https://mastering.to/assets/CdPage-DEc65Mga.js

1import{u as I,j as e,d as $,D as J,A as E,E as N,a as U}from"./index-DGKNtf3q.js";import{b as F,L as P}from"./vendor-Djr1IunZ.js";import{P as G}from"./platforms-DUbC6pLN.js";const O=t=>{const i=Math.floor(t/60),n=Math.floor(t%60);return`${i}:${n.toString().padStart(2,"0")}`},u="#60a5fa";function Q(){return F.useEffect(()=>{document.title="Mastering for CD: Red Book Specs, True Peak, Dithering & Intersample Clipping | mastering.to";const t=(a,r,g=!1)=>{const p=g?`meta[property="${a}"]`:`meta[name="${a}"]`;let l=document.querySelector(p);l||(l=document.createElement("meta"),g?l.setAttribute("property",a):l.setAttribute("name",a),document.head.appendChild(l)),l.setAttribute("content",r)};t("description","The complete guide to mastering for CD — Red Book 16-bit/44.1kHz specs, true peak −0.3 dBTP ceiling, dithering, intersample clipping from oversampling DACs, and the loudness wars. Free analyzer included."),t("robots","index, follow"),t("og:title","Mastering for CD: Red Book Specs, True Peak, Dithering & Intersample Clipping",!0),t("og:description","Red Book 16-bit/44.1kHz, −0.3 dBTP, dithering, intersample clipping — the complete CD mastering guide.",!0),t("og:type","article",!0),t("og:url","https://mastering.to/cd",!0),t("twitter:card","summary_large_image"),t("twitter:title","Mastering for CD: Red Book, True Peak & Dithering Guide"),t("twitter:description","Red Book specs, −0.3 dBTP ceiling, 16-bit dithering, intersample clipping — the complete CD mastering guide plus a free analyzer.");let i=document.querySelector('link[rel="canonical"]');i||(i=document.createElement("link"),i.setAttribute("rel","canonical"),document.head.appendChild(i)),i.setAttribute("href","https://mastering.to/cd");const n={"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage",mainEntity:[{"@type":"Question",name:"What are the Red Book CD specifications?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"The Red Book standard, published by Philips and Sony in 1980, defines CD audio as 16-bit linear PCM audio at 44.1 kHz, stereo. It specifies a maximum playing time of 74 minutes (later extended to 80 minutes), a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz, a bit depth of 16 bits per sample per channel, and a maximum data rate of 1.41 Mbps. Any audio delivered for CD replication must be converted to 16-bit/44.1 kHz before pressing. The Red Book also specifies sub-channel data for track indexing, disc ID, and CD-TEXT metadata."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"What is the recommended true peak ceiling for CD?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"The widely accepted recommendation is −0.3 dBTP (true peak), which is tighter than the −1 dBTP recommended for streaming. The reason: CD players use oversampling D/A converters that reconstruct the audio signal at a higher sample rate than 44.1 kHz. This reconstruction interpolates sample values between stored samples, and these interpolated values can exceed 0 dBFS even when no individual stored sample does. Physical CD playback is therefore subject to intersample clipping that purely digital delivery (like streaming) is less exposed to. The −0.3 dBTP recommendation specifically accounts for the physical DAC reconstruction overhead in CD players."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"What is dithering and why is it needed for CD mastering?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"Dithering is the process of adding a very small amount of shaped noise to an audio signal before reducing its bit depth. When you reduce a 24-bit master to 16-bit for CD, you're reducing the number of quantization steps from over 16 million to 65,536. Without dithering, this quantization process introduces a form of distortion called quantization noise — a correlated distortion signal that's particularly audible in quiet, fading passages. Adding low-level noise (dither) before quantization randomizes the rounding errors, turning correlated quantization distortion into uncorrelated broadband noise at a much lower level. Noise-shaped dithering (such as TPDF or POW-R) concentrates this noise in less audible frequency ranges, typically above 10 kHz. Most professional mastering tools apply noise-sh

