Encoding specifications
If you decide to encode (=rip) your music yourself instead of sending us your CDs, please follow below instructions.

• Submission Media
  We accpet data on Harddisk, Flash Drives (USB sticks), CD-Rom or DVD-Rom.
  Hard and Flash Drives can be returned to you at your costs and risk.
  We don't return Roms.
  
  
• Audio
  - We only accept .wav files. The stores will convert them into the final format (.mp3 192 etc.) themselves.
  - All audio files must be 44.1 kHz, 2 channel and 16 bit.
  - Use only slowest CD Drive speed / best quality option of your ripping software.
  - We recommend the EAC - Exact Audio Copy ripping tool.
  - Listen to your result wav files to make 100% sure they are OK.
  
  
• Images
  - We only accept .jpg files
  - Only one image per release, please.
  - All image files must be 1400 x 1400 pixels, 300 dpi, RGB color
  - Save image files at highest quality / lowest compression.
  - Image file names should have this format:
  [EAN/UPC Code] [Artist Name] - [Release Title / Album Name].jpg
  Example: "123456789012 John Doe - Greatest Hits.jpg"
  
  
• Spelling
  Each word in Artists or Titles should be Proper case, ie. first letter upper case.
  Examples:
  Greatest Hits (wrong: Greatest hits)
  The John Doe Blues Allstars (wrong: John Doe blues allstars)
  
  Artist names should be spelled naturally, just as they would be pronounced.
  Examples:
  The John Doe Allstars (wrong: John Doe Allstars, The)
  
  
• Release Folders
  Each release (no matter if album, single, EP or single track) must have it's own folder. The folder name should be in this format:
  
  [EAN/UPC Code] [Artist Name] - [Release Title / Album Name]
  Example: "123456789012 John Doe - Greatest Hits"
  
  If you dont have your own UPC / EAN code, the format is just
  [Artist Name] - [Release Title / Album Name]
  Example: "John Doe - Greatest Hits"
  
  
• Track naming
  Each track is one file with .wav extension.
  Various Artists is not an acceptable artist name at the ‘track’ level. 
  The track file name should be in this format:
  
  [Disc Number]-[Track Number]_[Artist Name] - [Track Title]
  Example 1:
  "001-003_Love Me Baby" (Track 3 on a CD)
  Example 2:
  "002-001_Love Me Again, Baby" (first song on 2nd disc of a double CD)
  
  If the release has various artists, the format is this:
  [Disc Number]-[Track Number]_[Artist Name] - [Track Title]
  Example: "001-003_John Doe - Love Me Baby"
  
  For remixes or version names, simply include the remix/version name in brackets after the title.
  Example: "001-003_John Doe - Love Me Baby (Radio Edit)"
  Example: "001-003_John Doe - Love Me Baby (DJ Doe Remix)"
  
  
• EAC .cue files
  Instead of typing track names manually, you can save a lot of time by using the .cue files generated by the EAC software. This simple text file often (not always) contains artist, titel and ISRC info. If these details are present, just put this file in the release folder and you can spare artist and title names in the track file name.
  
  To get this file, press ALT+G in EAC. Leave he name of the .cue file unchanged and you're done.
  
  
• Duplicate tracks
  If you are submitting multiple releases with identical tracks, eg. one song that appears on an album as well as on a single, please make sure both are identical files and have identical naming.
  
  
• Classical music
  Please email us for our classical music specs..