Why we still master for vinyl

The OVERTONE desk

Why we still master for vinyl

Dana Volkov · Sep 18, 2026 · 5 min read

Streaming is loud, vinyl is physical. The low end has to behave differently when a needle has to track it.

Leave the subs mono

Stereo sub-bass makes a needle skip. Collapse everything below 150Hz to mono and your pressing won't wobble.

Respect the crest

Vinyl has real dynamic range. You don't need to crush it to -6 LUFS — let it breathe.