well i just found out what the difference between the model numbers is. Here is the response from Teac:
Hello Phil,
The new drive CDW512EB has the feature of Burn Proof, which helps to eliminate the buffer underruns.
TEAC America, Inc.
I guess i lucked out then....i didnt realize that they made a burnproof model, since i couldnt find it on their site, unless they just updated it. Therefore, none of the statements about burnproof being useless on a fast system arent necessarily true, since the fact that i burned 20 straight cds could have been attributed to burn proof.