Optical drive performance?

[Demon-Xanth]

I'm looking into simplifying my drive arrangement, and I currently have the following drives installed:
Pioneer DVD-305S (DVD-ROM)
Plextor 40TSI (CD-ROM)
NEC 2500A (DVD+/-RW)
also at my disposal is an NEC 5800C (DVD-ROM)

How do the 5800C, 2500A, and the 305S compare at DVD ripping?
How do the 40TSI, the 2500A, and the 5800C compare at CD ripping?

I'm mainly concerned about accuracy, and the ability to read "well used" media as a CD binder I used to have make a bunch of my CDs nearly unreadable, and made some flat out unreadable. The 305S and the 40TSI were once the hot stuff drives, but three years is a long time in the PC arena.

I've been having a hard time finding a good place that can compare these drives as the NEC drives don't get very much review action. They are nice and quiet, which is a plus.

 

[mrweirdo]

without knowing riping speeds and all that i would say eather go for the
NEC 2500A (DVD+/-RW)
as a standalone sinnce it could do everything
or
NEC 5800C (DVD-ROM)
NEC 2500A (DVD+/-RW)
toghether as it helps make your comp look beter visualy if you have matching drives

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Heh, the 2500A is black, the 5800C is white. It's not as much as "can do everything" as much as "close enough that I won't care". The 40TSI rips CDs better than the 305S, it reads them better and rips at 24x compared to 16x. (average) I'm beginning to think that I'll have to do some tests myself to find out.