What is 2-bit Masters?

2-bit Masters is a digital audio mastering and auditing company located in western Switzerland.

2-bit Masters’ mastering workflow allows for the delivery of all projects in a wide variety of digital formats whilst ensuring the highest possible quality in every one of them. All projects handled at 2-bit Masters benefit from aımfi™, the result of over twelve years of independent research and development in the field of digital audio recording.

When working from pre-existing recordings, 2-bit Masters can help identify the best source from several archived analog and digital copies and determine the best restoration process when necessary. 2-bit Masters can also audit your ongoing recording and mixing projects and provide informed feedback in the form of a detailed written report, followed by a discussion.

In what formats are mastering projects delivered?

All mastering projects are delivered in these four formats (in stereo or surround depending on the nature of the project):

- PCM files for high-resolution PCM streaming and download services

- PCM files for standard-resolution PCM streaming and download services

- PCM files for lossy streaming and download services

- DDP folder for CD glass-mastering and manufacturing

The following formats are also available, at extra cost:

- PCM files for the preparation of analog releases (on vinyl and tape)

- DSD files for DSD streaming and download services

- UCMF folder for SACD glass-mastering and manufacturing

All files and folders are available from a secure FTP server after the mastering session.

Blu-ray and DVD authoring are not offered at this time. The high- and standard-resolution PCM files provided for lossless streaming and download services are however perfectly fit for inclusion on such media as well.

In-house lacquer cutting and analog tape mastering are not offered at this time either. 2-bit Masters can however recommend companies that offer these services and work with them to ensure the highest possible fidelity in the final product.

What formats and media can be accepted as sources?

All current lossless digital audio file formats, both PCM and DSD, at any resolution, are accepted. The files must be uploaded to a secure FTP server ahead of the mastering session. Mono, stereo, and surround (4.0, 5.1, etc.) are all supported.

Other digital sources (tapes and discs) must be transferred to lossless digital audio files at another facility. It is important to perform the transfer entirely in the digital domain and without any conversion of resolution nor additional processing (except for legacy formats, which should be converted to a current PCM resolution, preferably 24 bits at 88.2 or 96 kHz).

Analog sources must be converted to lossless digital audio files at another facility. It is important to digitize analog material to high-resolution PCM (24 bits at 176 kHz or above) or DSD (11.2 MHz or above) and without any additional processing, and to keep an exact record of the brand and model of analog-to-digital converters that were used for the transfer.

2-bit Masters can recommend companies that offer transfer and conversion services and work with them to ensure the highest possible fidelity to the original source.

How loud will projects mastered at 2-bit Masters be?

Each mastering project will be as loud as it needs to be in each of its chosen delivery formats.

Nowadays many streaming services and radio stations, as well as playback software and hardware, perform some form of loudness normalization. In order to make a production stand out, it is therefore far more effective to focus on reducing the impact of such processing on sound quality than to aim for the loudest possible output.

For high-resolution PCM and DSD streaming and download services, as well as for SACD, loudness will be set as high as possible without compromising the dynamic range of the mastered project.

For standard-resolution PCM and lossy streaming and download services, as well as for CD, loudness will be set according to the current industry standards for streaming services.

For the preparation of analog releases (on vinyl or tape), loudness will be set so as to ensure the best possible sound within the physical limitations of these media.

How long does it take to get a project mastered at 2-bit Masters?

2-bit Masters is currently accepting bookings for the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026. Because of ongoing research and development work on aımfi™ and because 2-bit Masters is currently using an external facility for mastering work, only a small number of projects will be accepted for these periods (while 2-bit Masters’ own facility is currently designed for aımfi™ restoration work only, the intent is to be able to handle mastering work in house as well at a later time).