Straight answers on tape mastering, vinyl premasters, loudness, turnaround and pricing at TailOut Studios. Something missing? Ask us directly.
About tape mastering
What is analog tape mastering?
Analog tape mastering means your final mix is played through a professional reel-to-reel tape machine as part of the mastering chain. The tape adds harmonic saturation, gentle compression and low-end weight (“head bump”) that digital emulations approximate but don’t fully reproduce. At TailOut Studios, every master runs through a Studer A820, a professional studio tape machine.
How is tape mastering different from digital or AI mastering?
Digital mastering processes your track entirely in software; AI mastering applies automated presets with no human judgment. Tape mastering combines an experienced engineer with a real analog signal path. The result is more than a “warmer” sound: tape rounds transients and glues the low end in a way that translates better on vinyl and club systems. Every TailOut master is handled by one engineer.
What equipment do you master on?
The core of the chain is a Studer A820 reel-to-reel tape machine, calibrated before every session, combined with analog outboard EQ and compression and high-end AD/DA conversion. Full studio details are on our Studio page.
What genres do you specialize in?
Electronic music: house, techno, electro, ambient, experimental and everything between. Since 2017 we have mastered releases for labels including Uncanny Valley, Noton, Permanent Vacation, Rat Life, ARMA, FIT Sound (Detroit), Bordello a Parigi and Black Lodge (Los Angeles), and for artists such as Ätna.
Why does tape sound different? What is the “head bump”?
Tape machines naturally boost low frequencies around 40–80 Hz, the so-called head bump, and softly saturate transients. On club systems and vinyl this reads as weight and glue. It comes from the physics of the machine.
Preparing your premaster
How should I prepare my mix for mastering?
Send a stereo WAV or AIFF (16- or 24-bit) at the sample rate of your session, without upsampling. Remove any limiter or maximizer from the master bus. Leave roughly −6 dB of headroom (peaks around −6 dBFS). Keep any bus compression you consider part of the sound. Our free premaster guide on the homepage covers this step by step.
How loud should my premaster be?
Not loud at all: loudness is the mastering engineer’s job. Aim for peaks around −6 dBFS with no brickwall limiting. If your mix only sounds right with a limiter on, send both versions and we’ll match the intent.
What loudness will my master have? What about streaming (LUFS)?
We master for the medium: club and vinyl masters prioritize dynamics and low-end translation; digital masters land at a competitive loudness for the genre without crushing the mix. Streaming platforms normalize playback anyway, so over-limiting only costs punch. If you need a separate streaming-optimized version, just ask.
Vinyl
Do I need a separate master for vinyl?
Yes, in most cases. Vinyl has physical limits: excessive stereo bass, harsh sibilance and extreme high-frequency energy cause cutting problems and distortion. A vinyl premaster addresses this with a mono-compatible low end, controlled sibilance and side-length-aware levels. We deliver cut-ready premasters and can coordinate directly with your pressing plant or cutting studio.
What does the pressing plant need from you?
Typically 24-bit WAV files per side, correctly sequenced with gaps, labeled with side and track order, plus a PQ/tracklist sheet. We prepare all of this as part of a vinyl premaster package.
How long can each side of my record be?
As a rule of thumb: up to about 18 minutes per side on a 12″ at 33 rpm for full loudness; longer sides mean quieter cuts. We advise on sequencing and side splits before mastering so you don’t lose level where it matters.
Process, turnaround & pricing
How long does mastering take?
Standard turnaround for an EP is 3 business days from receiving approved premasters. Singles are usually faster; albums and catalog projects are scheduled individually. Rush options are available on request.
How many revisions are included?
Revisions are included until you’re satisfied. In practice they’re rarely needed: 81.8% of our masters are approved on the first version.
How do I send my files?
Through our upload form. You’ll receive a confirmation and feedback on your premasters before mastering starts: if something in the mix would limit the result, we tell you first.
Do you offer test masters?
Yes. If you’re releasing an EP or album and want to hear the tape chain on your own material first, ask about a test master of one track.
What does mastering cost?
Digital masters start at 49.90 €, single tape masters at 74.90 €. A full EP tape mastering package is 299.90 €, an album 699.90 €. Current prices are on the Mastering page. Labels with regular release schedules can ask about catalog rates.
Labels, restoration & studio
Do you work with labels on catalogs and reissues?
Yes. Catalog mastering, reissue restoration and ongoing retainer arrangements are a core part of our work. For reissues we handle tape transfer, de-noising and remastering from original sources where available. Contact us for label conditions.
Can you restore old tapes or recordings?
Yes. We digitize and restore analog tapes and damaged digital sources: transfer on calibrated machines, azimuth correction, de-noise, de-click and remastering. Each restoration starts with a free assessment of your source material.
Where is TailOut Studios? Do you work remotely?
TailOut Studios is based in Dresden, Germany, founded in 2017 by engineer Jacob Korn. Most of our projects run fully remote: clients worldwide upload premasters and receive masters online. Attended sessions in Dresden are possible by arrangement.
Who has TailOut mastered for?
Since 2017: labels including Uncanny Valley, Noton, Permanent Vacation, Rat Life, ARMA, FIT Sound (Detroit), Bordello a Parigi, Black Lodge (Los Angeles) and Ernest’s Way (Adelaide); artists including Ätna. Selected work is on our Listen page.