1aped dithering automatically when exporting at 16-bit."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"Does CD have loudness normalization?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"No. CD has no loudness normalization of any kind. The audio is played back at exactly the level it was mastered. This is why the loudness wars were primarily a CD-era phenomenon — engineers and labels competed to have the loudest-sounding disc in a record store listening station or on shuffle. A CD mastered at −6 LUFS will sound significantly louder than one at −14 LUFS on any CD player. For physical CD releases, your loudness decisions carry full weight with no normalization to equalize the playing field."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"Can I use a 24-bit master file for CD replication?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"No — CD replication requires 16-bit/44.1 kHz PCM. You must render your final master to 16-bit/44.1 kHz before submitting for CD replication. This conversion should be done with proper noise-shaped dithering applied during the bit depth reduction step. Submit the 16-bit version to the replication plant; keep your 24-bit master archived for any future use. Some DDP mastering software handles this conversion step as part of the CD image creation process."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"What is a DDP image and when do I need one?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"DDP (Disc Description Protocol) is the industry-standard file format for delivering CD masters to replication plants. A DDP image contains all the audio data, PQ subcoding (track start/stop times, index points), CD-TEXT metadata, ISRC codes, and error correction information needed to press a CD — everything encoded in a specific file structure that replication plants can ingest directly. Most replication plants require DDP for professional orders. Physical CD masters (wav files + a cue sheet) are generally only accepted for very small runs or DIY duplication. Mastering software like Sequoia, Wavelab, Pyramix, and Sonic Studio creates DDP images. If you're using a mastering engineer, they'll deliver a DDP image as part of the CD master."}}]},m={"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList",itemListElement:[{"@type":"ListItem",position:1,name:"mastering.to",item:"https://mastering.to"},{"@type":"ListItem",position:2,name:"Mastering for CD",item:"https://mastering.to/cd"}]},o={"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle",headline:"Mastering for CD: Red Book Specs, True Peak, Dithering & Intersample Clipping",description:"The complete guide to mastering for CD.",url:"https://mastering.to/cd",publisher:{"@type":"Organization",name:"mastering.to",url:"https://mastering.to"}},d="cd-page-schema";let f=document.getElementById(d);f||(f=document.createElement("script"),f.id=d,f.type="application/ld+json",document.head.appendChild(f));const y={"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"SoftwareApplication",name:"mastering.to",url:"https://mastering.to",applicationCategory:"MultimediaApplication",operatingSystem:"Web",offers:{"@type":"Offer",price:"0",priceCurrency:"USD"},description:"Free browser-based audio mastering analyzer. Measure LUFS, true peak, dynamic range, frequency spectrum, and check compliance with Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and 30+ streaming platforms.",featureList:["LUFS integrated & short-term measurement","True peak detection","Dynamic range (DR) analysis","Frequency spectrum analyzer","Streaming platform compliance checking","Codec preview simulation","A/B master comparison","Album analysis suite"]};return f.textContent=JSON.stringify([n,m,o,y]),()=>{var r,g;document.title="mastering.to — Free Audio Analyzer | LUFS Checker";const a=document.querySelector('meta[name="description"]');a&&a.setAttribute("content","Free browser-based audio mastering quality control tool. Analyze loudness (LUFS), true peak, dynamics, stereo width, spectrum, and get platform-specific assessments for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, vinyl, and 35+ formats. Your audio never leaves your browser."),(r=document.getElementById(d))==null||r.remove(),(g=document.querySelector('link[rel="canonical"]'))==null||g.remove()}},[]),null}function Y(){const[t,i]=F.useState("nodither"),n=560,m=260,o=44,d=20,f=20,y=110,a=60,r=14,g=n-o-d,p=80,l=Array.from({length:p},(s,h)=>

1{const D=h/p,T=Math.pow(.97,h);return Math.sin(2*Math.PI*D*3.7)*T*.18}),C=32767,B=[.3,-.4,.5,-.3,.45,-.5,.35,-.4],w=l.map((s,h)=>{const D=s*C;if(t==="nodither")return Math.round(D)/C;const T=B[h%B.length]*(t==="shaped"?.65:.5);return Math.round(D+T)/C}),x=f,c=f+y,b=x+y/2,j=y*.44,v=s=>b-s*j,k=g/p,S=c+r,q=S+a,M=l.map((s,h)=>s-w[h]),L=Math.max(...M.map(Math.abs),1/C),z={nodither:{main:u,err:"#ff5555"},dither:{main:"#30d158",err:"#ff9f0a"},shaped:{main:"#a78bfa",err:"#00d4ff"}},{main:A,err:W}=z[t];return e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",gap:8,marginBottom:16,flexWrap:"wrap"},children:[{id:"nodither",label:"No dither",sub:"16-bit raw truncation"},{id:"dither",label:"TPDF dither",sub:"Flat noise floor"},{id:"shaped",label:"Noise-shaped",sub:"Error pushed >10 kHz"}].map(({id:s,label:h,sub:D})=>e.jsxs("button",{onClick:()=>i(s),style:{background:t===s?