) - I worked with them once in 1994 (back 
before there were so many options).  They have some of the highest prices in 
the industry.  Although they are friendly and do a very good job, Oasis 
offers more extras for less cost.

Oasis (www.oasiscd.com) - I put out one CD with them in 1998.  They cost 
more than anyone I've used except Discmakers, but as Alex F mentioned, they 
offer a LOT of extras.  For one thing, they will put one of your songs on a 
compilation CD that they say they send out to radio stations and industry 
people.  I don't know what actually happens with the compilation CDs, but 
it's pretty cool to be on them.  They also have a variety of packaging 
options and can offer about anything that you've ever seen anyone else do.  
They are expensive, but not as expensive as Discmakers.  The CD that I put 
out with them looked better than any other that I've done (very good 
printing quality).  They also offer quite a bit of marketing and online 
distribution.

Mediaomaha (www.mediaomaha.com) - The lowest prices that I've seen, but they 
have misquoted me twice.  So far, I've never used them, so I don't know if 
the price that they quote will actually be what you pay.  They are only 
slightly less expensive than American Pro Digital.

American Pro Digital (www.apd-disc.com) - Like Mediaomaha, they have very 
low prices, but I've never used them because ON4 can usually match their 
price and I prefer to use someone local.

The Disc Company - I've never used them and their prices for packaged CDs 
are expensive, but if you are getting just CDs on a spool with no packaging, 
they have prices about 75% of what I've found anywhere else.

CDMan (www.cdman.com) - I've gotten 4 quotes from them for 4 different 
packaging options over the last several years.  Every quote that I've gotten 
from them has been several hundred dollars higher than the lowest quote for 
a specific CD, so I've never used them.


I?ve called for quotes from many, many more companies, but each of these is 
either the cheap or most widely used (or both), so I thought I?d just focus 
on these.

One thing to keep in mind when shopping for a manufacturer is that costs 
vary greatly from project to project.  A CD packaged in a cardboard sleeve 
may be cheapest through company ?A? while a CD in a jewel case with an 
8-panel booklet may be cheapest through company ?B?.  The point is when you 
call around, know exactly what you're going to have done so you can find the 
people who can do what you need for the lowest cost.  Also, film, shipping 
and tax can be very expensive.  Make sure that your quote covers 
everything!!!

I hope this helps!

-Wade


_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* 
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus

Other related posts: