FORMATS

Stereo source delivery formats (getting stuff to us)
We’re happy to accept most common formats for mastering or restoration, including:

Our preferred formats for mastering are either Interleaved stereo or Split 24 bit, 44.1kHz wave files
or analogue tape.

We are also prepared to work with “stems” or “separations” if required. For more information on this technique and our service, click here

Notes
To preserve the highest quality possible, it’s best to avoid unnecessary bit depth or sample rate conversions wherever possible. So, if your mix has been done in the digital domain on, say, Pro Tools or a similar system at higher sampling rates e.g. 24 bit, 96kHz, then leave the mix in that format for mastering.
With analogue tape recordings (we love this stuff!) please provide as much detail as possible about the recording. For example:

Machine (e.g. Revox B77 or Studer A810 etc)
Tape speed (15 or 30 ips)
EQ (NAB or CCIR)
Tape type (e.g. Ampex 456 etc)

DAT is still a perfectly acceptable format for high quality audio but it’s not our favoured medium. We suggest that if it is to be used, record at a sample rate of 44.1 if possible to avoid additional conversions and only record (and playback) DAT digitally as converters in DAT machines are generally not all that great.

Final delivery formats (getting stuff back to you)
We would generally expect to deliver the final result on a ‘Red Book’ standard audio CD.
However some projects may be required on other formats such as Exabyte or DDP files for duplication plants. This can be done on request by prior arrangement.

With our on-line mastering service, we are happy to return the individual mastered wave files to your folder but when there is a collection of tracks mastered together, ie an EP or album, it’s best if we generate a Red Book CD premaster and get that to you. That way we preserve the track spacing and levels in an industry standard format and avoid uploading (and downloading) huge data files.