FAQs

Booking

  • Head to archivemastering.com/booking. Start by choosing the mastering package that best fits your project, then add the number of main mixes and alternate mixes you’d like to master. The site will show dates the mastering can be completed. Pick a date that works for your project timeline, then enter your info and payment details to confirm.

  • Turnaround time depends on our current workload, but is usually no more than 1-2 working days for singles and 3-5 working days for albums and EPs. Use our online booking system to see current turnaround time, or get in touch anytime to discuss your project and deadlines.

  • Alternate mixes are versions of the main mix that use the same mastering treatment. Examples include instrumentals, clean versions, and radio edits.

  • You can do that here. We’ll put your project in the queue and complete your mastering on our first available date after you’ve sent us your mixes, usually within 1-2 working days for singles and 3-5 working days for EPs and albums.

  • Currently we accept credit cards and etransfer. For some projects booked online you may also be able to use Apple Pay, or Affirm to make monthly payments.

Source Files

    • the final mixes

    • any alternate mixes you need mastered, such as instrumentals, clean versions, and radio edits

    • any final mix reference copies that include additional processing NOT on the final mixes (extra limiting for increased level, for example). These can sometimes sound quite different than the mixes delivered for mastering so it is essential to know what you have been hearing

    • a list of final song titles in the proper running order, and the artist name and album title exactly as they should appear on the metadata

    • ISRC codes

  • After booking you’ll receive a confirmation email with access to our Client Area to upload your mixes and project info.

  • Digital:

    24 bit WAV files at the sample rates of your project (ie. don’t make any unnecessary sample rate conversions, we’ll handle any conversions to the destination formats).

    DSD 11.2 MHz (DSD256), DSD 5.6 MHz (DSD128) and DSD 2.8 MHz (DSD64) delivered as DSDIFF / DSF files (dff or dsf file extensions).

    We are big proponents of DSD as a mixdown format, and are one of only a handful of mastering studios anywhere in the world equipped to playback DSD files directly into the analog mastering chain.

    Analog:

    Analog 2-track stereo (1/2 inch or 1/4 inch tape), at 30, 15, or 7.5 ips.

    Please provide alignment tones (ideally 1kHz, 10kHz, 15kHz, 100Hz, 50Hz minimum, 40Hz and 30Hz are helpful too), and label with eq type, tape speed and reference fluxivity (for example: NAB EQ, 15ips, 355nWb/m)

    Other Formats:

    We can transfer DAT, cassette, vinyl, and many other oddball formats for cases where the original mix no longer exists for some reason (archival transfers, re-releases, live recordings, etc). Please contact us for details.

  • An ISRC is a unique and permanent 12 character alpha-numeric code assigned to each song on an album (or single). Encoded ISRCs provide the means to automatically identify recordings for royalty payments. Although it is not a requirement to encode ISRCs on your master files, they will be needed to place your songs with streaming services.

    ISRCs are assigned by the master rights owner of the recording, usually the record label or independent artist. You will need to supply your ISRCs to us during the mastering process if you wish to have them encoded on your masters.

    Independent artists in Canada may apply online to administer their own ISRCs (it's fast and free).

Masters

  • Production masters are the final master files for your project, prepared in the formats required for streaming release and physical manufacturing.

    Your production masters are delivered as zip files, with a filename suffix indicating the release format. For example, a filename ending in “_DIGITAL” is the digital master files for streaming release.

    See below for some general notes about handling each format. If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact us.

    DIGITAL MASTER FILES (_DIGITAL)

    Depending on the options you’ve ordered, there are up to four sets of files included with your digital masters:

    BWF_44k16b

    These are the standard streaming masters. Use these files for all online outlets.*

    * if you are doing a hi-resolution release see the two 96k24b options below.

    BWF_96k24b

    Hi-resolution files suitable for Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless, Amazon Music, TIDAL, and other hi-res download and streaming services.

    FLAC_96k24b_APPLE

    Hi-resolution files specifically for releases requiring both Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless and Apple Digital Masters branding. Don’t use these files for anything else.

    MP3

    MP3 versions are intended for promo and in-house use, they cannot be used as a release format or transcoded into other formats.

    VINYL MASTERS (_VINYL)

    Hi-res WAV files formatted for lacquer cutting. Separate files are provided for each side, with cue sheets indicating the timings for the spreads between tracks and total running time of each side. This should stay zipped until it gets to the manufacturer.

    DDP MASTER FOR CD MANUFACTURING (_DDP)

    This should remain zipped and be delivered exactly as-is to the manufacturer. Note that this is not a playable audio file, it is an image format that is for manufacturing purposes only.

  • Masters will be delivered via secure download links.

  • Absolutely, your input is an essential part of the mastering process.

    When we’ve completed your mastering we’ll invite you to review the masters in our secure online collaboration space.

    This allows you to listen on any mobile device or computer and ensures you will hear the whole sequence in the intended sound quality, with proper spacing and transitions.

    You can also download a set of WAV files from this link in order to listen offline.

    Whether your favourite system is your car stereo, headphones, your studio monitors, whatever - we understand the importance of checking your master in that setting.

  • Yes, all revisions are included, always!

Technical Questions

  • Yes! We work with a loyal contingent of analog tape enthusiasts, so we still receive mixes on tape frequently.

    Analog tape playback is via a custom ATR Services ATR-102, with both 1/2” and 1/4” capabilities.

  • Yes, regularly!

    We are big fans of DSD as a mixdown format, and with our Merging Technologies HAPI converters and Pyramix system we can handle all DSD variants.

General Questions

  • J. LaPointe does mastering exclusively.

    However, JUNO Award winning producer and mixing engineer Graeme Campbell works in our studio on a regular basis and can be booked to mix your project here.

    And we also offer visiting engineers the opportunity to stay and work here on their own projects.

  • 99.9% of our work is new releases.

    The name Archive dates back to the dark ages of the internet (2001 or so) when we purchased shared server space with a group of other creative friends, as a place to store and share our work in our various fields. That server, aptly titled thearchive.ca, hosted our first web presence, and the name stuck.

  • We make no guarantees that we can store your master files or working files once your project is complete.

    That said, we do maintain a server of our past work and there is a very good chance we have your files. In fact we’ve helped clients do many, many vinyl reissues in recent years, and saved the day in numerous cases where people thought their work was lost forever (theft, house fires, and so on).

    So please do get in touch if you’re looking for older masters or project files and we’ll do our best to help out.