Well it’s that time of year again, everyone wants their latest album manufactured in time for Christmas but they are late supplying production parts. At present our DVD and CD replication leadtimes are still running at around 7 working days for bulk supply of discs only and around 10 working days for fully packaged products with printed parts. Therefore as long as customers can supply suitable production parts by 2nd week of December then delivery of CD replication orders in time for Christmas should be achievable.

If you are already behind schedule with production of masters and artwork then please ensure you check that all specifications are correct when you supply these production parts. Christmas CD replication leadtimes are critically based on us receiving suitable artwork and CD masters to required specifications. If we need to refer artwork or masters back to a customer then there will be a good chance that Christmas deadlines may not be achieved.

For artwork please make sure that files are supplied in correct CMYK colour mode and not in RGB. Please ensure all artwork has 3mm bleed where required and that dimensions are exact to specifications on our templates. Also make sure that resolution is at least 300 pixel per inch and that text is supplied in vector format where possible. These are really simple essential requirements but we are always surprised by how many customers supply unsuitable artwork for CD and DVD replication.

CD and DVD masters must be error free, the replication process will not allow for any master disc errors whatsoever. The most obvious advice is to always use as high quality media as possible and burn masters at low speeds. Also take extreme care not to damage or scratch the underside of the disc as this can easily lead to read errors and the master being rejected.

Question,
I am about to submit an order for CD duplication, can I supply the artwork as JPEG?

Answer,
Ideally the answer is no. JPEG is a format generally used for digital cameras and computer based photographs. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, this is the organisation that developed this format. JPEGS are not generally suitable for commercial print although artwork can contain JPEG elements. For CD duplication on body and paper parts print we would always recommend you supply artwork in either photoshop .psd or ideally print ready high quality .pdf.

One of the problems with JPEGs is that images are compressed and text is converted into pixel information. This pixel information can print clearly if the resolution is high enough, at least 300 pixel per inch or preferably 600 pixel per inch. Although, with small fine text, a resolution of 300 pixels per inch can still give poor print results where the text will appear jagged or pixilated and often illegible. For CD duplication print it is often necessary to use small text and therefore JPEGs do prove problematic.

For best CD duplication print results the text content of artwork should be supplied in vector format. This can be achieved by converting all text to outlines, paths or shapes. It is not possible to embed text as vector within a JPEG file which makes the JPEG format problematic for high quality commercial CD printing.

Another problem with JPEGs is that they are usually in RGB colour format. RGB colour is not suitable for print so any JPEG artwork would need to be converted to CMYK. If you are working with RGB colour JPEGs they should all be turned into CMYK colour within your design application and then ideally the compiled artwork should be output as a .pdf file in CMYK high resolution.

Question,
We are looking to release an E.P. of our band, what is the best CD duplication and packaging format? We are looking at an order of 500 copies and already have artwork and CD master. We need to keep CD duplication costs to a minimum.

Answer,
There are several suitable products for an E.P. release, if you are looking at 500 units we would certainly recommend CD replication rather than replication. Below are the 3 most suitable products:

• CD replication In A Printed Cardboard Wallet – This style of product is what you would find as a free giveaway with your Sunday newspaper. The CD is inserted into the printed card wallet and there is an option for cellophane overwrap. This is the most cost effective solution for an E.P. and is suitable for retail. You can find this product as a budget E.P. release in shops such as HMV.

• CD replication in Jewel Case with 4PP colour booklet and inlay – This is the standard format for CD album releases but is also commonly used for single or EP releases. CD’s come packed in a standard sized jewel case with choice of clear or black tray. A 4 printed page booklet is inserted to the front of case and a rear inlay sits behind the tray. Rear inlay can be printed one sided for use with black tray or rear inlay printed 2 sides for use with clear tray.

• CD replication in a Maxi Single Case with j-card style maxi single inlay – Traditionally this is the format used for EP and UK chart single releases although over the last few years this format seems to have been in decline. Since the likes of Asda and Woolworths stopped stocking CD singles the demand for maxi single manufacture has decreased and manufacture costs have increased. A maxi single is now slightly more expensive than a standard 4PP jewel case product but if you want the industry standard E.P. release then this is a suitable option.

