/services · mastering
Audio mastering
Mastering for albums, EPs and singles of any genre, prepared for streaming, CD and vinyl, and checked so the music translates on every system it will be played on.
Mastering is the last creative and technical step before release. At Qualia it happens in a room built for one job: hearing exactly what is on the mix. The monitoring is a custom Bowers & Wilkins 801 Matrix S2 system in an extremely flat and aligned acoustic environment, and the entire signal chain is clocked from a precise atomic clock reference with minimal phase noise.
That accuracy is what lets mastering decisions be small and deliberate: the aim is to keep what the artist and mix engineer built, and make it sound its best everywhere it will be heard.
What's included
- Mastering for streaming and download: high-resolution masters prepared for digital distribution, with loudness set for the music rather than for a number.
- Apple Digital Masters: as an Apple Digital Masters provider we deliver masters prepared for Apple Music.
- CD masters (DDP): DDP image assembly with track order, gaps and ISRC codes.
- ISRC and metadata embedding in the delivered files.
- Vinyl premastering: a dedicated master for lacquer cutting, with a technical cue sheet included. See mastering for vinyl.
- Revisions discussed openly until the master is approved.
How it works
- Send the mixes. WAV or AIFF at the native sample rate and bit depth of the session (do not upsample), with peaks below 0 dBFS and no limiting on the mix bus if possible. Add reference tracks and notes if you have them.
- First master. We listen, master and send you the result with any technical observations about the mix.
- Feedback and revisions. We adjust until it is right.
- Delivery. Final files for each format you need: streaming/hi-res, Apple Digital Masters, DDP for CD, and a vinyl premaster if you are pressing records.
Projects can be handled entirely online, so artists and labels outside Portugal work with us the same way as local clients.
Who we master for
Independent artists, bands and labels in Portugal and abroad, from electronic and experimental music to jazz, rock, hip-hop, Portuguese traditional music and reissues of archival recordings. A selection of recent releases is on the home page, and reissue work often combines mastering with restoration.
Frequently asked questions
What file format should I send for mastering?
WAV or AIFF, 24-bit (or 32-bit float), at the sample rate the mix was made in. Leave some headroom and bypass any limiter you used only to make the mix loud. If the limiter is part of the sound, send both versions.
Do I need a separate master for vinyl?
In most cases yes. Vinyl has physical limits on groove velocity, excursion and stereo information that digital masters don't respect. Read more on the vinyl mastering page.
What is Apple Digital Masters?
Apple Digital Masters is Apple's programme for high-resolution masters delivered to Apple Music. As a provider, we prepare and check masters to its specifications, so the version listeners stream is as close as possible to the approved master.
Do I need to be at the studio?
No. Most projects are handled remotely. If you would like to listen at the studio in Sintra, near Lisbon, get in touch to arrange a time.
How much does mastering cost?
It depends on the number of tracks, formats and whether stems or restoration are involved. Send a short description of the project through the contact form and you will receive a quote.
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Tell us about your project
Describe the material or the music, the format, quantity and any deadline. You'll get a reply with how we'd approach it.