Adapting the SPARS Code for Contemporary Art Practices
The SPARS-Code for audio
The SPARS Code refers to a labeling system developed by the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services (SPARS). It was intended to inform consumers about the recording, mixing, and mastering processes and promote excellence in producing digital audio recordings.
It was introduced in the early 1980s and became commonly seen on CD covers during the mid-to-late 1980s and 1990s. Many major labels adopted the SPARS Code, especially for classical, jazz, and audiophile recordings. It was intended for use on CDs only, since CDs are inherently digital media.
When digital technology first became viable, record labels saw it as a revolution in audio fidelity. A DDD SPARS code—Digital recording, Digital mixing, Digital mastering—was viewed as cutting-edge. Labels proudly printed it on CD covers as a marketing tool: “This is a fully digital recording—clean, quiet, modern.” Classical and jazz genres especially embraced DDD early, since those audiences prized clarity and dynamic range.
As CDs became dominant, labels began re-releasing classic analog recordings from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. These were often labeled AAD: Analog recording, Analog mixing, but Digitally mastered for CD. This became a common configuration for older catalog material remastered for the digital era.
In recent years, especially among audiophiles, vinyl enthusiasts, and analog purists, there has been a renewed appreciation for all-analog workflows. The AAA label – Analog recording, Analog mixing, Analog mastering – is now a badge of craftsmanship: “This album never touched a digital system.” These recordings appeal to listeners seeking warmth, depth, and the character of analog tape.
While the mainstream music industry largely stopped using the SPARS Code by the early 2000s, collectors still reference it when discussing vintage CD pressings. Meanwhile, some audiophile labels dedicated to AAA (all-analog) recordings continue to include SPARS Codes on their new releases today.
The SPARS-Code expanded
As art director of Analog Mania – an international event dedicated to analog arts since 2013 – I needed a consistent method to curate and categorize artworks across various media: photography, film, sound, and object art. I turned to the old SPARS code, originally developed exclusively for audio, and adapted it to describe processes of all forms of art and craft.
Based on my experience, the SPARS code can clearly label the process in photography and film also:
- an ADA photo is shot on film (Analog), scanned and processed digitally (Digital), and printed using analog methods (Analog).
- an ADD film is shot on film (Analog), scanned and edited digitally (Digital), and projected digitally (Digital).
With the rise of Ai, we now have three distinct process types to consider: A (Analog), D (Digital), and Ai (Artificial Intelligence).
And we’re not limited to just three letters—some works require four to accurately reflect their full production process.
For example:
- an ADAiA photo might begin as a historical glass negative (Analog), then be scanned and digitally processed (Digital), followed by AI-generated halftone film (Ai), and finally printed using historical analog techniques (Analog).
- an AiDA photo might be generated entirely by AI (Ai), digitally processed (Digital), and printed using analog methods (Analog).
The expanded SPARS coding system enables a more precise understanding of hybrid workflows, offering curators and artists, a tool to trace and contextualize the material and technological processes that define contemporary art practices – whether in photography, film, or other artistic forms.
Emil Kindlein, founder of Analog Mania