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Condom

The MFSL variation over the theme

Jewel boxes are relatively durable, protect the booklets and discs and make staking a breeze.

My preference, if I have to think about it at all, would be the cardboard DigiPak, followed by jewel boxes. I hate, and I mean HATE, those cardboard cases that put the CD in little cardboard sleeves designed to look like record jackets. I can't think that you're not going to damage your CDs sliding them in and out.

Basically, I hate everything linked to the CD reality. What I most dislike is their sound quality, but their packaging does add a lot to my frustration. They are handy only in the car trunk. The only CD packaging I can live with are those LP-sized (collection) boxes.

I hate the jewel boxes for many reasons. First, as a reader mentioned, they break easily when they're dropped. Second, they take a lot of room—nearly twice as thick as an LP record! My solution is very simple: put the CD jacket (I don't use the back cover) and the CD galette in a 12x12cm soft plastic sleeve, and organize them in an appropriate plastic tray. You can put about 120 CDs on a 40cm tray. And for those who prefer vinyl, you can even hide them in a door-closed library while your LPs sit in the King place, well visible.

Plastic jewel boxes have a cheap feel to them.

Concerns about recyclable materials for CD containers are absurd. No one buys a CD and then throws it away. Of course a Bee Gees CD would be an exception.

The lid often breaks on plastic jewel boxes.

Finally we get better art work and sometime a nice pamphlet; but most importantly the tactile feeling is so much better.

My favorite CD package is the 12 inch cardboard flat box with a vinyl biscuit inside. Other than that, DVDs come in good packages. CD jewel boxes are too fragile. I normally put CDs that I take to the office or car into one of those zippered sleeved binders.

I care about the environment as much as possible. Plastic is a long-dying planet, if you know what I mean. We can't stop it in current technologies, but we can slow down that crazy race with . . . who knows with what?

The type that comes with Mobile Fidelity CDs—the one that made my brother ask, "What the hell was that?" as the CD popped up.

I've taken to storing my CDs in CD binders. I don't mind the cardboard jackets as long as they have detatchable liner notes that I can put in the binder. That said, I do like the "pop-up" jewel boxes used by MoFi and DCC. (I keep my audiophile discs separate.)

i really dont though, thats the thing...

If the disc is designed to last for many years, then the case should too. Cardboard will not last.

Plastic all the way, cardboard stinks, you can't even get the disc out without fringer prints all over it.

I like the cardboard sleeves that reproduce the original LP sleeves. Take a look at the Japanese Led Zeppelin remasters. They are exact miniatures, from to the lyric sheets down to the spinning wheel from Zep III. Too Cool.

I like the ones that hold 2 discs in the same space as one. If a CD has to be mailed, they should use cardboard sleeves and knock 50 cents off the price.

Yeah, I love these sleeves, they look just like small vinyls. I'm sure 12-inch sleeve gives best looks among all packages. Still, higher ruggedness is the reason why I got to prefer jewel boxes. I wish these DigiPaks did not wear...

Shrink wrap is the worst invention ever made by man!!

Plastic jewel cases are fine, although fragile. Cardboard sleeves are okay, as long as they fold up neatly. All the other CD packaging (tin cans, fake fur, gel-filled Bubble Wrap) is insane. Of course, cassette covers were the worst, almost as bad as 8-track. Nothing will ever replace record jackets. For reference, see the cover for Santana's "Abraxas."

Gave up and bought a 200-CD changer. No package is a good package.

The advantage is that a scratched or broken jewel box can be replaced with a new one and presto! The CD is new again.

cardboard sucks.

I actually prefer plastic jewel boxes, but having an eco-conscience, the cardboard sleeves make the most sense.

Packaging is secondary to the music and the quality of the remastering, but cardboard is growing on me; for example, the Verve "Master Edition" series. Uniform size would be nice—why do US-release XRCDs come in a non-standard size?

I've made the mistake of buying a few CDS in cardboard... Without exception it has been very difficult to get the CD out, and I've had to slit the side of the cardboard to get the CD out. This is nuts. I'll take the "jewel-box" packaging every time---and it also protects the CD better.

just looks better and of higher quality....should use scratch proof plastic

It doesn't really matter to me. The things that really matter to me are the CD and Liner Notes, more often than not everything else just gets thrown away.