This document outlines the official audio requirements and production standards for vinyl and CD releases manufactured by elasticStage.
All audio is transferred to physical media as faithfully as possible. elasticStage does not apply creative, corrective, or artistic mastering adjustments.
Accepted File Formats
Supported File Types
WAV
MP3
File Requirements
Stereo files only
Minimum length: 10 seconds
Each track must be uploaded as a separate audio file.
elasticStage does not accept consolidated audio files per vinyl side.
If your mastering engineer supplies one WAV file for Side A or Side B, you must split it into individual tracks before uploading.
This requirement ensures:
Accurate track indexing
Track-level metadata assignment
Correct sequencing and spacing
Proper manufacturing automation
Mono recordings must be delivered as stereo files containing identical left and right channels.
Sampling Rate & Bit Depth
Vinyl Production Standard
Vinyl is manufactured using high-quality converters operating at:
96 kHz / 24-bit
Recommended delivery format:
96 kHz / 24-bit WAV
Other accepted formats:
44.1 kHz
48 kHz
88.2 kHz
96 kHz
16-bit or 24-bit
Files delivered in other formats will be converted to 96 kHz / 24-bit.
CD Production Standard
CDs are produced according to the Red Book CD specification:
PCM
16-bit
44.1 kHz
Files delivered in other formats will be converted to 16-bit / 44.1 kHz.
CD Technical Requirements
True Peak Protection
If uploaded audio exceeds -0.7 dB True Peak:
All tracks will be attenuated equally
The relative loudness relationship between tracks will be preserved
This ensures compatibility across CD players and prevents distortion, muting, or playback errors.
CD Text
Track metadata is embedded as CD Text where supported. Not all CD players display CD Text information.
Vinyl Technical Considerations
Vinyl is a mechanical playback format and is subject to physical limitations that differ from CD and streaming.
Maximum Duration
Maximum recommended: 23 minutes per side
Optimal sound quality: under 22 minutes per side
Longer sides may result in reduced playback level and reduced bass response.
Loudness & Space Trade-Off
Vinyl has physical space limitations. There is a trade-off between:
Duration
Bass content
Overall loudness
Bass-heavy or longer content requires more groove space and may reduce playback level.
High Frequencies & Inner Groove Distortion
Toward the centre of a vinyl side:
Treble reproduction decreases
Distortion increases
Excessive sibilance or aggressive high frequencies near the end of a side may increase distortion.
Bass & Phase Considerations
To optimise vinyl playback:
Avoid excessive stereo bass
Avoid extended negative phase correlation at high levels
Avoid sudden amplitude spikes, clicks, or editing errors
Extended negative phase correlation at high levels increases the risk of distortion or skipping.
Vinyl Mastering
A dedicated vinyl master is not required to release music on elasticStage.
Well-mastered audio prepared for streaming or CD will often translate well to vinyl.
However, vinyl mastering may improve playback quality by optimising:
Excessive sibilance or aggressive high frequencies
Heavy stereo bass content
Very long sides
Extremely loud digital masters
elasticStage does not apply artistic or corrective mastering decisions. If optimisation is required, it must be completed prior to upload.
Track Spacing
elasticStage does not automatically add silence between tracks.
If silence is required, it must be included within the uploaded audio file.
Loudness Preservation
elasticStage preserves the relative loudness relationship between tracks.
If one track is intentionally quieter, it will remain quieter.
Playback Disclaimer (Vinyl)
Vinyl playback performance depends on:
Turntable quality
Cartridge alignment
Tracking force
Anti-skate calibration
Low-cost turntables are more susceptible to skipping, especially with loud or heavily stereo content.
No vinyl record is completely skip-proof across all playback systems.