Disc duplication vs. replication – how do you choose? People often confuse the two, but they are two entirely difference processes with different costs and production times.
CD/DVD duplication involves copying, or “burning”, your content to pre-manufactured discs and then adding custom artwork to the disc using one of several popular printing processes, such as thermal or silkcreen printing. Quality may not be quite as high as with replication, but modern duplicating technology and the use of high quality pre-manufactured discs minimizes problems and assures more-than-acceptable quality levels.
CD/DVD replication is the process of actually manufacturing your discs. Called “pressing” replication involves creating a master disc which is used to produce copies by mold-injecting discs from raw plastic. The quality of discs produced in this fashion is generally higher, with stringent quality control measures taken before, during, and after manufacturing.
Disc duplication is typically done when 1000 or fewer discs are needed. At these quantities, the cost-per-unit is economical and turnaround time is generally just a few days.
Disc replication becomes more cost-efficient in quantities greater than 1000 and is almost always the preferred method of production unless time is a critical factor – replication requires more set-up and generally takes about 7-9 working days.
If your deadline is under four days, duplication is the way to go – up to 5000 discs can be duplicated in just 3-4 days; however, the cost-per-unit will be higher.
