For our CD/DVD and Blu-ray transfer rate tests we used the Opti Drive Control and Nero Disc Speed utilities, along with a set of data and audio CD, DVD and BD recordable, rewritable and ROM discs. Here we test the maximum reading speed of the Pioneer BDR-2207 drive with each type of disc. For comparison, we have included the corresponding reading results of the Pioneer BDR-206MBK BDXL burner.

We remind you that the Pioneer BDR-2207 drive supports the following maximum reading speeds: 40x for CDs, 16x for DVD and 12x for single layer Blu-ray discs.

CD Read

• CD-ROM

Pioneer has pushed the the reading speeds of its drive to 40X CAV. The result is some faster readings compared to the BDR-206MBK drive, which supports 24X CAV.

• USRW

The BDR-2207 is not as fast as other BD burners when it reads CD-RW discs. Pioneer has not changed that in its latest drive.

• AudioCD

Advanced DAE Quality

Here is the Nero DiscSpeed - Advanced DAE Quality test. In the On-the-fly copying area, the test determines whether an audio CD can be copied without causing errors at various speeds between 1x and 16x, i.e. indicates if the optical drive is suitable for use on-the-fly in combination with a recorder for backing up audio discs. The results of two tests are displayed in the Test results area: the Sequential read test and the Random read test. The sequential read test simulates the digital extraction of audio files (DAE) under ideal conditions and then runs a harmonic read test.

There are two different types of error. A search for data errors returns audio samples that were not read correctly, based on a comparison of the read bytes with the known data from the test disc. Minor data errors can be corrected using the drive's error correction feature. Synchronization errors occur when, instead of reading the required audio sectors, an optical drive reads the adjacent sectors. Nero DiscSpeed uses special data on the test disc to check if the correct sectors are being read. Synchronization errors can result in samples being lost or repeated, and these errors can be audible:

The disc was extracted at 21.48X (average) and the drive scored a perfect 100. Notice that the drive cannot read data from the Lead-in and Lead-Out area, which means that it cannot always create perfect copies. On the other hand, the drive reads CD Text and subchannel data.

CD DAE

Digital Audio Extraction or DAE is important when we try to read the files stored on an audio CD and store them in our hard disk drive. The procedure is not always that simple and the fidelity of the extracted data depend on the way each drive handles these data.

The majority of the software that support this procedure, commonly known as "ripping", will just read the audio files and store them on your hard disk. However, this approach is not recommended for all drives, since it may result to read or sync errors if your drive does not support report of C2 error pointer information and also what the author of the EAC (Exact Audio Copy) software describes as "accurate stream" and " non-caching."

According to EAC, the Pioneer drive supports "caching ", "Accurate stream" and does not report "C2 error pointer" information. Accurate stream and C2 error reporting is always welcome and contribute to reliable and fast audio extraction. Generally, if you select a drive for extraction better have a look that the drive does not cache audio data.

With these settings applied to EAC software, we performed a DAE of an audio CD to our HDD. Notice that the specific test will result in a slower DAE speed than what you would get if you simply select to rip the contents of the disc with another application. That's because EAC used its "Secure" ripping mode after we applied the drive's features (Caching, accurate stream , C2 error info) to the software, in order to have a reliable ripping with the specific drive. In our case with the Pioneer drive, caching need to be defeated and no C2 information is reported by the drive. As a result, the secure ripping mode will be slow. When no read errors occur, it will usually something around a third to a fourth of the drive's maximum ripping speed (in case we had selected the default fast mode). The Pioneer drive ripped the audio tracks of the disc at an average speed of just 6.4X:

If you try to extract the same discs using the "burst" ripping mode, you'll get an average speed of 27.5X:

DVD Read

Now let's take a look at how the drive performs with DVD media. This time, a set of DVD SL and DL discs was used. The Pioneer drive is capable of reading at 16X maximum speed for single layer DVDs and at 12X for dual layer DVDs

• DVD-ROM SL

It is obvious that the BDR-2207 is faster in all the DVD reading tests than the BDR-206MBK drive.

• PTP DVD-ROM

The two layers of a PTP DVD-ROM disc are read sequentially with the drive starting reading from the inner part of the disc, which is the beginning of each layer, progressing towards its outer range.

• OTP DVD-ROM

The first layer of an OTP dual layer DVD-ROM is read exactly the same way as the first layer of the PTP disc we tested previously. The difference here is the reading strategy of the second layer of the disc. The beginning of the second layer is located in the outer part of the disc, so the drive starts reading from the outer tracks and progresses towards the inner part of the disc.

• DVD-R

• DVD-RW

• DVD+R

• DVD+RW

• DVD+R DL

• DVD-R DL

• DVD-RAM

• DVD Ripping speed

Ripping of a single layer DVD movie:

Blu-ray read

Continuing, let's see how the drive reads the various Blu-ray recordable and ROM discs.

• BD-ROM-SL

• BD-ROM DL

• BD-R SL

• BD-R SL LTH

• BD-R DL

• BD-RE SL

• BD-RE DL

• 8cm BD-R SL (7.5GB)

• 8cm BD-RE SL (7.5GB)

Summary

The reading process of almost all media was completed without read errors and at speeds that confirm the specifications of the Pioneer BDR-2207 drive.

Pioneer has significantly improved the reading speeds of its latest drive with all the media, compared to the BDR-206M BDXL burner. The drive's reading performance is competitive to other less complicated BD burners that do no support the BDXL format.