Frequently Asked Questions -

Most questions are addressed here or elsewhere on the website, but new questions always arise. So if you don't see your question answered here, send us an e-mail and we will answer it as quickly as we can. Thanks!
 
SHIPPING AND TURN-AROUND

What is your standard turn-around time? In general, we can get your product back to you within 5-7 business days from when we recieved your materials and payment. But, we will always do what we can to help you with a rush order. We have produced many "next day" orders for clients that were in a jam.

How do you ship finished product? Every order we produce is shipped via UPS ground. Clients may request upgraded shipping, but additional shipping charges will apply.

 

DUPLICATION QUESTIONS

Do you provide replicated (pressed) CDs, or duplicated (burned) CDs? MLR Creative Media produces high quality duplicated CD-Rs. Replicated CDs require a glass master, which is cost prohibitive when producing small quanitities of CDs, therefore all of our CD-Rs are duplicated. MLR takes great pride in providing very high quality duplicated CDs that you can be confident in being compatible with nearly all players. We use modern stand-alone auto-duplicators with sophisticated hardware and software to ensure that every disc we produce is of the highest quality. We also use the best media available and burn all our CDs at the slowest possible burn speeds to ensure the highest quality.

Can you guarantee that your CD-Rs will play in every player? Unfortunately, no one can guarantee that every disc will be compatible with every player. There are too many different types of players being manufactured by many different companies. That fact coupled with the vast amount of "old school" devices makes it nearly impossible to guarantee that a cd will play on every player. As we said earlier though, MLR takes great pride in producing excellent quality CDs. We take extra steps to ensure compatibility and quality and stand behind what we sell. We will also provide a sample disc (free of charge) for you to test in any player(s) you wish. Just contact us and ask us for a sample disc.

Do you insert "quiet space" between audio tracks? 2 seconds is the standard "quiet space" that is usually inserted between audio tracks. However, we can adjust that time to as much as 4 seconds or we can remove the space completely so the tracks butt up next to each other. We cannot however create cross fades between tracks.

What file formats do you accept for audio CDs? For audio CDs, we accept AIFF, WAV and MP3 formatted audio files. AIFF are the highest quality and MP3 is the lowest.

Can you duplicated data CDs and DVDs too? YES! In addition to DVD duplication, we can also duplicate CDs in the following formats: Mac HFS, ISO-9660, ISO-9660XA, MAC-ISO Hybrid, CD Extra, Video CD and Universal Disk Format (UDF)

Can you "fix" my audio files? It depends on what needs fixing. We maintain a recording studio, so we can correct many problems with your audio files. We will quote you separately on any work that you may need to have done to your audio files.

 

PRINTING QUESTIONS

How do you print images onto the surface of your CDs? MLR Creative Media prints all of our CDs with high resolution inkjet technology. Not only is inkjet the highest resolution printing method, it also gives you the widest color gamut, which means we can print nearly photographic images directly onto the surface of our specially coated CDs.

Can the ink be smudged or washed off? The short answer is- If you try hard enough. However, MLR Creative Media has recently developed our ColorGuard® Aqueous Coating which we use on all full color disc imprints. Our ColorGuard® Coating protects the surface of the disc from water and wet fingers, and gives the disc a sheen similar to silk screen. Once again, if you would like a sample of a ColorGuard® coated disc, just send us an e-mail and we will drop one in the mail.

How are your inserts printed? MLR Creative Media prints all of our inserts on semi-gloss card stock that is both durable and attractive. Our printing process utilizes a solid ink technology that gives all of our inserts the appearance of being printed by an offset printing press. Color is saturated, color registration is perfect and our stock is very durable.

 

OPTIONS QUESTIONS

Will my bar code be unique and can I use it in any store? YES! All of our UPC codes come direct from the UCC (Uniform Code Council) and are guaranteed to be unique. You can use this UPC to sell your CD on Amazon.com, I-tunes, Best Buy.. wherever.

Can I pick my own UPC number? Unfortunately no. Since MLR Creative Media is a subscriber to the Uniform Code Council, we need to pick the UPC code numbers ourselves.

Where does the UPC get put on the artwork? We will insert the bar code in the proper place on the tray insert card. If you want a bar code on a Slim-Pak CD packaged, the UPC code must go on the front of the CD insert. All UPC codes printed by MLR Creative Media are printed in black ink on a white background without exception.

Do I need shrink wrap for my Slim-Pak CD Package? If you are selling CDs in retail, you may want to consider going with the Retail-Pak or Retail-Pak Plus package, as both of those packages already include shrink wrap. However, you may upgrade and add shrink wrap to either of the Slim-Pak CD packages. Basically, if you are planning on selling CDs at shows, shrink wrap is a good idea. If you are planning on giving these away and using the CDs for promo purposes only, don't waste your money on shrink wrap.

What if I need a quantity or an option that I don't see on on your website? "Special Orders" is our business, so if you don't see it.. .just ask. We are always happy to do our best to accomodate and create a package that fits your needs and your cost.