German full-service media manufacturer, operating under this name since October 1, 2011.
Formerly operating as Optimal Media Production.

Matrix scheme:

XY#####-ZZ
(Single letter format identifier, followed by single character year identifier, followed by a five-digit numeral code, followed by an appended two-digit disc numbering – without spaces).

X is the format identifier:
"A" = CDs
"B" = Vinyl records
"D" = DVDs or Blu-ray Discs
"E" = Blu-ray Discs

Y is the manufacturing year identifier, which since 2010 is a single letter (A to Z):

A = 2010 – see 'Notes on CDs/DVDs' below
B = 2011
C = 2012
D = 2013
E = 2014
F = 2015
G = 2016
H = 2017
I = 2018
J = 2019
K = 2020
L = 2021
M = 2022

After the 5-digit numeral code, the 2-digit disc numbering (ZZ) can be found, which starts at "01".
On multi-disc releases, the last digit usually incrementally rises by 1 for each disc. (Example: Disc 1 = 01, Disc 2 = 02, etc.)

Examples:
CD: AB57815-01 manufactured by optimal media GmbH
DVD: DC83784-01 manufactured by optimal media GmbH
Vinyl: BJ78101-01 A1

Notes on CDs/DVDs:
• CD and DVD releases additionally carry a "manufactured by optimal media GmbH" string next to the matrix number.
• If the production was done for a manufacturing broker (e.g., Handle With Care), the string often is replaced with the name of the broker.
• The plant's mastering SID codes are: ifpi/IFPI L571, L573, L574, L575, L576, L577, L578, L622, LZ08, LZ09.
• In 2010 the company was still called Optimal Media Production. A release with the year code A and "manufactured by optimal media GmbH" in the matrix is a repress from October 2011 or later.

Notes on vinyl records:
• The matrix number can be either machine-stamped or hand-etched.
• If initials of a mastering engineer (see the list below) appear next to the matrix number, you can also enter the Lacquer Cut At role for Optimal Media GmbH.
• If there are no mastering engineer initials present, the mastering / lacquer cutting was done externally.
• Due to the nature of the hand-etching, the B (format identifier) might be mistaken for a 3, an 8 or a D. Also, G as the second letter, year identifier, can often be confused with the number 9. The numeral 1 can be mistaken for a 7 and the 5 can be mistaken for a √.
• The etched matrix may appear to have spaces but is in fact always without spaces (= BG12345)
• Vinyl releases additionally carry the side positions along with an additional digit, next to the matrix number (see the example below).
• There are sometimes additional, faintly inscribed "geometric" marks. These are added during plating, and are therefore mirrored. They consist of a digit and a symmetrical symbol such as I, +, =, △ (for example, I ↾ ). Enter these with the runout string in their non-mirrored form (e.g., "1 I"), and note their form in the Release Notes (e.g., "1 I mirrored in runouts").
• In 2020, matrix numeration reached number BK99999, then started with BK00000 (not with BK100000).

Notes on the manufacture date:
• The year of manufacture in some cases may not be equal to the release year.
• The actual release date can be the same year of manufacture or one year later (e.g., manufactured in December and released in January).
• It (normally) cannot be earlier than the year it was manufactured (though there can be certain exceptions).
• Do not derive a release year from the manufacturing date code alone.

How to enter the matrix number in the LCCN fields:
• Please only enter the "XY#####" part, without the appended disc numbering: This is the internal "article number".
• If a release shows two or more of these numbers (e.g., multi-format releases), please enter each matrix number in a separate field.

Additional notes:
• Even records that come without the characteristic Optimal code can indeed be pressed there. Orders going through certain brokers and/or manufacturers won't get assigned a code for the plating process. With Optimal being one of the biggest pressing plants in Europe, there may be many records that were unknowingly pressed there.

Vinyl mastering engineers employed at Optimal Media GmbH:
AM (23)
BK (14)
BW (5)
Heino Leja (HL)
Jörg Peters (JP)
KL (5)
KR (3)
MK (11)
SJ (13)
ST (15)