Mastering Tips:

Be mindful of high frequencies, especially cymbals.
Most vinyl distortion issues come from excessive high frequency content, with cymbals being the biggest offender. Harsh crashes, bright hi-hats, and overly aggressive top end can cause distortion and inner groove issues. Taming cymbals with gentle EQ, multiband compression, or saturation can make a huge difference in overall playback quality.
 

Consider a low pass filter around 16kHz.
Applying a subtle low pass filter around 16k can help prevent unnecessary high frequency content from causing distortion. Many engineers who mix specifically for vinyl actually engage this filter before mixing so that all mix decisions are made with that frequency ceiling in mind. Simply adding it at the end can help, but mixing into it from the beginning generally produces better results. It is worth experimenting to see what sounds most natural.
 

De-ess vocals carefully.
Excessive “S” and “T” sounds can create sibilance distortion on vinyl. Proper de-essing helps smooth those high frequency spikes and keeps vocals clear without becoming harsh.
 

Control overall dynamics.
Some gentle bus compression can help stabilize the mix and prevent large peaks from causing tracking issues. Vinyl does not respond well to extremely aggressive limiting or hyper-compressed masters. Preserving dynamic range while keeping peaks controlled is ideal.
 

Make low frequencies mono below 100Hz.
Keeping bass frequencies centered helps maintain phase coherence and prevents the stylus from struggling with wide low end movement. Wide stereo bass can physically cause groove issues. We will sum the low end to mono during cutting if needed, but it is helpful to mix with that in mind.
 

Watch stereo width in general.
Extreme stereo widening, especially in high frequencies, can cause tracking distortion. Subtle width is fine, but overly wide mixes can translate poorly to vinyl.
 

Be mindful of track sequencing and side length.
Longer sides require lower overall cutting levels, which reduces volume and can increase noise perception. Keeping sides around 18–20 minutes (ideally under 21) allows for better level and fidelity.
 

Avoid excessive sub bass below 30Hz.
Very low sub frequencies are not musical on vinyl and can eat up groove space. A gentle high pass around 25–30Hz often helps clean up unnecessary rumble.
 

Avoid aggressive brickwall limiting.
Modern loudness war mastering does not translate well to vinyl. Over limited mixes can sound flat or distorted once cut. Leaving a little headroom and dynamic range will generally sound better.
 

Deliver high resolution files.
Provide 24-bit WAV files with no sample rate conversion unless requested. Avoid MP3s or overly processed final exports.