CD Print Express

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Is it really the service we indie's have been waiting and praying for?

CD Print Express is a CD and DVD printing and duplicating service, that, given it's services, caters to indie musicians, videographers and similar people. I say this because, while they don't expressly say they cater to the indie crowd, they do specialize in short-run duplicating and printing, and they do it at what appears to be very fair prices.

Generally, when I hear things like "specializing in short-run" it says to me "we use Ink Jet printing" or "the very best in stick-on labels" which most of us could do ourselves on any color printer. This is the first area that I noticed CD Print Express was different. CD Print Express uses thermal printing technology from Rimage Everest printers. To help put that in perspective for you, Rimage (NASDAQ: RIMG) manufactures the printers that make all those Kodak Picture CD's, and all the AOL CD's that you get mailed to your homes all the time. They are serious, high quality media printers.

Making The Labels

A neat little feature that CD Print Express has is their own, freely downloadable, label making application. It helps the user create CD labels and jewel box liners (jackets, sleeves, covers, whatever you call them in your area) to the specs that they requires for printing.

I went to download the app...OK, it's only PC compatible, no Mac version, that's OK, then, whoa, only 300k, cool, super small app...then I realized that you need to have the .Net Framework on your PC. I am a guy that doesn't download and install things like the .Net Framework unless I absolutely need it. Never having had a .Net app before on this PC, I had to go get that from the Windows Update site. There is a 27MB download. Before going and downloading it however, make sure you need to, many times it is already installed so it may not be necessary for many users.

I made the CD art itself in their application. The application is actually quite nice, though I did notice a couple of oddities. Once I accidentally clicked the button to add an image, then cancelled that dialog and my cover disappeared, which was frustrating. As a whole though, it's a neat little application. The application saves as JPEG, TIF or BMP. Though they prefer JPEG, and also saves it's own native source filetype.

Be aware, however, you do not need to use their application to make you artwork. The requirements for the printed graphics are plainly stated, and Photoshop (.psd) templates for the front and back jewel case inserts are provided on the downloads page if you choose to make your own outside of their application. The templates are very logical and well documented. I opened them both in Photoshop and had a lot of fun designing my covers.

The printing requires a 300dpi image, so be prepared for the image itself to seem very large on your PC monitor, since PC monitors don't have 300dpi themselves, they end up spreading it out much larger. That said, 300dpi also makes a very good, accurate and high quality print.

Their Process

Most short-run outfits like to get the master and burn the CD's before they do any printing. Often it's the best order to follow when working with inkjet or the sticky labels. Since CD Print Express uses thermal re-transfer printing they actually prefer to print first, which is handy, if you are having some detail troubles in mastering (like I did) you can get your labels and such all done and email the files to them and they can get the printing done and wait for the master, so at least something is getting done.

CD Print Express can always turn around a 25-CD job, which is what I got, within a day of recieving the master and get them back out the door on their way back to you. Add to that, that they also do international orders and ship overseas and you have a pretty full-service shortrun duplication/printing company.

When it comes time that you need more, CD Print Express archives all graphic files and the master copy, so no need to send them again, just drop them a line or call them up and say "hey, I need this many more of this previous job" and they will re-run them from their archive.

I Got My Product...My Opinions

My dealings with CD Print Express have been great, very pleasant, email has always been responded to quickly, and they have been very professional and they know their business.

My 25-CD order fully burned and printed CD, front jewel case cover and rear jewel case cover in full color costs $110 including shipping (overseas could be more). That comes out the a touch over $4 a CD. For that small of an order, with the quality that they promise, is a very good deal, and a cost that many of us can absorb to give some CD's to friends, or sell a few at gigs and get more printed when we need tham rather than invest $1,000 in a mass batch of CD's, of which dozens may end up gathering dust for some time, I know guys that still have 500 copies of their CD they made with a band 5 years ago that broke up 4 years ago...

Well, the order arrived, I open the box and they are very securely packed in a cardboard box with bubble wrap, which my children were happy about (I was hearing popping and giggling all night) and it was shipped priority mail with a tracking number which was handy, and it arrived within two days from half way across the US. The quality was superb, I listened to it straight away and the burn was excellent, and the printing was beautiful. Both covers and the CD face were exactly as I invisioned. The CD face itself was impressive, I didn't expect nearly the quality it has. Compare price and quality at any other small-batch printing shop and the compition will come up short every time. To me, it's the CD face that makes all the difference in the world.

The CD was a "burn" just like anyone does on their PC, not a "press" like you buy in the big stores, but then, that is to be expected, if you want a true pressed CD, if you know anything about that process, you know darn well you are going to have to order a lot and pay a lot. I am just saying this part so you know, in the interest of full disclosure.

I am very happy with the product I recieved, and will definately be going back to CD Print Express for my next recording, or the first re-run of this one if I need it. This truly is a great service for us home/project studio owners.

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