`${z[s].main}18`:"transparent",border:`1px solid ${t===s?z[s].main:"#2a2d38"}`,color:t===s?z[s].main:"#9aa0ad",padding:"6px 14px",borderRadius:5,fontSize:10,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",cursor:"pointer",transition:"all 0.15s",textAlign:"left"},children:[e.jsx("div",{children:h}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:8,opacity:.65,marginTop:1},children:D})]},s))}),e.jsxs("svg",{viewBox:`0 0 ${n} ${m}`,style:{width:"100%",height:"auto",display:"block"},children:[e.jsxs("defs",{children:[e.jsx("clipPath",{id:"cdWaveClip",children:e.jsx("rect",{x:o,y:x,width:g,height:y})}),e.jsx("clipPath",{id:"cdErrClip",children:e.jsx("rect",{x:o,y:S,width:g,height:a})})]}),e.jsx("rect",{x:o,y:x,width:g,height:y,fill:"#07080f",rx:2}),e.jsx("line",{x1:o,y1:b,x2:n-d,y2:b,stroke:"#1e2030",strokeWidth:1}),[-1,1].map(s=>{const h=1/C,D=v(h*s*.5);return e.jsx("line",{x1:o,y1:D,x2:n-d,y2:D,stroke:`${A}22`,strokeWidth:1,strokeDasharray:"3 3"},s)}),e.jsxs("g",{clipPath:"url(#cdWaveClip)",children:[e.jsx("polyline",{points:l.map((s,h)=>`${o+h*k+k/2},${v(s)}`).join(" "),fill:"none",stroke:"#333348",strokeWidth:1.5,opacity:.7}),e.jsx("polyline",{points:w.map((s,h)=>`${o+h*k+k/2},${v(s)}`).join(" "),fill:"none",stroke:A,strokeWidth:2})]}),e.jsx("text",{x:o+8,y:x+12,fontSize:8,fill:"#444458",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"── 24-bit original"}),e.jsx("text",{x:o+8,y:x+23,fontSize:8,fill:A,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"── 16-bit quantized"}),e.jsx("rect",{x:o,y:S,width:g,height:a,fill:"#07080f",rx:2}),e.jsx("line",{x1:o,y1:S+a/2,x2:n-d,y2:S+a/2,stroke:"#1a1d28",strokeWidth:1}),e.jsx("g",{clipPath:"url(#cdErrClip)",children:M.map((s,h)=>{const D=o+h*k+k/2,T=s/L,R=Math.abs(T)*(a/2-4),H=S+a/2;return e.jsx("rect",{x:D-Math.max(1,k*.4),y:T>=0?H-R:H,width:Math.max(2,k*.8),height:R,fill:W,opacity:.85,rx:1},h)})}),e.jsx("text",{x:o+8,y:S+12,fontSize:8,fill:W,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",fontWeight:"600",children:"quantization error"}),e.jsx("text",{x:o-6,y:x+8,fontSize:7,fill:"#2a2d38",textAnchor:"end",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"signal"}),e.jsx("text",{x:o-6,y:S+8,fontSize:7,fill:"#2a2d38",textAnchor:"end",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"error"}),e.jsx("line",{x1:o,y1:x,x2:o,y2:c,stroke:"#1a1d28",strokeWidth:1}),e.jsx("line",{x1:o,y1:S,x2:o,y2:q,stroke:"#1a1d28",strokeWidth:1}),e.jsx("text",{x:n/2,y:m-6,textAnchor:"middle",fontSize:7.5,fill:"#22222e",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",letterSpacing:"0.08em",children:"SAMPLE INDEX → (quiet decaying passage)"})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginTop:10,fontSize:12,color:"#9aa0ad",lineHeight:1.6,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace"},children:[t==="nodither"&&"Without dither, the 16-bit rounding errors are correlated with the signal — producing audible harmonic distortion during quiet fades. The error panel shows the pattern clearly.",t==="dither"&&"TPDF dither adds low-level noise that randomizes the rounding errors. The error becomes uncorrelated broadband noise — less audible and less harsh than the correlated pattern.",t==="shaped"&&"Noise-shaped dithering concentrates the dither noise above 10 kHz where the ear is least sensitive. The audible noise floor drops significantly compared to flat TPDF."]})]})}function V(){const a=[.82,.94,.99,1,.97,.88,.72,.55],r=[];for(let c=0;c<a.length-1;c++){r.push(a[c]);const b=a[c]*.3+a[c+1]*.8;r.push(b)}r.push(a[a.length-1]);const p=492/r.length,l=117*.88,C=153,B=c=>C-c*l,w=36,x=C-.997*l;return e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsxs("svg",{viewBox:"0 0 560 185",style:{width:"100%",height:"auto",display:"block"},children:[e.jsx("defs",{children:e.jsx("clipPath",{id:"cdISClip",children:e.jsx("rect",{x:44,y:36,width:492,height:117})})}),e.jsx("line",{x1:44,y1:w,x2:536,y2:w,stroke:"#333348",strokeWidth:1.5,strokeDasharray:"4 3"}),e.jsx("text",{x:40,y:w+4,textAnchor:"end",fontSize:8,fill:"#333348",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"0 dBFS"}),e.jsx("line",{x1:44,y1:x,x2:536,y2:x,stroke:`${u}88`,strokeWidth:1.5,strokeDasharray:"5 3"}),e.jsx("text",{x:40,y:x+4,textAnchor:"end",fontSize:8,fill:`${u}aa`,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"−0.3 dBTP"}),e.jsx("rect",{x:44,y:36,width:492,height:x-36,fill:"#ff555506"}),e.jsxs("g",{clipPath:"url(#cdISClip)",children:[a.map((c,b)=>{const j=44+b*2*p+p/2,v=B(c),k=c>.997;return e.jsxs("g",{children:[e.jsx("rect",{x:j-p*.4,y:v,width:p*.8,height:C-v,fill:k?"#ff555544":`${u}33`,rx:1}),e.jsx("circle",{cx:j,cy:v,r:4,fill:k?"