What we capture in session
At Claviforge we record two to four voices with individual mics, headphone monitoring and basic editing for release. Raw sessions up to about ninety minutes sit inside the €295 episode rate; extra studio time is €78. The room comfortably fits up to 6 guests plus the engineer.
Each voice gets its own track so level differences and overlap can be fixed later—important when guests talk over each other or sit at different distances. Directions to the studio: From Amsterdam Centraal, take metro line 52 (North/South) towards Noord and get off at Noorderpark. Walk about 8 minutes west along Danzigerkade; the studio is at number 78 on the waterfront. By bike from Centraal it is roughly 15 minutes via the IJ Tunnel.
Raw vs publish file
We keep raw material as high-quality WAV, usually 48 kHz and 24 bit—common for video podcasts and broadcast-style workflows. Audio-only shows sometimes use 44.1 kHz, but 48 kHz avoids awkward conversions if you add video later.
The publish version is often stereo MP3 or AAC with stable loudness and true-peak limits. We can deliver a basic edit (trim silences, obvious spikes); full story editing or music production needs a separate brief. Scope is defined in our terms and conditions.
Mono, stereo and voice layout
Solo shows are often released mono: smaller files, same experience on phones. Two-person interviews usually stay stereo with hosts panned or centred per your house style. Consistency across episodes helps recognition.
Tell us your host at intake; some platforms expect specific bitrates. We document exports so the next episode matches. Planning changes: free up to 7 days ahead—details via contact.
Loudness and true peak
Spotify, Apple Podcasts and many hosts target roughly −14 to −16 LUFS integrated for stereo speech, with true peak around −1 dBTP or lower to avoid clipping after encoding. Numbers shift by platform—check your host’s current spec before upload.
Slapping a limiter on the final file alone can raise noise in quiet sections. Better gain staging per voice during edit and light bus compression on the mix. If you add music beds, keep them separate so meters reflect speech correctly.
Metadata and file names
Use predictable names: show-s01e04-wav-master.wav and show-s01e04-mp3-publish.mp3. ID3 tags (title, show, episode) belong in your host or a tag editor; we can include basic tags when agreed.
Chapters and show notes live in your CMS, not necessarily in the audio file. Keep a folder per season; our archive window is 24 months—mirror backups locally. Guest data: privacy policy.
Video podcasts and remote guests
If you film, export aligned 48 kHz audio and hand editors a sync WAV with camera files. Remote guests over Riverside or Zoom can work for content, but quality varies; studio capture stays the reference for critical episodes.
Hybrid sessions—record in Amsterdam while someone listens remotely—need extra time for latency and monitoring. Rates follow studio hour and episode packages; discuss integration via contact upfront.
Format cheat sheet
| Goal | Format | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Archive / remix | WAV 48 kHz, 24 bit | Multitrack per voice |
| Audio-only host | MP3 128–192 kbps stereo | Check host minimum |
| Apple / premium | AAC where required | Follow platform docs |
Bitrate does not fix a noisy room. Clean capture at our table saves edit hours. For intro music mixed professionally, see mixing budget.
Book and next steps
Ready to record an episode? Start via podcast recording or contact. Hours: Tue–Fri 10–20, Sat 11–18. For mastering on a jingle or theme, see mastering and mastering and rights.
