File Instructions
Properly prepared audio is one of the most important factors in producing a great-sounding record. Vinyl is a physical medium with unique limitations that differ significantly from digital streaming and CD — these guidelines exist to get the highest possible sound quality out of the format, and to keep your masters moving through production without delay.
Submit WAV or AIFF only
Submit a single continuous file for each vinyl side
Not individual song files, unless we've specifically asked for those.
Leave room for the cutting stylus
Avoid excessive limiting or clipping. Highly compressed "loudness war" masters often translate poorly to vinyl — the format rewards dynamics it can't recover once they're gone.
A dedicated vinyl master, whenever possible
Streaming and CD masters are often heavily limited and can introduce distortion, inner-groove issues, or reduced playback quality once cut to lacquer. No vinyl master on hand? We'll evaluate what you send and flag anything that needs adjustment before cutting.
Send titles, sides, order, and exact timing
A document with track titles, side assignments, running order, the exact time of each track, and the total time for each side.
Shorter sides cut louder and cleaner
Longer sides need narrower grooves — that means lower playback volume, thinner bass, and more risk of distortion as you push past about 20 minutes.✓ Side length is checked on upload
Avoid last-minute changes
Once lacquers are cut, a change means new lacquer and new metal parts — real cost, real delay. Double-check before your masters go out the door:
The files you submit become the production masters
Listen the whole way through, on real speakers or headphones, for:
Spacing is preserved exactly as submitted
Unless you tell us otherwise, the silence between tracks in your files is the silence that gets cut. If specific timing matters, build those gaps into the audio itself or spell them out for us in writing.
Keep the sub-bass centered
Extremely wide stereo bass creates real tracking problems on a physical groove.
Submit pre-masters, not finished masters
If vinyl mastering is part of your project, send pre-master mixes rather than fully mastered tracks — that headroom is what lets our mastering engineer actually optimize for vinyl instead of undoing someone else's limiting first.
We're happy to review before cutting begins
If you're unsure whether your audio is suitable for vinyl, send it over — our goal is a record that sounds exceptional while preserving what you made.
Following these guidelines will help ensure your artwork prints correctly and prevent delays in production. If your files do not meet these specifications, we may request revised artwork before your project can proceed.
Download the correct template
Templates are provided once your job is set up. Please be sure you use the template that matches your order. Each template includes:
300 DPI at 100% of final print size
Supply artwork in CMYK
Files submitted in RGB may print differently than they appear on screen.
Extend artwork past the trim line
Extend all backgrounds, colors, and images at least 0.125″ (3 mm) beyond the trim line. This prevents unwanted white edges after trimming.
Keep important artwork inside the safe zone
Keep all important artwork, logos, and text inside the designated safe zone. Anything placed too close to the edge risks being trimmed off during production.
Center spine text and check its direction
If your jacket includes a spine:
Keep artwork clear of cutting and folding guides
Do not place important artwork directly on:
Outline or embed every font
Whenever possible:
High-resolution source images only
Do not use:
Rich black for coverage, 100% K for small text
Press-ready PDF preferred
Please submit artwork as:
Keep the template on its own layer
The template layer should remain visible in your working file, but be able to be hidden or removed before final production.
Name files clearly
Clear, specific file names keep the right art on the right part of your order.
Run through this checklist
Every job gets a digital proof
Once your artwork has been received, the Onyx Record Press prepress department will review your files for print compatibility. A digital proof will be prepared and emailed to you for approval with every job. Printing will not begin until the artwork proof has been approved.
If requested, a printed EPSON proof can also be provided for an additional cost. EPSON proofs are supplied as unfolded, unglued poster prints for reference only.
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