#ff5555":u})]},b)}),e.jsx("polyline",{points:r.map((c,b)=>`${44+b*p+p/2},${B(c)}`).join(" "),fill:"none",stroke:"#00d4ff",strokeWidth:2,opacity:.8}),(()=>{const c=Math.max(...r),j=44+r.indexOf(c)*p+p/2,v=B(c);return e.jsxs(e.Fragment,{children:[e.jsx("circle",{cx:j,cy:v,r:5,fill:"none",stroke:"#ff5555",strokeWidth:2}),e.jsx("line",{x1:j,y1:v,x2:j,y2:w-2,stroke:"#ff555566",strokeWidth:1,strokeDasharray:"3 2"}),e.jsx("text",{x:j+6,y:v+14,fontSize:8,fill:"#ff5555",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"intersample peak"})]})})()]}),e.jsx("text",{x:52,y:135,fontSize:7.5,fill:u,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"● stored samples"}),e.jsx("text",{x:52,y:146,fontSize:7.5,fill:"#00d4ff",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",children:"─ DAC reconstruction"}),e.jsx("line",{x1:44,y1:36,x2:44,y2:153,stroke:"#1a1d28",strokeWidth:1}),e.jsx("text",{x:560/2,y:181,textAnchor:"middle",fontSize:7.5,fill:"#22222e",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",letterSpacing:"0.08em",children:"TIME →   (oversampling D/A reconstruction)"})]}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:11,color:"#333348",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginTop:8,lineHeight:1.5},children:"Sample peak meters only read the stored dot values. The CD player's oversampling DAC reconstructs the smooth curve between them — and that curve can exceed 0 dBFS. The −0.3 dBTP ceiling accounts for this reconstruction overhead."})]})}function X({analysis:t}){var y,a,r,g,p;const i=(y=t==null?void 0:t.lufs)==null?void 0:y.integrated,n=(a=t==null?void 0:t.truePeak)==null?void 0:a.peak,m=(r=t==null?void 0:t.dynamics)==null?void 0:r.crestFactor,o=(g=t==null?void 0:t.format)==null?void 0:g.sampleRate,d=(p=t==null?void 0:t.format)==null?void 0:p.bitDepth;if(i==null)return null;const f=[...n!=null?[{label:"True peak",value:`${n.toFixed(1)} dBTP`,target:"Below −0.3 dBTP (CD/DAC headroom)",good:n<=-.3,note:n>-.3?"Above the −0.3 dBTP CD ceiling. Oversampling CD players reconstruct intersample peaks that can exceed your stored sample values — this is where clipping occurs on physical playback. Apply a true peak limiter set to −0.3 dBTP.":"Good headroom for oversampling DAC reconstruction. CD pressing should be clean."}]:[],{label:"Integrated loudness",value:i!=null?`${i.toFixed(1)} LUFS`:"—",target:"No normalization — master to taste",good:!0,note:"CD plays back at exactly the level you master it — no normalization of any kind. Your loudness decisions are the full story. Dynamic masters (crest factor 8 dB+) tend to translate better to physical CD playback on hi-fi systems."},...m!=null?[{label:"Crest factor (dynamics)",value:`${m.toFixed(1)} dB`,target:"Varies by genre — no normalization on CD",good:m>=6,note:m<4?"Very heavily limited. CD has no normalization, so this level of compression is heard exactly as mastered — on a good CD player, heavy limiting is more exposed than on streaming.":m>=10?"Wide dynamic range — will sound open and detailed on a good CD player or hi-fi system.":"Moderate dynamics. Will work well across different playback systems."}]:[],...o!=null?[{label:"Sample rate",value:`${(o/1e3).toFixed(1)} kHz`,target:"44.1 kHz (Red Book standard)",good:o===44100,note:o===44100?"Native Red Book sample rate — no conversion needed for CD.":`${(o/1e3).toFixed(1)} kHz must be sample rate converted to 44.1 kHz for CD. Use high-quality 

1SRC in your mastering tool — avoid letting the replication plant handle it.`}]:[],...d!=null?[{label:"Bit depth",value:`${d}-bit`,target:"24-bit source → dither to 16-bit for delivery",good:d>=16,note:d>16?`${d}-bit source — good. Apply noise-shaped dithering when exporting to 16-bit for CD delivery. Never truncate without dither — the quantization distortion is audible in quiet passages.`:d===16?"16-bit source — already at Red Book depth. If this was dithered from 24-bit, you're set.":"Below 16-bit — not suitable for CD. Re-export from your 24-bit project."}]:[]];return e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0a0c14",border:"1px solid #1a1d28",borderRadius:10,padding:"18px 20px"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.12em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:14},children:"CD / Red Book Readiness — Quick Assessment"}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",flexDirection:"column",gap:12},children:f.map(l=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0d0f18",borderRadius:8,padding:"14px 16px",borderLeft:`3px solid ${l.good?"#30d158":"#ff9f0a"}`},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",alignItems:"center",marginBottom:6,gap:8,flexWrap:"wrap"},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:12,color:"#8888a0",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace"},children:l.label}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",gap:8,alignItems:"center"},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:13,fontWeight:700,color:"#00d4ff",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace"},children:l.value}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:9,color:l.good?"#30d158":"#ff9f0a",background:l.good?"