CD duplication or replication in time for Christmas seems to be a popular enquiry in November. As usual at this time of year some of our customers may be a little behind with production of CD masters and artwork. Unfortunately due to high demand our CD duplication and replication services can take slightly longer on the approach to Christmas. Therefore when customers ask if turnaround can be achieved any faster the answer is quite often “no, sorry”.

Of course though CD or DVD duplication is a faster production technique so for some orders our customers may have to choose duplication in order to receive the discs for their deadline. Duplication of a disc can be achieved in just a day compared to replication which is 7 days minimum. If you are seeking replication of a CD album with packaging and printed parts then the manufacture will take at least 10 days. If Christmas deadlines are looming and you need the discs faster then the option of CD duplication can reduce this manufacture time.

Even with our CD duplication package prices in most cases the printed parts are still offset litho printed. So even though you may be opting for a faster duplicated disc you will still benefit from very high quality litho printed booklets and inlays. This combination of duplicated CD’s with offset litho printing for the paper parts gives a very high quality, professional end product.

Another common question we are asked by telephone is how to submit a CD duplication order. The way in which an order for CD duplication or replication is submitted can affect how quickly the order is processed and consequently the turnaround time. If an order is submitted with all production parts clearly labelled and to correct specification then this makes our job of processing run a little smoother and quicker.

It is also important to supply a purchase order, covering letter or one of our downloadable order forms. For each CD duplication order it is important that all the following information is provided:

• Address for invoice.
• Delivery address.
• Delivery contact telephone number.
• Email address.
• Order specifications.
• Quantity.
• Choice of proofing – hard copy or email PDF.
• Any email correspondence offering prices or estimate.
• Any specific deadline.
• Additional mastering requirements.

All of the above information should be provided together with production parts usually consisting of:

• CD or DVD master disc, please supply in as high quality format as possible.
• Artwork disc, please ensure all artwork files are supplied to required specifications
• Hard copy printed content proofs if available.

If we receive a CD duplication or CD replication order that consists of suitable production parts and all the information listed in this article then it is usually possible to process within a couple of hours. Once the order is raised on our system one of our customer services representatives will email over a pro forma invoice and soft copy proofs usually in PDF format.

Over the last 25 years CD pressing and replication has become an enormous worldwide industry. The humble CD began life as just a media format for music album releases but has grown into the biggest and most successful method of physical data distribution. Other formats such as DVD and blu-ray disc have also developed from the original optical disc technology.

Despite progress of on-line distribution of music, video and data the CD and DVD is still the first choice by media companies. Pressing of CD and DVD is still a relatively cheap process and pressing plants can be found throughout the world. At Testa-Rossa, even though we are a Manchester based company we work with many of these worldwide pressing plants to ensure we offer our customers the best prices and highest quality replication services. With today’s express freight and courier companies we can often source fastest turnaround CD replication from the other side of the globe than here in the UK.

Some of the most modern CD replication and pressing plants are situated in the Far East and especially Taiwan. Just a few years ago many UK based customers would regard products from Taiwan as cheap or inferior products. Today that is certainly not the case and in our experience the Taiwan plants are more modern with brand new production lines and a level of service unrivalled by UK plants. So rest assured when you order your CD or DVD replication through Testa-Rossa you will be receiving the highest quality discs available in the current market.

The most frequent questions we are asked during a CD replication telephone enquiry are “what is the turnaround time?” and “can the turnaround time be reduced?”

In most cases the answer will be 7 working days production for bulk supply CD replication and 10 working days production for replication with printed parts and packaging. This production time is governed by the time that it physically takes to manufacture or press the discs and by our print suppliers. It is extremely hard to reduce this time at all and the answer to the 2nd question is usually no.

