What is mastering?
Mastering is the final creative and quality-control stage of music production, where a track is refined and prepared for release, replication, and broadcast.
It focuses on balancing tone, dynamics, and overall level using techniques such as equalisation and compression, ensuring the track translates well across all playback systems and sits comfortably alongside other professional releases.
The mastering process also includes removing unwanted noises, sequencing tracks, setting the correct spacing between songs, and embedding the technical data required for duplication and distribution.
Why is mastering necessary?
In the right hands, mastering can transform a collection of good mixes into a cohesive, professional-sounding release.
Once a track has been written, recorded, and mixed, mastering is the final stage in the production chain. It enhances clarity, balance, and overall sound quality, helping the music translate consistently across different playback systems.
By using a combination of digital and analogue processing, mastering can add depth, atmosphere, and polish, while also correcting subtle imperfections in the audio. A fresh, unbiased set of ears is crucial at this stage to make objective decisions that serve the music as a whole.
Ultimately, the goal of mastering is to create a smooth listening experience, allowing an EP, album, or collection of singles to be played from start to finish without the listener needing to adjust volume or EQ.
How will making my music loud affect its quality?
Over the past 20–30 years, recorded music has generally become louder — a trend often referred to as the Loudness War.
It’s a common misconception that louder automatically sounds better. In reality, pushing a track beyond what it can comfortably handle often comes at a cost, reducing dynamics, clarity, and musical impact. Many of the compromises required to achieve extreme loudness aren’t always obvious, but they can significantly affect how a recording feels and translates.
That said, if loudness is important to your release, we’ll always aim to achieve the level you’re after while minimising any negative side effects. The goal is to strike the right balance between impact, musicality, and sound quality — not just to turn it up for the sake of it.
Will you give us feedback on our mixes before mastering them?
To put it simply — yes.
Before you submit your final mixes for mastering, we’re more than happy to listen to your music and offer honest, constructive feedback. This helps identify any mix issues early on, allowing you to make improvements before mastering and achieve the best possible final result.
If you’re looking for feedback only, or want a more in-depth breakdown, we also offer a detailed screen-recorded video feedback service where we dive properly into your track and explain everything clearly. (Track Feedback)
Please note:
We don’t accept streaming links for mix feedback. Please send either a 320kbps MP3 or a WAV file so we can accurately assess your track.
Will you do a free mastering sample for us?
We can provide a short, clipped export of a mastered section from a track you supply.
A full master is a time-intensive process and typically takes around an hour or more for the first track. Because of this, we don’t offer completely free mastering samples, as there’s no accurate way to represent our work through a quick or partial process.
Every project is treated with the same level of care and attention, regardless of scale. Once a project is underway, we welcome clear communication and feedback to ensure the final master meets your expectations and sonic objectives.
Do you accept examples of other artists as references?
Absolutely. If there’s an album or track that represents the sound you’re aiming for, we’re happy to use it as a reference.
Providing reference material helps us understand your creative direction, tonal balance, and overall sonic preferences. This ensures we’re working towards the sound you have in mind while still respecting the character of your own music.
For best results, please supply the original CD or a WAV file ripped directly from the CD. MP3s, or CDs created from MP3 files, are not suitable for referencing, as the compression degrades audio quality and stereo detail.
Do you digitise vinyl or offer audio restoration?
Yes, we have ripped and restored vinyls for decades while perfecting the process along the way.
Vinyl Cleaning & Transfer
Before any recording takes place, each record is thoroughly deep-cleaned. We start with an ultrasonic cleaner, followed by an Okki Nokki to remove excess water and ensure any debris deep within the grooves is fully extracted. This process is essential for achieving the cleanest possible transfer.
A common issue I see elsewhere is either:
Simply spraying records with cleaner and wiping them with a microfibre cloth, which can push dirt further into the grooves, or
Using PVA wood glue, which, while effective in some cases, can leave residue behind and sometimes introduce unwanted artefacts during playback.
Playback & Recording Chain
Once cleaned, records are played back on a Technics 1210SL Mk2, fitted with a cork mat to reduce static and rumble, plus a spindle weight to keep the record perfectly flat.
The turntable feeds directly into a Prism Sound Lyra 2, which features an exceptionally clean and accurate RIAA stage. This removes the need for third-party preamps or DJ mixers that can add noise or unwanted colouration.
We use a Goldring 1042 stylus, chosen for its precision and significantly reduced inner-groove and side distortion compared to typical home or club DJ setups. This results in a far cleaner stereo image and overall transfer.
Optional Restoration & Remastering
As an add-on, we can carry out full audio restoration and remastering using tools such as iZotope RX. This includes removal of pops and clicks, cue burn reduction where possible, run-in and run-out cleanup, and repair of minor jumps or playback issues.
What are your turnaround times with mastering?
Every project is treated with care and attention, and we don’t believe in rushing work or cutting corners to meet arbitrary deadlines. Turnaround times can vary depending on the scope of the project and the type of mastering required, as we offer several different mastering approaches.
If you contact us with details of your project — including the number of tracks and your intended deadline — we’ll advise on a realistic turnaround and do our best to help you meet your release schedule.
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