How to Prepare Audio for a Lathe Cut Vinyl Record
Thinking of making your own vinyl record? This guide walks through every step — file format, levels, EQ and side length — so your master arrives at the studio ready to sound its best on lathe-cut vinyl.
1. File format
Send WAV, FLAC or AIFF at 24-bit and 44.1kHz or higher (48/88.2/96 kHz are all fine). Do not send MP3, AAC or any lossy format — the lathe cuts what you send it, and lossy artefacts are clearly audible on vinyl. Export one interleaved stereo file per side.
2. Peak levels & headroom
Aim for a true-peak below -3 dBTP. Do not send a fully brick-walled master — vinyl has less headroom than digital, and clipping or inter-sample peaks translate into audible distortion on the cut. A slightly quieter, cleaner master always beats a hot, distorted one.
3. EQ & problem frequencies
High-pass rumble below ~30 Hz to keep the needle from jumping. Keep deep bass (below ~150 Hz) centered in mono — bass in the side channel widens the groove and forces us to cut at a lower level. Tame harsh sibilance with a gentle de-esser; sharp 's' and 't' sounds get more abrasive on vinyl than in digital.
4. Stereo image & phase
Check mono compatibility before sending. Elements that disappear in mono indicate phase problems that can literally throw the needle out of the groove. Avoid ultra-wide stereo effects on bass, kick or sub — keep the heavy elements pointed at the center.
5. Side length
Each size has a physical limit before quality drops: 7" up to 4 min per side, 10" up to 7 min, 12" up to 20 min. The longer the side, the more tightly packed the groove — level drops and high-frequency detail suffers. If you need more time, splitting across two records almost always sounds better.
6. How to send
One file per side, clearly named (Side_A.wav, Side_B.wav), plus a text tracklist with exact titles and durations. Bake gaps between tracks into the file itself (2 seconds is standard). After payment we open an upload form for audio, label artwork and jacket artwork.
Ready to make your own vinyl?
PLASTIK is an independent studio in Israel cutting custom vinyl records one at a time, by hand. Send us a master following this guide and we'll take it from there.