our pressing partner GreenLakes — Overview
Everything you need to know about producing your 7″, 10″, and 12″ Vinyl Records at ICONYC — in collaboration with our pressing partner GreenLakes. From audio mastering to artwork, process, and terms.
Select a specification category below to get full technical details for your release.
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Audio
Specifications
Mastering tracks is an essential and important part of music. Our in-house master engineer can make your music even more special by boosting it in the right direction — analogue, hybrid, or with tape and restoration.
We can make your music more vivid and lively with that extra delicate touch. Mastering can be done analogue or hybrid and is done in one of our high end analog studios. Analog tape and restoration is also an option.
Our master engineer excels in recognising the boundaries where mastering meets cutting and cutting meets vinyl pressing for an optimised result at the highest level possible. All mastering issues can be discussed with our master engineer so your sound will be beyond your imagination.
Analogue Mastering Specifications
Reference Tracks
Including a reference track can be useful. Only submit uncompressed files — AIFF, WAV, or FLAC. MP3 files are unsuitable due to data compression artifacts, and links to YouTube or SoundCloud are equally insufficient for reference purposes.
Maximum Side Lengths — 12″ Records
Optimised sound performance requires careful management of side length against level. The table below outlines recommended maximums for key use cases.
| Use Case / Level | 45 RPM | 33 RPM |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum levels approx +6 dB | 45 6 min | 33 8 min |
| Sufficient levels approx +4 dB | 45 8 min | 33 11 min |
| DJ use approx 0 dB | 45 11 min | 33 15 min |
| Album / maximum playtime approx −6 dB and lower | 45 18 min | 33 24 min |
Tips
De-essers: Apply de-essers to vocal tracks during mixing rather than attempting to resolve sibilance issues in mastering. It is a far cleaner approach at the source.
Stereo Width: Avoid aggressive stereo width enhancement on loud cuts. Keep stereo content at a minimum 6 dB below mono content (M/S coding). For loud cuts, a 9 dB difference or greater is ideal. An elliptical filter is applied to convert the lowest stereo information to mono.
Extra Digital Masters
Additional digital masters for online distribution can be ordered. The following are included by default:
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Design
Templates
Our specifications and templates are clear to someone experienced who knows what they are doing. We print everything as delivered — follow our instructions carefully or ask us to design your artwork.
Vinyl Templates
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Support
Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about ordering vinyl records, pre-production, test pressings, the vinyl itself, labels, sleeves, and shipping.
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Dead Wax
Run-Out Area
The inscribed zone between the final groove and the centre label — a small space with lasting significance.
The Dead Wax or Run-Out Area is the part between the end of the music on the record and the centre label. Almost every vinyl record carries a text inscription in this area.
The ICONYC standard is the Catalog / Matrix number and the initials of the cutter. Additional text is an option — Artist Name, Label Name, a personal message to your listeners. Anything is possible. Maximum: 30 characters.
Inscription Options
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Labels
Labels
Our labels are not stickers — they are high quality paper pressed directly into the vinyl under high pressure and temperature. Eco-friendly by design, uncompromising in quality.
All labels are produced on Eco-Friendly 120 GSM Tullis Russell Paper — a specialist substrate that does not tear when pressed under high pressure at high temperature. Available in three print configurations.
Unprinted Labels
Made of high quality Eco-Friendly Tullis Russell Paper in white or black, without print. Can be used as-is, or stamped, stickered, or written on as desired.
1C Printed Labels
Printed in a single colour ink on Eco-Friendly Tullis Russell Paper. For special colours, labels can also be printed with Pantone ink.
4C Printed Labels
Full colour printing — almost anything is possible in terms of colour and design. Printed on Eco-Friendly Tullis Russell Paper. Pantone ink also available for special colour requirements.
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Inner Sleeves
Sleeves
Our inner sleeves are made from high quality Eco-Friendly and FSC-certified paper and cardboard, printed with Eco-Friendly and Vegan inks. Protection without compromise.
Unprinted Inner Sleeves
Made from high quality FSC-certified paper or cardboard in white, black, or brown, without print. Can be used as-is or stickered and stamped. Available without varnish or unglued for custom screen printing or painting.
1C Printed Inner Sleeves & Discobags
Printed in a single colour ink on white paper. For special colours, sleeves can also be printed with Pantone ink.
4C Printed Inner Sleeves & Discobags
Full colour printing — almost anything is possible in terms of colour and design. Pantone ink also available for special colour requirements.
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Outer Sleeves
Sleeves
Our outer sleeves are made from high quality Eco-Friendly and FSC-certified cardboard, printed with Eco-Friendly and Vegan inks. From standard to fully bespoke — every format is available.
Unprinted Outer Sleeves
Made from high quality FSC-certified cardboard in white, black, or brown, without print. Can be used as-is or stickered and stamped. Available with semi-gloss varnish as standard, delivered inside out, or without varnish and unglued for custom screen printing.
1C Printed — Outer Sleeves / Gatefold / Tip-On
Printed in a single colour ink on white paper or special coloured paper. Outer sleeves, gatefolds, and tip-on sleeves can also be printed with Pantone ink for exact colour matching.
4C Printed — Outer Sleeves / Gatefold / Tip-On
Full colour printing across all sleeve formats. Pantone ink also available for special colour requirements alongside 4C.
Custom & Special Options
For something exceptional — special paper stocks, custom sizes, cut-outs, hot foil, embossment, box sets — contact us and we will do our utmost to make it possible.
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Paper Quality
Quality
We offer various types of environmentally friendly and FSC-certified high-quality paper and cardboard. Our standard options have been selected with great care to guarantee the most beautiful end product.
All paper and cardboard stocks used by ICONYC are environmentally friendly and FSC-certified. The following are our standard options, available across labels, inner sleeves, and outer sleeves.
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Varnish
Options
We offer different types of environmentally friendly, water-based varnish and laminating options. Full varnishing, partial varnishing, and unvarnished sleeves for custom screen printing are all available.
All varnish options are water-based and environmentally friendly. Our standard selections have been chosen to guarantee the best possible end result. Partial varnishing is available in addition to full cover treatment.
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Sustainability
Vinyl
ICONYC and GreenLakes are committed to pressing your records as green as possible — without compromising on sound quality, material integrity, or product excellence. We are ISO 14001 and ISCC PLUS certified.
At a time when plastic waste and microplastics are invading the planet's ecosystem, we feel it is our duty — as a company and as human beings — to produce vinyl in an environmentally responsible way. Our main goal, since the start, is to press your vinyl records as green as possible. Vinyl as you know it, made with the greenest available raw materials.
Thanks to our cutting-edge CO₂(e) and GHG smart tracking system, continuously updated with the latest data, we are able to track our entire ecological footprint across energy consumption, waste, recycling, and pollution.
Every Order — Every Time
What is Bio-Vinyl?
ISCC PLUS & ISO 14001
our pressing partner GreenLakes— Sleeve Protection
Protection
Protecting your finished product from pressing to the listener. Two options are available — a lightweight sealbag for sealing and a heavier polyethylene sleeve for full outer sleeve protection.