How Fast Is CD Read Point?

A CD laser reads the disc at exactly 1.3 metres per second — and that constant linear speed means the disc itself slows from 500 RPM at the inner track to 200 RPM at the outer track. A brilliantly elegant engineering solution.

A CD slows from 500 RPM to 200 RPM as it plays — keeping the data rate at the laser perfectly constant.

• Close to walking pace
• The disc actually slows down as it plays