Online mastering

Mastering is the last step before your music reaches the listener. It's what separates a mix that "sounds good at home" from a song that holds its own next to any commercial release in the same playlist: at the right level, balanced on any playback system and delivered in the exact format each platform asks for.

At Stitos we offer professional 100% online mastering. You send us your finished stereo mix and we send back the master ready to upload to streaming, press to vinyl or deliver to your distributor. We work in English and take on projects from anywhere in the world.

What mastering does

The mastering engineer doesn't touch the individual tracks: they work on the final result of the mix, with tools that act on the whole. The goal isn't "turning up the volume", it's preparing the song for the real world.

• Level and loudness. Bringing the track to the competitive volume for its format (with specific LUFS targets per platform), controlling true peak to avoid digital distortion.
• Global tonal balance. Fine-tuning lows, mids and highs of the full mix so it sounds good on headphones, large speakers, phone and car — not just one system.
• Controlled dynamics. Adding level without crushing the punch. A good master isn't the loudest: it's the one that keeps the dynamics alive within the appropriate level.
• Consistency across tracks. On an EP or album, no abrupt jumps in volume or tonal character between songs.
• Technical delivery. The final files in the format each destination needs: WAV with correct dithering for streaming, Apple Digital Masters, DDP image for CD, embedded metadata.

Hear the difference

A well-made master shows the moment you compare. Here's a real example: on the left the unmastered mix, on the right the result after the full process.

If you want to train your ear to identify what changes (loudness, clarity, stereo, lows), we break it down in our before-and-after gallery.

How the service works

1. Tell us about your project. Write to us with the song, the genre and where it will play (Spotify, vinyl, YouTube…). We give you a timeline and a quote.
2. Send the mix. A 24-bit stereo WAV, with headroom and no limiter on the master bus. We send you the guidelines so it arrives with room to work.
3. We master. We adjust level, tonal balance and dynamics for the song's specific destination.
4. We review together. You listen to the master and tell us if you want more or less brightness, more body, a different level. We fine-tune.
5. We deliver. You receive the final files in the correct format, ready to distribute.

Mix or master?

If what you have is the separate tracks of the recording, you first need mixing: the master works on an already balanced stereo, not on loose components. If you're unsure which of the two you need, we clear it up in mixing vs mastering, or just write to us and we'll assess it together.

Do you work with track groups (drums, vocals, instruments) instead of a single stereo and want an extra bit of control in the master? Then stem mastering is for you: stem mastering.

Frequently asked questions