WHY? It's just a marketing gimmick. Gold instead of aluminum doesn't change the (digital) bits any.

zuvqwyx3, April 29, 2007; 4:40 PM

Really? I heard 24k gold CDs sounds not incredibly better then regular CDs, but sounds better anyway...

pedro084, April 29, 2007; 7:35 PM

A 16-bit sample is going to be the same sample no matter what color it is, as long as it's readable. If the sound is any better on a special audiophile release, it's because of something pre-production of the disc, e.g. extra mastering or better source.

All audio CDs ARE 16-bit, too. That's another frequent trick of intentional vagueness. Yo, Telarc?

As for gold outlasting aluminum, it is true that one does not readily oxidize like the other. But while the foil will last N years, the plastics may not. The polycarbonate base may warp or even opacify somewhat as it chemically breaks down, distorting the heck out of that precious data layer, which may not be even be attached anymore, due to de-lamination of the topcoat!

I've read stories about companies in France and Japan that made CDs on GLASS, which I guess solves the first couple problems, but also introduces a couple fairly obvious ones. ...And they were STILL finished with the same fallible acrylic.

Back in the 70s, two gold-plated 33 & 1/3 records were sent by NASA into outer space, making "The Greatest Hits Of Jimmy Carter" an interstellar sensation. They made the protective case out of aluminum. The disc itself was COPPER.

zuvqwyx3, May 8, 2007; 12:22 PM