A vinyl test pressing lets you hear records made from the production metalwork before the full run is pressed. It is the right moment to check the audio and the order of the programme, then approve the result or report a specific concern.
Prepare a useful listening session
Keep the approved audio master and track list at hand. Listen on a clean, properly set-up turntable and, if possible, on a second system. Play both sides all the way through. Note the side, track and approximate time whenever you hear something unexpected. One isolated click may have a different cause from a fault that repeats at the same point on several copies.
What to check
- Track order, start points, gaps and endings.
- Distortion, unusual sibilance, unwanted noise or channel problems.
- Whether the issue appears on one copy or across several test copies.
- Whether what you hear differs from the approved source in a meaningful way.
Some surface noise is part of the medium. A test pressing is not a promise of digital silence. The question is whether there is a repeatable manufacturing or cutting issue, or whether a concern is already present in the source audio.
Give actionable feedback before approval
Send a concise list with side, track, time and a description of each concern. Photos or a short recording can help, but they do not replace the exact location and a comparison with the approved master. We can then raise the points with the plant and cutting team.
Do not approve the test pressing while an important question remains open. Approval is the point at which the project moves toward the full production run. If you need help interpreting what you hear, ask us before deciding.