Apollo Audio DVD Creator Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Step-by-Step: Burning Audio CDs & DVDs with Apollo Audio DVD CreatorApollo Audio DVD Creator is a user-friendly tool designed to help musicians, podcasters, and home users burn audio CDs and DVDs with polished menus, high-quality audio, and reliable disc compatibility. This guide walks you through everything from preparing source files to finalizing and testing discs, with practical tips for improving audio quality and troubleshooting common issues.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows PC or Mac with a working optical drive that supports CD/DVD burning.
• Apollo Audio DVD Creator installed and activated.
• High-quality source audio files (WAV, FLAC, MP3, AAC, etc.). WAV or FLAC are preferred for best audio fidelity.
• Blank CDs or DVDs (CD-R for audio CDs; DVD-R/DVD+R for DVDs).
• Optional: external USB optical drive if your computer doesn’t have one.

Preparing Your Source Audio

1. Organize Tracks: Put your audio files in a single folder and rename them with track numbers and clear titles (e.g., 01-Opening.wav).
2. Check Formats and Sample Rates: For audio CDs, convert files to 16-bit/44.1 kHz WAV if they aren’t already. For DVDs (audio DVDs or DVD-Audio), confirm supported formats—Apollo supports higher-resolution WAV/FLAC for DVD-Audio projects.
3. Normalize Levels (Optional): Use a DAW or audio editor to normalize peak levels or apply light compression to ensure consistent volume across tracks. Keep dynamic range when possible.

Creating an Audio CD Project

1. Launch Apollo Audio DVD Creator and choose “New Project” → “Audio CD.”
2. Import Tracks: Drag-and-drop your WAV/MP3 files into the project timeline. Apollo will display total runtime — remember a standard audio CD holds about 74–80 minutes.
3. Track Order & Gaps: Arrange track order and set gap lengths between tracks (commonly 2 seconds for CDs, 0 seconds for seamless albums).
4. Edit Track Metadata: Add track titles, album name, artist, and CD-TEXT (if supported) so compatible players display this info.
5. Preview: Use the built-in preview to listen and check transitions.
6. Burn Settings: Click “Burn” and choose write speed (slower speeds like 4x–8x often reduce errors), number of copies, and whether to finalize the disc immediately.
7. Burn and Verify: Start burning. Enable “Verify written data” to check integrity after burning. Once complete, finalize the disc if you don’t plan to append more sessions.

Creating an Audio DVD or DVD-Audio Project

1. New Project: Choose “DVD Project” → select “Audio DVD” or “DVD-Audio” depending on desired format.
2. Import High-Resolution Audio: Drag WAV/FLAC files (Apollo supports 24-bit/96 kHz and higher for DVD-Audio).
3. Create Menus (Optional): Use Apollo’s menu templates to design a simple interactive menu—good for distributing albums. Add background images, track lists, and navigation buttons.
4. Set Playback Mode: Decide whether the DVD should play tracks sequentially or allow track selection via menus/remote control.
5. Check Capacity: DVDs typically hold several hours of audio, but menu assets and video content may reduce usable space.
6. Burn Settings: Choose DVD write speed (4x–8x recommended for reliability), disc format (DVD-R/DVD+R), and region-free settings if applicable.
7. Burn and Test: Burn the disc and verify. Test on multiple players (standalone DVD player, computer, and a DVD-Audio compatible player if you made DVD-Audio).

Tips for Best Audio Quality

• Use lossless sources (WAV/FLAC) whenever possible.
• Avoid unnecessary transcoding—convert once to the target format/resolution.
• Burn at lower speeds to minimize write errors on older drives or discs.
• Use reputable blank media brands (Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden/Made in Japan where available).
• For audiophile projects, consider creating a DDP image (if Apollo supports it) for professional replication.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

• Disc Not Recognized: Ensure the disc is finalized and compatible with the player. Try different brands or speeds.
• Skipping or Glitches: Clean the disc and optical lens; try burning at a slower speed; verify source files aren’t corrupted.
• Incorrect Track Order: Double-check track order in the project before burning; ensure metadata edits were saved.
• Menu Buttons Not Working: Rebuild the menu in Apollo, check button links, and retest in the preview before burning.

Post-Burn Checklist

• Verify disc integrity using the software’s verification feature.
• Test playback on at least two different players (PC and standalone).
• Label the disc clearly with permanent marker or printable labels—avoid bulky adhesive labels on audio CDs to prevent imbalance.
• Store discs vertically in jewel cases or sleeves away from direct sunlight and heat.

Final Notes

Creating professional-sounding audio CDs and DVDs with Apollo Audio DVD Creator is mostly about using high-quality sources, checking project settings carefully, and burning at appropriate speeds. With practice, you’ll streamline the workflow and produce reliable, playable discs suitable for distribution or archiving.