CD Hub Failure Modes

Whilst I buy a lot of CDs, I've also gradually been seduced by the instant gratification of online purchase of individual tracks, even to the extent of buying MP3 format tracks instead of linear WAVs or AIFFs.

Buying CDs online is easy and fast, but has one major downside - the hub in the centre of the CD case. Most CD cases weren't designed to be exposed to the trials of being posted, and so many of my CD purchases arrive with damaged hubs. Two examples from today's batch of deliveries illustrate this very well.


The first is from a black plastic 'Digipak', where the CD hub and finger access areas are moulded as part of a single piece of plastic that is stuck onto a cardboard cover that bends round to surround the CD. This hub had lost all of the top teeth, and only had half remaining. Opening a shrink-wrapped CD to find a shower of teeth falling out is a depressing feeling.


The second is from a conventional clear plastic 'jewel case'. Severe forces during transit have reduced this hub to just two teeth, plus lots of casualties rattling around inside.


Exhibit three is different - a survivor from earlier... The temptation to type: 'and here's one I received earlier' is enormous. Some jewel cases have the teeth connected across the top, and this seems to provide more or less total protection against tooth loss. Or at least, from my own personal experience, I've never encountered any teething problems with these. Now I would love to be able to credit the manufacturer here, but I couldn't find any identification marks at all. But well done, wherever you are!