I appreciate the comments, but I'm definitely not going down the SCSI route on my home PC. For the record I've had no problems with the Mitsumi 4804 I've got, it's just that at x8 speed, ripping takes a while. I don't think I'm ready to buy a whole new CD-RW unit either, as I don't do that much burning anymore to warrant it.

Trawling through the CD Speed database the new plextor is not listed yet, but the mind boggles when you see listings for £35 Asus CD-Rom which can boast x30 DAE speeds with a quality rating of 10 out of 10. However I guess this is only half the story so that's why I'm seeking anecdotal evidence of current high speed DAE units. After all why spend £130 on a CD-RW when a £35 will do on a CD-ROM?