Uncompressed 24-bit WAV files at 48kHz or 96kHz are the studio standard for all incoming audio production, mixing, and sound design briefs. Compressed formats such as MP3 or AAC cause permanent loss of frequency data and are accepted solely as timing references, never as working production assets.
Standard production formats
For production workflows, Xylora Studios standardises on linear PCM audio. When preparing files for submission to our Creative or Technology departments, use the following container specifications:
* Broadcast WAV (BWF / .wav): The mandatory primary format. WAV preserves full dynamic range, uncompressed transient response, and embedded timecode metadata. Stems, isolated dialogue, and raw sound effects must arrive as Broadcast WAV. * AIFF (.aif / .aiff): Fully acceptable as an alternative to WAV. It maintains identical uncompressed PCM quality and sample accuracy on macOS-centred editing systems. * Sample rate: 48kHz is the studio baseline for all screen-aligned media, commercial video, and interactive applications. 96kHz is required for high-sample-rate sound design, acoustic recordings, and archival master captures. 44.1kHz is reserved strictly for standalone music release masters. * Bit depth: 24-bit fixed point is the standard submission baseline. 32-bit floating point is preferred for field recordings or dynamic sessions where clipping prevention is critical prior to analogue-to-digital normalisation.
Never send lossy containers (MP3, AAC, OGG, WMA) for editorial use. Converting an MP3 into a WAV before delivery does not restore discarded acoustic information; our ingest pipeline flags and rejects upscaled files.
Asset specifications by project type
Different projects impose precise stem and channel configurations. Prepare your project archives according to the relevant category below:
Dialogue, podcasts, and voiceover * Deliver mono audio files captured on a single channel per speaker. * Submit completely dry recordings without baked-in reverberation, compression, EQ, or software noise gates. * Supply a minimum of ten seconds of clean room tone captured in the identical recording environment.
Music stems and mixing * Export all stems starting from exact timeline zero (bar 1, beat 1) to preserve project alignment without manual nudging. * Render mono sources (e.g., bass guitar, lead vocals, kick drum) as mono WAVs. Do not export dual-mono or stereo renders of single-channel signals. * Keep stereo renders exclusive to inherently wide sources, such as stereo synthesizers, drum overheads, or complex stereo effects returns. * Bypass master bus limiters and clipping plug-ins prior to stem rendering to maintain head room for mastering.
Sound design and game audio * Supply files cut tightly to the asset transient, with natural room decay left intact. * Name files descriptively using standardised category naming (e.g., `FX_Footstep_Gravel_01.wav`).
File handling and ingestion sequence
1. Preparation: You consolidate, label, and export uncompressed audio tracks according to the specifications detailed above. 2. Upload: Deliver the session via your project workspace on this portal. Do not use external file-hosting links. 3. Ingestion review: The Operations & Client Services team confirms asset receipt. The Creative team then inspects the files using spectral analysers to confirm true sample rates, dynamic range, and head room. 4. Status update: You receive a formal acknowledgement or flagged revision request within our 24-hour first reply target, operating Monday to Thursday, 09:00-17:00 GMT.
Failure conditions and delays
When assets fail ingestion checks, the project cannot proceed to the production schedule. Common failure scenarios include:
* Inter-sample clipping and digital overs: Audio files arriving with clipped peaks cannot be repaired transparently. You will be asked to re-render with at least -3dB to -6dB True Peak head room. * Mismatched sample rates: Submitting mixed sample rates (e.g., dialogue at 44.1kHz and Foley at 48kHz) inside the same multi-track session introduces clock drift and phase distortion. * Upscaled lossy source audio: Encoding an existing 128kbps MP3 into a 24-bit WAV file creates artificial low-pass brickwalling around 16kHz. This will be rejected.
If source files require total re-recording or extensive remediation by the client, studio timelines pause. Deposits are non-refundable once your production slot is held. Before work begins, sums not yet earned are refunded pro rata; after work begins, completed work and booked time are charged. Defects are fixed free of charge within the acceptance window. The full terms are on the Refund Policy page of the main site.
Pre-submission checklist
* [ ] All audio is exported as uncompressed WAV or AIFF at 24-bit (or 32-bit float). * [ ] Sample rate is consistent across every stem in the project (48kHz default). * [ ] Multi-track stems are consolidated to start at the exact same timecode point. * [ ] Voice tracks are dry, mono, and uncompressed, accompanied by clean room tone. * [ ] Master bus processing and limiting have been disabled on stem exports. * [ ] Peak levels sit between -6dB and -3dB True Peak, with zero digital clipping. * [ ] Files are labelled logically and archived in a flat folder structure.
If you are uncertain about track preparation or require project-specific export guidelines, open an enquiry through the Ask Xylo chat on this portal before running stem exports.