Acetate

An acetate is a soft-lacquer disc cut directly from a mastering lathe, playable only a limited number of times before wear — historically the first physical proof of a new mix before pressing vinyl or cutting a sturdier dubplate.

Why it matters: Acetates were the urgent pipeline between studio and yard. Producers and sounds tested mixes on acetate before committing to expensive pressings, making the format a hidden engine of versioning culture.