#30d15815":"#ff9f0a15",padding:"2px 7px",borderRadius:3,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",fontWeight:700},children:l.good?"GOOD":"REVIEW"})]})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontSize:10,color:"#44445a",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:4},children:["Target: ",l.target]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:11,color:"#666678",lineHeight:1.5},children:l.note})]},l.label))})]})}function _(){const t=[{number:"01",color:"#ff5555",mistake:"Using sample peak meters instead of true peak for CD",why:"CD players use oversampling D/A converters running at 4×, 8×, or even higher multiples of 44.1 kHz. The reconstruction filter interpolates values between stored sample points, and these interpolated values can significantly exceed 0 dBFS even when no stored sample does. A master that reads −0.1 dBFS on a sample peak meter may have true peaks above +0.5 dBTP — causing audible clipping on any CD player.",fix:"Use a true peak meter or true peak limiter set to −0.3 dBTP for all CD masters. This is stricter than the −1 dBTP used for streaming because physical CD playback is exposed to the full oversampling reconstruction overhead without any additional buffer from streaming infrastructure."},{number:"02",color:"#ff9f0a",mistake:"Skipping dithering when exporting to 16-bit",why:"Truncating a 24-bit master to 16-bit without dithering introduces quantization distortion — a correlated noise signal that's particularly audible as harmonic distortion during quiet, fading passages. In a loud, heavily limited master this may be inaudible, but in any music with dynamic range it manifests as a grainy, digital-sounding quality during quieter moments.",fix:"Always apply noise-shaped dithering as the last process in your chain when exporting to 16-bit for CD. Modern DAWs and mastering plugins offer several dither algorithms (TPDF, POW-R1/2/3, UV22HR) — any noise-shaped option is appropriate for CD mastering. Never use truncation without dither."},{number:"03",color:"#30d158",mistake:"Sample rate converting before the final limiting/dithering step",why:"If you sample rate convert (e.g., 96 kHz → 44.1 kHz) before your final limiter and dither, the SRC process itself can introduce new peak levels, and any subsequent limiting may not catch them. Additionally, some engineers apply too much limiting after SRC to compensate for any loudness change, compounding processing artifacts.",fix:"The correct order for CD preparation: (1) all mix processing and mastering EQ/compression at native resolution, (2) limiting at native resolution with true peak set to −0.3 dBTP, (3) sample rate conversion to 44.1 kHz if needed, (4) one final clip/true peak check after SRC, (5) noise-sh

1aped dithering to 16-bit as the absolute last step. Dithering must always be the final process."}];return e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:20},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:8},children:"Common Mistakes"}),e.jsx("h2",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:22,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",lineHeight:1.2,margin:0},children:"What goes wrong when mastering for CD"})]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",flexDirection:"column",gap:16},children:t.map(i=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0a0c14",border:`1px solid ${i.color}22`,borderRadius:10,padding:"20px 22px",borderLeft:`3px solid ${i.color}`},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",alignItems:"flex-start",gap:14,marginBottom:12},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",fontSize:11,color:`${i.color}66`,fontWeight:700,flexShrink:0,paddingTop:2},children:i.number}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:16,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0"},children:i.mistake})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{paddingLeft:28},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontSize:12,color:"#888898",lineHeight:1.65,marginBottom:10},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",fontSize:9,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em"},children:"Why it happens · "}),i.why]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontSize:12,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.65,background:`${i.color}08`,borderRadius:6,padding:"10px 12px",borderLeft:`2px solid ${i.color}44`},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{color:i.color,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",fontSize:9,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em"},children:"How to avoid it · "}),i.fix]})]})]},i.number))})]})}function K(){const[t,i]=F.useState(null),n=[{q:"What are the Red Book CD specifications?",a:"Red Book defines CD audio as 16-bit linear PCM at 44.1 kHz stereo, with a maximum 74–80 minute playing time. Any CD master must be converted to 16-bit/44.1 kHz before pressing. Sub-channel data handles track indexing, ISRC codes, and CD-TEXT metadata."},{q:"What true peak ceiling should I use for CD?",a:"−0.3 dBTP — tighter than streaming's −1 dBTP. CD players use oversampling DACs that reconstruct peaks between sample points. These intersample peaks can exceed 0 dBFS even when no stored sample does. The −0.3 dBTP ceiling accounts for this physical DAC reconstruction overhead."