Audio FAQs

A CD can contain 700 MBs which is equivalent to 79 minutes of audio. Audio CDs cannot exceed 79 minutes to ensure maximum compatibility.

Replicated discs (often called pressed discs) are made by first creating a glass master, then stampers that make exact clones using high-tech injection-molding. A coat of reflective aluminum is added and finally it gets sealed with a protective coat of lacquer hardened by ultraviolet light. Because of this extensive set up process, it is common to require a minimum of 500 discs for replication.

Duplicated discs (often called burned discs) are made by burning tiny holes in the dye layer of a recordable CDR or DVDR. It is the same process as when you burn a disc on your home computer. We use the highest quality CD-Rs on the market to ensure maximum quality and compatibility. This is more cost effective for small runs and takes much less time to produce. There is not really any audible difference between replication and duplication. There might be a small percentage of older CD players or car stereos that is unable to play duplicated CDs. This is rare, but it does occasionally happen.

You can upload your files to us digitally after you place your order. Your files should be .wav, .aif, .aiff or DDP at 44.1kHz and 16 bit.

Any other file types, sample rates or bit depths will be converted without notification.

MP3s are not recommended, but we will accept them. You’ll also need to fill out the CD track form to ensure that your CDs will have the correct track order, codes...etc.

You can also send us your duplication ready audio CD. We will duplicate exactly what you give us, so make sure you're satisfied with what you send. If you are interested in using our professional mastering services to get the best possible sound quality for your master, we'd be happy to help you.

No, we will not do anything to your audio to alter the volume or compression levels, unless you order mastering from us.

Mastering is the process of preparing your audio content for duplication or digital download. It is often overlooked and misunderstood... and no, it’s not a secretive process that requires a blessing from the Pope! It’s the last stage, the icing on the cake and the final word on how your project will sound. Proper mastering can give your content a cohesive feel and “gloss” that is a signature of higher quality commercial releases. Mastering includes the following but may not be necessary for all content:

• Adjusting volumes from track to track for an even sounding master
• Achieve maximum loudness (if so desired)
• Change song / track order
• Apply dynamic range compression and or limiting to control and “glue” the tracks together
• Apply tonal adjustment and equalization for correction and to get your audio to “shine”
• Clean up unwanted noise, clicks and pops using noise reduction and fading techniques
• Adjusting stereo width using phase techniques to make your audio sound wider
• Basic editing and rearrangement. For example; shorten a song for a radio edit

CD-Text refers to the information that can be embedded (burned) onto your CD master such as song titles and artist name. CD-Text can ONLY be displayed on stand alone CD players or car CD players that are capable of displaying CD-Text. It WILL NOT show up on computers. Many older car and home players can’t decode and display CD-Text... so, it’s not guaranteed that your CD-Text information will be seen. It’s a good idea to have us add your CD-Text information anyway, just in case. Make sure to always fill out a CD Track List Form when ordering CDs and we’ll do the rest.

What you see when you put a CD in your computer and open up iTunes/Apple Music is not actually embedded in the CD itself. iTunes/Apple Music reads from on online database called Gracenote. You can submit your CD's information to the Gracenote database straight from your own computer. It differs slightly for the various versions of iTunes/Apple Music.

1. Using iTunes (macOS or Windows)

Historically, iTunes has been one of the easiest methods for submitting new or corrected CD track info to Gracenote. While Apple has been transitioning to the Music app on more recent macOS versions, iTunes is still available on Windows (and on older macOS) and continues to use Gracenote.

1. Insert the CD

   • Open iTunes, then insert your audio CD. iTunes should automatically detect the CD and attempt to retrieve any track info from Gracenote.

2. Enter or Edit the Track Details

   • If iTunes does not find matching data in Gracenote, or the data it finds is incorrect or incomplete, you can manually enter the correct artist, album name, track titles, etc.
   • To do this, select the tracks, right-click (or use the menu bar) to choose Get Info (Windows) or Get Info (macOS), then fill in or correct the metadata fields.

3. Submit Track Info

   • Once you’ve entered all the details, look for the “Submit CD Track Names” option. Depending on your version of iTunes, you may find this in:
     • Advanced menu > Submit CD Track Names (older iTunes versions), or
     • File > Library > Submit CD Track Names (newer versions).
   • Click that option to send your updated metadata to Gracenote.

4. Confirmation

   • iTunes will briefly show a progress or confirmation dialog. That means your submission was sent to Gracenote.
   • Note: It can take several days (sometimes weeks) for Gracenote to process and incorporate the submission into the main database.

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2. Using the Music app (macOS Catalina and later)

If you’re on a newer version of macOS (Catalina or later), you no longer have a standalone iTunes application; instead, there is the Music app. Apple Music on macOS still uses Gracenote for CD recognition, and the process is similar:

1. Open Music App and Insert CD

   • The Music app will automatically read the CD and attempt to retrieve album details.

2. Edit Metadata

   • If the data is incorrect or unavailable, click on a track (or select multiple tracks), choose Get Info, and fill in the correct album, artist, and track names.

3. Submit Data

   • After editing, look in the Menu Bar (the exact naming varies by version). You may find a Library or File menu option that says Submit CD Track Names. Select it to send updates to Gracenote.

4. Await Database Update

   • Again, Gracenote takes some time to validate and update their main database.

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3. Other Media Applications

While iTunes (or the Music app) is by far the most common way people submit corrections, there are other tools and programs that incorporate Gracenote. Most commercial applications that have a “powered by Gracenote” mention will either automatically submit metadata or give you an option to do so. The process is typically:

1. Insert your CD.
2. Edit or fill in the track details if missing or incorrect.
3. Use the software’s “Submit” or “Send Track Info” feature if available.

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4. Label or Publisher Direct Submissions

If you represent a music label, distributor, or publisher, you might be eligible for a direct submission account with Gracenote. This is a more formal route for bulk or professional submissions. Details on how to become a direct partner can be found on the Gracenote website under their “Music” solutions or “Contact” pages. This is typically not for one-off personal submissions.

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Tips & Troubleshooting

• Make sure the metadata is correct and complete (including track numbers, disc number if part of a set, album artist vs. track artist if relevant). Incomplete or inconsistent data can cause confusion in the database.
• Only audio CDs are recognized by the standard CD lookup; data CDs (MP3 discs, etc.) will not trigger a Gracenote query in iTunes or Music.
• No immediate changes: Don’t be surprised if your submission doesn’t appear in the database right away. It may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for Gracenote to process.
• Check for an existing match: Always let iTunes/Music try to fetch data first. If an album is already recognized but is incorrect, correct it and re-submit. That helps Gracenote refine data for the next user.