Trading Rules

First of all, I DO NOT SELL ANYTHING

Audio trades are now limited to lossless files only (burned to data CDR or DVDR), preferably FLAC but I accept other formats as well. I may make exceptions in special cases.

  • No recordings considered as "lossy sourced"*
    • If you don't know what that means, you probably don't care about it. I check all recordings for lossless lineage and if you still send me such stuff, you won't get anything in return (ignorance is no excuse!!). This applies to audio as well as video.
    • Detecting MP3-Sourced Audio
  • Use high-quality CD-Rs and DVD±Rs (TDK, Taiyo Yuden, Fuji, Verbatim,...) and reliable copying/burning software (no standalone copies!!). Princo and other discounter blanks are unacceptable. I'm using Verbatim and TDK blanks.
  • Don't put any tape on the discs, don't write on them and use appropriate packaging.
  • Test the discs before sending, this can avoid many trouble! Some burning applications (e.g. Nero) offer functionality to verify written discs - use it! If discs turn out to be not entirely readable, I'll request new ones.
  • If you contact me and we trade for the first time, you have to send first.
  • Stay in contact with me. Tell me when you're sending and when you have received my stuff.
  • CD to DVD ratio is 3:1
  • no B&P / 2:1 trades
  • I don't have artworks
  • I don't collect digicam recordings (especially if it's just a collection of clips) and cellphone recordings
  • Small trades can be done online, everything else by priority/airmail.

* NO MP3, WMA, OGG or other lossy audio formats sourced recordings. NO VCD, SVCD, DivX, FLA (YouTube etc.) or other lossy video formats sourced DVDs, and no standalone player-to-recorder copys. The only exceptions are if the master recording was done with a device that records in a lossy format (MiniDisc audio recorders, MPEG2/MicroMV/HDV video recorders and cams), digital broadcasts (DAB, DVB, ATSC) and inescapable conversions like DV to MPEG2/DVD. In short: if a master recording has ever been converted from it's master format to it's (lossless) distribution format, it must never be converted/encoded again by lossy methods.

Various info on lossless audio:

Further information about lossless coding:

Further information on various aspects of trading: