What is a test press?
Qrates reccommends test pressings for all artists who wish to confirm the overall quality of the cutting before moving on to the production run of their records.
Test pressings are optional and not requried for any Qrates vinyl project.
When you choose test pressings for your project, Qrates sends you 5 test copies for your approval. Once these have been approved, your project can continue to the full production run.
If the test pressings fail to meet your expectations, don't worry. Qrates staff will assess the situation and determine how to proceed to get your production back on track. In some cases, artists might need to file a test pressing claim.
10" TPs are standard black vinyl with white blank labels
Filing a Test Pressing Claim
If a problem occurred at the pressing plant that resulted in audible errors with the test pressings, Qrates will ask artists to file a test pressing claim. Once the claim form is complete, our support staff will submit it to our production partners on behalf of the artist.
From there, our production partners and their technical staff will assess the claim and determine how to best resolve the problem. Assuming the claim is accepted, our production partners will cut 5 new test pressings, using a new master (if required), and ship them to a single address of your choosing for approval - free of charge.
What constitutes an "audible error"?
Audible errors may include things such as: distortion, clicks, pops, sibilance distortion, and noise. Please note, these are only examples.
Qrates support staff is committed to working with our production partners towards the fairest and most reasonable solution, and strives to ensure that your claim gets the attention it deserves.
However, please note, Qrates cannot appeal a claim once it has been rejected.
In addition, the decision to reject or accept a test pressing claim as well as what constitutes an "audible error," is at the sole discretion of the pressing plant and our production partners.
Exceptions
Occasionally, errors outside of the pressing plant’s control can happen. For example, an incorrectly prepared master source might lead to unexpected sound errors when pressed.
In such cases, before proceeding with any new audio submissions, we will request payment for the cutting of a new master stamper, new test pressings, and shipping fees.