However, for the following products we can reduce the production times by a couple of days on orders of 500 or 1000 units:

• CD album replication in jewel case with full colour 4 page booklet and inlay
• CD replication in full colour printed card wallet
• DVD replication in DVD case with full colour DVD inlay

Upgrades for 500 units are available for an extra £70+vat and for 1000 units an extra £90+vat.

The production time is reduced due to:

• “Jump the queue” during glass mastering
• Same day delivery of print from our print suppliers
• Hand pack of order rather than machine auto-pack

Due the express service being hand packed unfortunately cellophane overwrap is not available with these upgrades.

So if you are desperate for a slightly reduced leadtime these upgrade packages may just be suitable and get you out of a sticky situation!

When submitting CD duplication orders one of the main errors that we come across is when artwork is supplied in RGB colour. For CD duplication printing artwork always needs to be submitted in CMYK colour. The only exception to this rule is when the disc needs to be printed spot colour pantone. Artwork for CD booklets, inlays and printed card wallets always has to be CMYK. We estimate that approx 25% of orders are submitted using the incorrect RGB colour mode. Submitting artwork in the incorrect format will inevitably lead to delays in the order being processed and possible additional reprographics charges.

RGB colour is a mode used by computer monitors and TVs, it is not a suitable colour mode for commercial printing. Commercial offset litho print uses the CMYK process where any colour can be made from combining Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black inks. It is not possible to print from a RGB artwork file. Customers should always ensure that they are working in the correct CMYK mode within their chosen graphics or artwork application. It is not always possible to simply convert a RGB file to CMYK without opening the artwork in the original application it was created in, therefore it is important to always check you are in the correct colour mode before progressing with designs.

When customers supply artwork in RGB colour it is just not possible to proceed with the print order. Any RGB artwork will need to be re-supplied in CMYK as our printers will reject all RGB files and charge for re-supply. Testa-Rossa will always check for RGB content and give our customers chance to rectify and avoid these extra print re-supply charges. To avoid delays and potential extra charges always be sure to work in CMYK.

When looking for a CD duplication company who offer a fast and reliable service it is worth checking that their production is UK based. Some CD duplication companies may offer very cheap prices but this usually down to the production being based overseas and inevitably this usually means longer leadtimes. At Testa-Rossa all of our short run duplication for both CD and DVD is in-house and produced in the UK.

At Testa-Rossa we believe that our duplication services are probably the fastest available in the UK. For most orders we can yield a run of up to 500 discs in just a 24 hour period. Also because the CD production is UK based then our deliveries are next day by reputable courier companies including DPD and UPS. For urgent orders this combination of fast turnaround duplication and next day express courier means customers can receive fully duplicated and printed discs just 48 hours from their initial order.

If you are looking for fastest production times then give us a call or check through the website for further details. Testa-Rossa also offer complete fulfilment services including paper printed booklet and inlays which can be packed our range of high quality jewel cases, DVD cases, Clam Shells and card wallets.

OK so here’s the scenario, your band has just spend a month in local studio recording their latest album. Money is tight and you only want a few hundred copies of your album manufactured. Do you choose CD duplication or CD replication?

At Testa-Rossa we are able to offer both Replication or Duplication of your latest CD album. Both our manufacturing processes will give a retail standard product but as a rule CD replication is always going to be the best option if you are considering at least 400 copies. The main advantage of replication is that your discs are factory pressed in the same way all high street CD releases are manufactured.

A replicated disc will always have a longer life due to the manufacturing process used. For example if you came back to your album in 20 years time the replicated disc is always going to play back perfectly where as the duplicated disc may have deteriorated over time. This deterioration is due the way a CD-R is made and the dyes used in the process. These dyes are volatile and can be affected over time especially by strong sunlight or other UV exposure.

So our advice would be that if you only need 200 albums and you are not too worried if that CD will playback reliably in 10 years or so then we would recommend duplication. On the other hand if you want your latest album to stand the test of time replication is certainly the wiser choice for your manufacture. It’s therefore maybe worth increasing your order to 500 units and going for CD replication.