MP3 Lease vs WAV Master: How Loud Each Beat File Should Be
Published · by Loopin
Master once, then export three files at three levels: a loud tagged preview, an MP3 lease with a safe peak, and a WAV with headroom. The mistake is converting a maxed-out WAV to MP3 and shipping the clipping.
Make one master and derive the rest from it
Start with a finished WAV master. If you use free online mastering, the export is a 16-bit WAV at about −14 LUFS with a −1 dBTP ceiling (Punchy about −11, Club about −10). Treat that file as the source for everything below, and never re-master the MP3.
Name the master clearly and keep it. Every lease file, preview and clip comes from it, so if a buyer asks for a change you re-export rather than start again. Mastering and previews are free and unlimited; downloads are capped at one per rolling 24 hours with no account, two with a free account, so keep your keepers.
Leave 1 dB of peak room on the MP3 lease
MP3 encoding can push a peak that was fine in the WAV over 0 dBFS, which shows up as crackle on a phone or in a buyer’s DAW. A master that already sits at −1 dBTP is a safe starting point, but check the converted MP3 on a meter before you upload. If it reads above −1 dBTP, pull the level down about 1 dB and re-export.
Use a high bitrate, commonly 320 kbps, for the lease file, and check your store’s upload requirements, which can differ. Listen to the 808 and the loudest hats in the MP3 at the end, because that is where encoding damage turns up first. If you sell hundreds of leases, fix this once in an export template so every beat leaves the same way.
Give the WAV lease headroom, not a slammed master
A WAV lease is a file the artist will record over and mix. Peaks around −6 dBFS with no limiter leave the artist’s engineer room. If your store sells a WAV tier and you send the loud master, you take away their headroom. Decide per tier and say so in the description. If a buyer complains about distortion, ask which file they opened first, because the MP3 is the usual culprit when a hot master was converted without a peak check.
If your buyer is an artist who will release the beat as a finished single, tell them to master the final song, not the beat. Our guide to leased vs exclusive beats covers the licence side, and what headroom is explains the buffer.
Keep the tagged preview loud and consistent
The tagged preview is the ad. Match its level to the other beats in your catalogue so a producer clicking through a playlist doesn’t jump in volume. Punchy at about −11 LUFS suits trap and drill; Warm at the default suits soul and lofi. Place the voice tag where it won’t sit on the kick at every bar.
Run each preview through the Original-vs-Mastered switch, which is loudness-matched, to confirm the master adds weight and not just level. If you want more punch, master the track free with a different feel before you boost anything else.
Save a cheat sheet and stick to it
Write the three targets on a note: preview loud master, tagged; MP3 lease from the master, 320 kbps, peak below −1 dBTP after conversion; WAV lease mix bounce, peaks around −6 dBFS. Check them before every upload, and the whole catalogue stays consistent.
If a beat fails all three checks the same way, the problem is in the mix, not the file. Automatic mastering takes no creative direction and can’t fix a boomy sub. See how to master a beat for the quick fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How loud should an MP3 lease be?
Roughly the master level, about -14 LUFS by default or -11 for Punchy, with the peak below -1 dBTP after conversion. Check the converted file, not the WAV.
What bitrate should I use for an MP3 lease?
320 kbps is the common choice. Check your store's upload rules.
Should the WAV lease be mastered?
Usually leave headroom: peaks around -6 dBFS and no limiter, so the artist's engineer can work. State it in the listing.
Does Loopin export MP3?
Loopin exports a 16-bit WAV at about -14 LUFS with a -1 dBTP ceiling. Convert to MP3 in your DAW and check the peak afterwards.
How many free downloads do I get?
1 per rolling 24 hours with no account, 2 with a free account. Mastering and previews are unlimited.