Yamaha announced the CRW3200 family of optical recorders, which will make their debut with an internal IDE model (CRW3200EZ) in October 2001, will be the industry's first 24X ReWritable CD recorders to feature Mt. Rainier support and Yamaha's exclusive Audio Master Quality Recording System. In addition, the exclusive new Audio Master Quality Recording System, designed by Yamaha, guarantees the best possible audio or data recording quality on conventional 74 or 80-minute CD-R discs. When Audio Master recording mode is enabled, the system widens the lands and the pits, significantly reducing jitter created during CD-R recording, improving audio and music recording quality to a level rivaling professionally prepared music CDs. The new CRW3200 Series features an intense blue LED that lights up when recording. The LED will change to a purple-white (fluorescent) color when the drives are idle. LightSpeed3 recorders also feature Yamaha's new, professional-look design in Platinum White and a high-quality, super-smooth tray system.

The new LightSpeed3 family of drives can record on CD-R discs at a top speed of 24X, writing a full CD in less than three minutes; rewrite CD-RW discs at a top speed of 10X, and can read CDs at a sustained maximum rate of 40X. In addition to using conventional CLV recording at 2X, 4X, 8X, and 10X in rewriting mode, the CRW3200 supports the 4X-10X CAV mode.

The internal E-IDE CRW3200EZ will be the first model of the CRW3200 Series, shipping in late October 2001 and carrying an attractive $199.99 estimated street price. Other members of Yamaha's LightSpeed3 family will include: the external CRW3200SXZ using Ultra SCSI interface will be available at a street price of $349.99; the external CRW3200FXZ using IEEE 1394 FireWire technology will be available at a street price of $329.99 and the external CRW3200UXZ using USB 2.0 interface will be available at a street price of $299.99 in November 2001