As stated here, I've tested my drives with the DAE quality test from the EAC homepage.
Further explanations about the test procedure can be found here, so here are the facts about the PX-W4824A:
This was the first of my Plextor drives which could be used for a test with c2extract, so I've added tests with different EAC speed settings, as well as tests with c2extract (which gives an interesting C2 accuracy figure).
Note that all other Plextor drives could not rip the test disc with c2extract properly (I guess) and produce so many errors that the analyse process would take 10h+ (which I cancelled).
To reduce the speed settings when using c2extract, I've used PlexTools.
Drive: Plextor PX-W4824A
Firmware:: 1.07
[!--sizeo:3--][span style=\"font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]Test at full speed ("Actual" speed setting in EAC)[/size]
Image
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4381
DAE log
Errors total Num : 202701
Errors (Loudness) Num : 11990 - Avg : -74.7 dB(A) - Max : -40.6 dB(A)
Error Muting Num : 925 - Avg : 1.0 Samples - Max : 3 Samples
Skips Num : 0 - Avg : 0.0 Samples - Max : 0 Samples
Total Test Result : 79.4 points (of 100.0 maximum)
EAC log
Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008
EAC extraction logfile from 11. April 2008, 18:00
Unknown Artist / Unknown Title
Used drive : PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W4824A Adapter: 2 ID: 0
Read mode : Burst
Read offset correction : 98
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : Yes
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Not detected, thus appended to previous track
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
Sample format : 44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
---------------------------------------------------------
1 | 0:00.00 | 74:00.00 | 0 | 332999
Track 1
Filename D:\DAE\Plextor PX-W4824A\EAC - Actual\Unknown Artist\Unknown Artist - Unknown Title\01 - Track01.wav
Peak level 77.4 %
Copy CRC 82BD6A6D
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [C7ECAD87], AccurateRip returned [104033BA]
Copy OK
No tracks could be verified as accurate
You may have a different pressing from the one(s) in the database
No errors occurred
End of status report
[!--sizeo:3--][span style=\"font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]Test at 24x (EAC)[/size]
Image
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4380
DAE log
Errors total Num : 93719
Errors (Loudness) Num : 9612 - Avg : -77.4 dB(A) - Max : -44.2 dB(A)
Error Muting Num : 216 - Avg : 1.0 Samples - Max : 2 Samples
Skips Num : 0 - Avg : 0.0 Samples - Max : 0 Samples
Total Test Result : 81.1 points (of 100.0 maximum)
EAC log
Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008
EAC extraction logfile from 11. April 2008, 18:52
Unknown Artist / Unknown Title
Used drive : PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W4824A Adapter: 2 ID: 0
Read mode : Burst
Read offset correction : 98
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : Yes
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Not detected, thus appended to previous track
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
Sample format : 44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
---------------------------------------------------------
1 | 0:00.00 | 74:00.00 | 0 | 332999
Track 1
Filename D:\DAE\Plextor PX-W4824A\EAC - 24x\Unknown Artist\Unknown Artist - Unknown Title\01 - Track01.wav
Timing problem 0:30:23
Peak level 77.4 %
Copy CRC FE6A72C0
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [D1993446], AccurateRip returned [104033BA]
Copy finished
No tracks could be verified as accurate
You may have a different pressing from the one(s) in the database
No errors occurred
End of status report
[!--sizeo:3--][span style=\"font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]Test at 8x (EAC)[/size]
Image
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4379
DAE log
Errors total Num : 310916
Errors (Loudness) Num : 21608 - Avg : -75.5 dB(A) - Max : -20.0 dB(A)
Error Muting Num : 1001 - Avg : 1.0 Samples - Max : 2 Samples
Skips Num : 0 - Avg : 0.0 Samples - Max : 0 Samples
Total Test Result : 78.8 points (of 100.0 maximum)
EAC log
Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008
EAC extraction logfile from 11. April 2008, 21:08
Unknown Artist / Unknown Title
Used drive : PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W4824A Adapter: 2 ID: 0
Read mode : Burst
Read offset correction : 98
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : Yes
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Not detected, thus appended to previous track
