It used to matter. The CDs marketed as "Audio" CDs were more expensive because the manufacturers paid a fee to the record companies, supposedly to offset losses of sales due to illegal copying and sharing. The audio CDs held 80 minutes of music, as opposed to those marketed for data, which are typically 74 minutes.

I don't think there is any practical difference anymore. Once people realized they could use data CD blanks for music, the scheme fell apart and all you could find in most stores were the cheaper data CDs.

All this happened many years ago, so I may have scrambled a detail here or there.

As to color of the recordable surface, there are some who have found a particular type of blank works better (fewer errors) in certain brands of burners. I think it also has to do with the precise color of the laser used for burning, and for reading. Some brands of burners will make recommendations, but I always though that had just as much to do with marketing agreements as technical requirements.


BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.