Does it Matter What Dye is Used to Make the CD-R?

The dye formulation used in a CD-R is perhaps the most critical factor in the disc's performance. MAM  discs utilize a patented Phthalocyanine dye (thal-o-sy-a-nene) which offers substantial performance advantages. You can recognize a MAM disc by turning it over and looking at the color of the writable surface. A Phthalocyanine disc is gold colored with a slight greenish tint. Other manufacturer's discs come in a variety of shades ranging from blue-green. Both varieties of discs will be gold colored on the top, or non-writable surface.

MAM Gold Phthalocyanine-based discs offer substantial performance advantages over other discs in two key areas; longevity and compatibility with high speed CD recorders.

Longevity on the order of 100 or more years is derived from the inherent stability of Phthalocyanine dye. Phthalocyanine-based discs can withstand environmental conditions that could render other discs useless. This is because Phthalocyanine resists ambient heat, light, and humidity better than other dye formulations even after the disc has been written to.

Phthalocyanine is also more compatible with high speed writers. MAM was the first manufacturer to be certified by Yamaha to work with their writers and is also certified for use with the Kodak duplication system. This accuracy is due to the precision with which laser light is able to create pits in the Phthalocyanine dye.

Back