},{q:"What is dithering and is it required for CD?",a:"Yes. When reducing from 24-bit to 16-bit, apply noise-shaped dithering as the absolute last processing step. Without it, quantization rounding errors are correlated with the signal, producing audible harmonic distortion during quiet passages. Dithering randomizes these errors into low-level noise."},{q:"Does CD have loudness normalization?",a:"None whatsoever. Your master plays at exactly the level you mastered it. This is why the loudness wars were a CD-era phenomenon — louder CDs sounded subjectively better in listening stations. For physical CD, your loudness decisions are heard exactly as made."},{q:"Can I submit a 24-bit file for CD replication?",a:"No. CD replication requires 16-bit/44.1 kHz. Render with noise-shaped dithering to 16-bit before submitting. Most replication plants require a DDP image, not raw WAV files. Keep your 24-bit master archived."},{q:"What is a DDP image?",a:"DDP (Disc Description Protocol) is the industry-standard delivery format for CD replication. It encodes all audio, PQ subcoding (track times, index points), CD-TEXT, and ISRC codes in a file structure replication plants ingest directly. Professional mastering tools like WaveLab, Sequoia, and Pyramix create DDP images."}];return e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:20},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:8},children:"FAQ"}),e.jsx("h2",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:22,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",lineHeight:1.2,margin:0},children:"Common questions about CD mastering"})]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",flexDirection:"column",gap:2},children:n.map((m,o)=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0a0c14",border:"1px solid #1a1d28",borderRadius:8,overflow:"hidden"},children:[e.jsxs("button",{onClick:()=>

1i(t===o?null:o),style:{width:"100%",display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",alignItems:"center",padding:"14px 18px",background:"none",border:"none",cursor:"pointer",textAlign:"left",gap:12},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:14,color:t===o?"#e8e8f0":"#c0c0d0",fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontWeight:500,lineHeight:1.4},children:m.q}),e.jsx("span",{style:{color:t===o?u:"#333348",fontSize:18,flexShrink:0,transform:t===o?"rotate(45deg)":"none",transition:"transform 0.2s"},children:"+"})]}),t===o&&e.jsx("div",{style:{padding:"0 18px 16px",fontSize:13,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.7,borderTop:"1px solid #1a1d28"},children:e.jsx("div",{style:{paddingTop:14},children:m.a})})]},o))})]})}function Z(){const t=[{path:"/vinyl",name:"Vinyl",desc:"No normalization · Mono bass · RIAA curve",color:"#e8a035"},{path:"/cassette",name:"Cassette",desc:"~55 dB DR · HF rolloff · Tape saturation",color:"#c084fc"},{path:"/tidal",name:"Tidal",desc:"−14 LUFS · FLAC lossless · 24-bit/192kHz",color:"#00FFFF"},{path:"/minidisc",name:"MiniDisc",desc:"ATRAC codec · −0.5 dBTP · No normalization",color:"#8B5CF6"}];return e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:14},children:"Also analyze for"}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"grid",gridTemplateColumns:"1fr 1fr",gap:10},children:t.map(i=>e.jsx(P,{to:i.path,style:{textDecoration:"none"},children:e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0a0c14",border:"1px solid #1a1d28",borderRadius:8,padding:"14px 16px",transition:"all 0.15s",borderLeft:`3px solid ${i.color}55`},onMouseEnter:n=>{n.currentTarget.style.borderColor=`${i.color}66`,n.currentTarget.style.transform="translateY(-1px)"},onMouseLeave:n=>{n.currentTarget.style.borderColor="#1a1d28",n.currentTarget.style.borderLeftColor=`${i.color}55`,n.currentTarget.style.transform="none"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:14,fontWeight:600,color:"#c0c0d0",marginBottom:4},children:i.name}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",fontSize:10,color:"#44445a",lineHeight:1.5},children:i.desc})]})},i.path))})]})}function oe(){const t=I(),{analysis:i,analyzing:n,progress:m,fileName:o,error:d}=t,f=F.useMemo(()=>G.filter(a=>a.id==="cd"),[]),y=[{label:"Standard",value:"Red Book (IEC 60908)"},{label:"Sample rate",value:"44.1 kHz"},{label:"Bit depth",value:"16-bit linear PCM"},{label:"Dynamic range",value:"~96 dB theoretical"},{label:"Normalization",value:"None — loudness is as mastered"},{label:"True peak ceiling",value:"−0.3 dBTP (DAC reconstruction)"},{label:"Dither",value:"Required: 24-bit → 16-bit conversion"},{label:"Max playing time",value:"74 min (standard) / 80 min (extended)"},{label:"Delivery format",value:"DDP image or 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV"}];return e.jsxs("div",{style:{paddingBottom:100},children:[e.jsx(Q,{}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:36},children:[e.jsxs("nav",{"aria-label":"Breadcrumb",style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:8,display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:4},children:[e.jsx(P,{to:"/",style:{color:u,textDecoration:"none"},children:"mastering.to"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{color:u,opacity:.5},children:"/"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{color:u},children:"cd"})]}),e.jsx("h1",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:34,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",lineHeight:1.15,marginBottom:12,letterSpacing:"-0.02em"},children:"Mastering