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
Sample format : 44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
---------------------------------------------------------
1 | 0:00.00 | 74:00.00 | 0 | 332999
Track 1
Filename D:\DAE\Plextor PX-W4824A\EAC - 8x\Unknown Artist\Unknown Artist - Unknown Title\01 - Track01.wav
Timing problem 0:21:37
Timing problem 0:23:22
Timing problem 0:23:46
Timing problem 0:23:54
Peak level 78.2 %
Copy CRC 01EAE77F
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [A39FAB33], AccurateRip returned [104033BA]
Copy finished
No tracks could be verified as accurate
You may have a different pressing from the one(s) in the database
No errors occurred
End of status report
[!--sizeo:3--][span style=\"font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]Test at 4x (EAC)[/size]
Image
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4378
DAE log
Errors total Num : 1006
Errors (Loudness) Num : 739 - Avg : -81.9 dB(A) - Max : -55.7 dB(A)
Error Muting Num : 7 - Avg : 1.0 Samples - Max : 1 Samples
Skips Num : 0 - Avg : 0.0 Samples - Max : 0 Samples
Total Test Result : 87.0 points (of 100.0 maximum)
EAC log
Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008
EAC extraction logfile from 11. April 2008, 18:40
Unknown Artist / Unknown Title
Used drive : PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W4824A Adapter: 2 ID: 0
Read mode : Burst
Read offset correction : 98
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : Yes
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Not detected, thus appended to previous track
Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
Sample format : 44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
---------------------------------------------------------
1 | 0:00.00 | 74:00.00 | 0 | 332999
Track 1
Filename D:\DAE\Plextor PX-W4824A\EAC - 4x\Unknown Artist\Unknown Artist - Unknown Title\01 - Track01.wav
Timing problem 0:29:30
Timing problem 0:29:40
Timing problem 0:29:52
Timing problem 0:30:04
Timing problem 0:30:14
Timing problem 0:30:26
Timing problem 0:30:37
Timing problem 0:30:43
Timing problem 0:30:45
Timing problem 0:30:47 - 0:30:48
Timing problem 0:31:00 - 0:31:01
Timing problem 0:31:08
Timing problem 0:31:17
Timing problem 0:31:42
Timing problem 0:31:48
Timing problem 0:49:58
Timing problem 0:51:44 - 0:51:45
Timing problem 1:09:59
Peak level 77.4 %
Copy CRC 05CED439
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [6D864F4A], AccurateRip returned [104033BA]
Copy finished
No tracks could be verified as accurate
You may have a different pressing from the one(s) in the database
No errors occurred
End of status report
[!--sizeo:3--][span style=\"font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]Test at 18-40x CAV (c2extract)[/size]
Image (errors)
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4384
Image (C2)
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4385
DAE log
Errors total Num : 204698
Errors (Loudness) Num : 10930 - Avg : -74.2 dB(A) - Max : -25.2 dB(A)
Error Muting Num : 704 - Avg : 1.0 Samples - Max : 2 Samples
Skips Num : 0 - Avg : 0.0 Samples - Max : 0 Samples
Total Test Result : 79.8 points (of 100.0 maximum)
C2 Accuracy : 100.0 %
[!--sizeo:3--][span style=\"font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]Test at 4x CLV (c2extract)[/size]
Image (errors)
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4382
Image (C2)
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....ost&id=4383
DAE log
Errors total Num : 1529
Errors (Loudness) Num : 992 - Avg : -81.5 dB(A) - Max : -55.5 dB(A)
Error Muting Num : 8 - Avg : 1.0 Samples - Max : 1 Samples
Skips Num : 0 - Avg : 0.0 Samples - Max : 0 Samples
Total Test Result : 86.6 points (of 100.0 maximum)
C2 Accuracy : 100.0 %
[!--sizeo:3--][span style=\"font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]Conclusion[/size]
Compared to the other tested Plextor drives thus far, the PX-W4824A produces the best results, even with high extraction speeds. The results even got better when lowering the speed to 4x.
There was only one irregularity when ripping with 8x: the spin up time in EAC ('Allow speed reduction during extraction' option enabled) took very long (a few minutes) with EAC not responding. However, the extraction itself went smoothly. On the other hand: the overall score (based on the "Total Test Results" numbers) unexpectedly dropped a few points (the score is even higher at 24x) and the drive seems to have some more problems with simulated dirt (the printed triangle on the test disc).
The extraction with c2extract went smoothly and show a 100% C2 accuracy on all speeds.