New macOS app from engineer Chris Bell verifies ADM BWF masters against published major-label delivery specs in seconds, before the file exits the studio
Mercenary Magnetics has introduced ADM Master QC, a macOS utility designed to validate immersive audio ADM BWF masters against published major-label delivery specifications ahead of submission. Engineers drag a master onto the app and receive a comprehensive report within seconds, with each measured parameter displayed alongside the corresponding published limit.
Rejected immersive deliveries rarely bounce back on the same day they are sent. Instead, they often return a week or more later, frequently without a clear explanation, after the session has been closed and the client has moved on. Most of the issues that trigger a rejection can be measured prior to shipping. They simply cannot be detected by ear.
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ADM Master QC scans the master and provides details on:
– Direct Render: whether the master is configured for Direct Render, a frequent cause of immersive delivery rejection
– Integrated loudness (LKFS) and true peak (dBTP) relative to delivery limits
– LFE content, with a spectrum plot mapped against the specification window
– Channel, bed and object configuration, including empty objects
– Sample rate, bit depth and file structure
– Metadata completeness
When a value cannot be derived from the ADM file itself, the report explicitly states that rather than silently omitting it. If a check fails, the report specifies the remedy—for instance, that LFE sits 0.3 dB above the specification and should be trimmed and re-rendered. Reports can cover a single master or an entire album, and can be saved and attached to a delivery email.
The app reads the file and never modifies, re-renders or re-encodes it. It operates entirely offline, with no upload and no licence server. ADM Master QC serves as a pre-delivery reference, not a certification; final acceptance remains the label's call.
"I built this to get immersive mixes across the finish line. When you deliver to labels, a file can fail QC for reasons you will never hear in the room, and you find out weeks later. I wanted to know before the file left my studio, so I am not reopening a session months later just to hit Direct Render and re-export. It does not replace the label's QC. It means you pass it the first time," said Chris Bell, founder of Mercenary Magnetics.
ADM Master QC is aimed at mix and mastering engineers delivering immersive audio masters to major labels and distributors, as well as assistants and studio staff who verify files before they go out.
Pricing and availability
ADM Master QC is now on sale at an introductory price of $79 (regularly $99) as a one-time purchase with a perpetual license covering three Macs. No subscription is required, and updates are free as published specifications evolve. It requires an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or later) running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. The app is Developer ID signed and Apple notarized. Buy it at https://mercenarymagnetics.onfastspring.com/adm-master-qc ; product details at https://mercenarymagnetics.com/software/adm-master-qc/
About Mercenary Magnetics
Mercenary Magnetics LLC is a recording, mixing and immersive audio studio based in Wimberley, Texas, founded by Chris Bell. A 7x Grammy-nominated engineer with more than 30 years of records, Bell engineered two Grammy Award-winning records and has worked with the Eagles, Erykah Badu, Destiny's Child, Don Henley and Kirk Franklin. He delivers stereo and immersive audio mixes to major labels every month. ADM Master QC is the tool he built for his own deliveries. More at https://mercenarymagnetics.com
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Gemma
Mercenary Magnetics
info@mercenarymagnetics.com
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ADM Master QC: Pre-Delivery QC for Immersive Audio Masters