for CD"}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:15,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.65,maxWidth:680,marginBottom:20},children:"CD is the only major digital format where physics — not a platform algorithm — sets the ceiling. Oversampling D/A converters in CD players reconstruct peaks between stored sample points, which is why the true peak ceiling is tighter than streaming, and why dithering is essential when reducing to 16-bit."}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",flexWrap:"wrap",gap:8},children:[{v:"16-bit / 44.1kHz",l:"Red Book format"},{v:"−0.3 dBTP",l:"true peak ceiling"},{v:"Dither",l:"required for 16-bit"},{v:"No norm",l:"loudness is as mastered"}].map(({v:a,l:r})=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0d0f18",border:"1px solid #1a1d28",borderRadius:6,padding:"6px 12px",display:"flex",gap:7,alignItems:"baseline"},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:15,fontWeight:700,color:u},children:a}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",fontSize:9,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em",color:"#44445a"},children:r})]},r))})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0d0f15",border:"1px solid #1a1d28",borderRadius:8,padding:"20px 24px",marginBottom:32},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:14,display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:8},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{width:12,height:1,background:`${u}66`}}

1),"Key Specifications",e.jsx("div",{style:{flex:1,height:1,background:"#1a1d28"}})]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",flexDirection:"column"},children:y.map((a,r)=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",alignItems:"center",padding:"9px 0",borderBottom:r<y.length-1?"1px solid #12141e":"none",gap:12,flexWrap:"wrap"},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:12,color:"#777790"},children:a.label}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:12,fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",color:u,fontWeight:600,textAlign:"right",maxWidth:"60%",wordBreak:"break-word",marginLeft:"auto"},children:a.value})]},r))})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0a0c14",border:"1px solid #1a1d28",borderRadius:10,padding:"24px 20px",marginBottom:24},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:18},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:8},children:"Diagram"}),e.jsx("h2",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:20,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",margin:"0 0 8px"},children:"Why −0.3 dBTP: intersample clipping on CD"}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:13,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.6,maxWidth:620,margin:0},children:"Sample peak meters read the stored dot values. Your CD player's oversampling DAC reconstructs a smooth curve between them — and that curve can exceed 0 dBFS. The blue circles are your stored samples; the cyan line is what the DAC actually plays."})]}),e.jsx(V,{})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#0a0c14",border:"1px solid #1a1d28",borderRadius:10,padding:"24px 20px",marginBottom:32},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:18},children:[e.jsx("h2",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:20,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",margin:"0 0 8px"},children:"16-bit dithering: why it matters"}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:13,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.6,maxWidth:620,margin:0},children:"A quiet decaying passage — the scenario where 16-bit quantization and dithering choice is most audible. Toggle between no dither, TPDF, and noise-shaped to see and understand the difference in the error signal."})]}),e.jsx(Y,{})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:32},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:14,display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:8},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{width:12,height:1,background:`${u}66`}}),"Check Your Master",e.jsx("div",{style:{flex:1,height:1,background:"#1a1d28"}})]}),e.jsxs($,{value:u,children:[!i&&!n&&e.jsx(J,{analyzer:t}),n&&e.jsx(E,{progress:m,fileName:o}),d&&e.jsx(N,{error:d}),i&&e.jsxs(e.Fragment,{children:[e.jsx(U,{analysis:i,fileName:o,onReset:t.reset,platforms:f,formatTime:O,precodedBuffers:t.precodedBuffers}),e.jsx("div",{style:{marginTop:20},children:e.jsx(X,{analysis:i})})]})]})]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{marginBottom:40},children:[{title:"Red Book: The Standard That