Synchronization Error
A positional error reported when ripping software cannot stably align adjacent read blocks, which may cause audio samples to repeat, drop, or splice incorrectly; this is not the same concept as failure to correct the data values themselves.
Explanation
Synchronization Error in CD ripping usually means the software cannot confirm the correct positional relationship between consecutive read blocks. Early or tracking-unstable optical drives may return data starting slightly earlier or later when re-requesting adjacent sectors, causing samples to repeat, drop, or splice incorrectly. This is often discussed together with jitter correction in digital audio extraction, but it is not a synonym for analog playback clock jitter.
To maintain continuity, ripping software may include overlapping samples between adjacent read commands and search the overlap for a matching sequence. After a match, the software removes the duplicate portion and joins the data; if scratches, caching, repeated waveforms, or loss of tracking prevent reliable matching, a synchronization error may be reported. Drives that support Accurate Stream can return continuous data at relatively fixed sample boundaries, simplifying this software synchronization. Synchronization error describes position or splice relationships; C2 error pointers mark unreliable regions in the read data as flagged by the drive. One physical defect may trigger both, or only one. The exact meaning of labels such as "timing problem," "sync error," or "suspicious position" also varies by read mode; in Burst mode, unusually long read commands are only heuristic signs and do not equal confirmed audio errors.
Audible results may include brief clicks, repeated segments, jumps, or momentary silence, or may be inconspicuous depending on error location and signal content. Comparing CRCs from repeated reads, checking time positions in logs, and cross-checking against AccurateRip results are more reliable than playback alone for finding small differences.
Stable streaming reads in modern drives reduce the need for traditional jitter correction, but severe damage, drive caching, and unusual disc structures can still cause positioning problems. Reporting no synchronization errors only means the software found no block-alignment failure; it does not cover every possible sample-value error.