AIX Records

Lore & Background

AIX Records was founded in 2001 by Mark Waldrep, a recording and mastering engineer with over 40 years of experience. The label was established to take advantage of the DVD-Audio format. In 2007, the company launched iTrax.com, a retail site for buying and downloading high-resolution music files.

The label has never released a CD, instead focusing exclusively on high-definition audio using sample rates of 96 kHz, 24-bit audio bit depth, and 5.1 channels in its surround mixes. All of AIX's work is captured as a recorded live track in digital form, avoiding artificial equalization, dynamics processing, and digitally created ambience. Instead, the label achieves tonal balance and room reverberation solely through the selection of the original recording space.

Most AIX Records releases are accompanied by video of the sessions and additional bonus features, often in high-definition video. This extra content is partly intended to assure customers that the record has been captured naturally.

Reader's Guide

AIX Records holds significance as a niche label that championed high-resolution audio and a purist recording philosophy at a time when the industry was transitioning to digital formats. By refusing to release CDs and focusing on DVD-Audio and later downloadable high-resolution files, the label positioned itself as a reference point for audiophiles seeking unprocessed, live recordings. Its approach—capturing all work as live digital tracks without artificial processing—set it apart from mainstream production methods. The label's production quality was recognized by audiophile magazines and trade organizations; in 2005, the Consumer Electronics Association awarded the first 'Demmy Award for Best High Resolution, 5.1 Music Track' to 'Mosaic' from Laurence Juber's 'Guitar Noir'. AIX also demonstrated commercial activity, setting a new trading volume record on 5 December 2024. Its legacy lies in demonstrating that high-resolution, natural recordings could be commercially viable and critically acclaimed, influencing discussions around audio fidelity and recording ethics.

Did You Know?

• AIX Records has never released a CD, focusing exclusively on high-definition audio.
• AIX Records was founded in 2001 to take advantage of the DVD-Audio format.