When you place and order for CD or DVD Duplication we’ll ask you to send in a physical master you have created. At a push, if time is short we can accept an ISO file, but a physical CD or DVD is best.

When creating your CD or DVD it’s best to use CD-R or DVD-R media. Please do not use  CD-RW  (rewritable) media.

It’s best to use your computers CD or DVD recording software to create the master.Typically this might be software like Nero, Roxio or other CD\DVD recording tools. We have some additional notes here which cover the settings for CD Mastering software and will look at this again in a blog post soon.

Avoid using  ‘Drag & Drop’ where you drag the file from a folder to the media. It’s likely that your computer will produce a master that is not suitable for copying.

Be sure to test your master in a range of computers and make sure it functions as you expect. Make sure that there is no unwanted content (or artwork files).  We strive to make identical copies of the whole CD or DVD, so our copies will be exactly the same as your master.

Finally, try and keep the master clean and free of scratches and identify it with a soft tip permanent marker. Include your contact details and our quote reference so that we know who’s sent it.

We’ve a blog post here covering the creation of Audio CD Masters.