Defined an Era",content:"The Red Book standard, jointly developed by Philips and Sony and published in 1980, defines the Compact Disc Digital Audio format: 16-bit linear PCM sampled at 44.1 kHz, stereo, with error correction and sub-channel data for track indexing and metadata. The 44.1 kHz sample rate was chosen for a specific reason — it allowed audio to be recorded onto video tape (used as a storage medium during early CD development) using standard video equipment. The 16-bit depth provides a theoretical dynamic range of approximately 96 dB, far exceeding any other consumer format available at the time. Red Book remains the only universally compatible CD audio standard, unchanged since its introduction. Any CD master must ultimately be reduced to 16-bit/44.1 kHz before pressing, regardless of the resolution at which it was recorded and mixed."},{title:"Intersample Clipping and the −0.3 dBTP Ceiling",content:"CD's −0.3 dBTP true peak recommendation is tighter than the −1 dBTP standard for streaming, and the reason is physical: CD players use oversampling D/A converters. When your CD player reconstructs the audio signal, it operates at 4×, 8×, or higher multiples of the 44.1 kHz sample rate, using a reconstruction filter to interpolate sample values between the stored points. These interpolated values can exceed 0 dBFS even when no stored sample does. This is intersample clipping — and unlike streaming, where the platform's audio infrastru

1cture provides some buffer, CD playback happens directly through the listener's DAC with no additional headroom management. The −0.3 dBTP ceiling accounts for the typical reconstruction overhead of oversampling CD player DACs. Some engineers use −0.5 dBTP or −1 dBTP for extra safety."},{title:"Dithering: The Last Process in the Chain",content:"When reducing from 24-bit to 16-bit for CD, dithering must be the absolute last process applied. The mathematics of bit depth reduction round each 24-bit sample value to the nearest 16-bit step — and without dithering, these rounding errors are correlated with the signal, creating quantization distortion that manifests as harmonic noise during quiet passages. Adding a very small amount of noise (dither) before the rounding step randomizes the errors, transforming correlated distortion into uncorrelated broadband noise at a much lower and less audible level. Noise-shaped dithering improves on this by concentrating the noise in the less sensitive high-frequency range, using error feedback to push the noise floor where it's least audible. The key workflow rule: SRC first if needed (96 kHz → 44.1 kHz), then limiting at the reduced sample rate, then dithering as the final step. Dithering must never be followed by any further processing."},{title:"CD and the Loudness Wars",content:"The loudness wars — the progressive increase in average mastered loudness that peaked in the mid-2000s — were primarily a CD phenomenon. Because CD has no loudness normalization, a louder CD genuinely does sound louder than a quieter one at the same playback volume. In the era when consumers browsed CDs in record stores and played individual discs on dedicated players, there was a real competitive incentive to have the loudest-sounding disc. The cost was dynamic range: engineers and labels progressively sacrificed transient detail, width, and sonic space for perceived loudness. The introduction of streaming normalization largely ended this arms race for digital distribution, but for physical CD releases in 2025 and beyond, the dynamic is still relevant. Two CDs played back-to-back on a physical player — yours and a louder competitor's — are heard at their mastered levels with no normalization equalizing the difference."}].map((a,r)=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:24},children:[e.jsx("h2",{style:{fontFamily:"'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",fontSize:18,fontWeight:600,color:"#c0c0d0",marginBottom:10,paddingLeft:14,borderLeft:`3px solid ${u}44`},children:a.title}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:14,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.75,maxWidth:800,paddingLeft:14},children:a.content})]},r))}),e.jsx("div",{style:{marginBottom:40},children:e.jsx(_,{})}),e.jsx("div",{style:{marginBottom:40},children:e.jsx(K,{})}),e.jsx("div",{style:{borderTop:"1px solid #1a1d28",paddingTop:32},children:e.jsx(Z,{})}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginTop:24,paddingTop:20,borderTop:"1px solid #111420"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",marginBottom:10},children:"Related Reading"}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",flexWrap:"wrap",gap:"8px 20px"},children:[{to:"/learn/bit-depth",label:"Bit Depth Explained"},{to:"/learn/file-formats",label:"Audio File Formats"}].map(a=>e.jsx(P,{to:a.to,style:{fontSize:13,color:"#00d4ff",textDecoration:"none",borderBottom:"1px solid #00d4ff44"},children:a.label},a.to))})]})]})}export{oe as default};