What are the top 10 sounding half speed masters?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by STBob, Oct 9, 2014.

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  1. Mister Charlie

    Mister Charlie "Music Is The Doctor Of My Soul " - Doobie Bros.

    Location:
    Aromas, CA USA
    I liked the old 70's Abbey Road half speed cut, at least on the stereo I had at the time...it WAS pretty flat, as I recall (haven't heard it in decades). But it had a clearer seeimg sound, more elements I had not heard prior. I should listen again now and see how it sounds.
     
  2. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    I'm not sure how your rig is set up, but Aja is certainly not shrill with all top end. Don't get me wrong, the Cisco sounds great and has a lot of detail, just a different listening experience.

    Ya. The MFSL Crime seems to be a perennial audiophile favorite. Saying these 1/2 speeds lack warmth or have certain EQ deficiencies may be the case for some of these, but it also may be too much a generalization.
     
  3. Tesbert

    Tesbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Hi, A Trick of the Tail has great bass, but dull and sucked out mids. Also the high freqs are restricted. You should try the Hol. or German pressing. Or rather the 1st gen Atco cd
     
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  4. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I do have the original UK and a US Atco. The main benefit of the MFSL is the required quiet surfaces and I don't think it's particularly rolled off in the treble if you have a revealing system. I've yet to buy a German or Dutch pressing of anything that is superior to UK versions. Maybe more treble but thinner sounding as a general rule (another generation from the master?). Of course with a lot of later releases pressing for the UK was exclusively in Germany and Holland.
     
  5. Engineer X

    Engineer X Forum Resident

    I don't think that the new MoFi's are half speed mastered. I could be wrong
     
  6. Bennyboy

    Bennyboy Forum Resident

    I didn't say they were.
     
  7. Engineer X

    Engineer X Forum Resident

    title is "What are the top ten half speed masters?"
     
  8. Bennyboy

    Bennyboy Forum Resident

  9. Engineer X

    Engineer X Forum Resident

  10. Bennyboy

    Bennyboy Forum Resident

    its the best version of the album, so hey.
     
  11. Tesbert

    Tesbert Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    I do have a very revealing system, but IMHO the MFSL disappoints me. Please check out Los Endos. You really should try the Hol. I've the UK A//1 and B//1 and it sounds aggressive and thin. Preferred format: ATCO 1st gen CD.
     
  12. STBob

    STBob Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Michigan
  13. GyroSE

    GyroSE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    1. Supertramp: Crime of the Century, MFSL
    2. Cat Stevens: Teaser and the Firecat, A&M Audiophile
    3. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon, MFSL
    4. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here, CBS Mastersound
    5. Steely Dan: Aja, MFSL
    6. Muddy Waters: Folk Singer, MFSL
    7. The Beatles: Abbey Road, MFSL
    8. Seals & Crofts: Summerbreeze, Nautilus
    9. Gerry Rafferty: City To City, MFSL
    10. Poco: Legend, MFSL
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2014
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  14. STBob

    STBob Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Michigan
    You win the 100,000 stereo giveaway for being the first person to actually answer this post with all 10!!
    Good Show!
    This can be redeemed at www.fantasyland.com

    All kidding aside, that looks like a very nice list. Thanks!
     
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  15. GyroSE

    GyroSE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    You're welcome! Glad that I could please you....:)
     
  16. Engineer X

    Engineer X Forum Resident

    I was going off the back cover description of the mastering process for my new MoFi Dylan's, and there is no mention of half speed mastering.
    Checked the Mobile Fidelity site, where they comfirm half speed mastering. Curious detail to leave off the covers
     
  17. Simon A

    Simon A Arrr!

    :wtf:
     
  18. STBob

    STBob Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Michigan
    I asked them the same thing and it appears they just are using a new buzz term instead of half speed.
    Gain2 = half speed

    Why they dropped the 1/2 speed? Maybe for the younger vinyl crowd.
     
  19. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    All MoFi vinyl is 1/2 speed mastered, it is their one/only process. This I learned from speaking to a rep from MoFi.
     
  20. ellingtonic

    ellingtonic Forum Resident

    Fantasyland is my favorite record store here in Atlanta, lol.
     
  21. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    I think the MoFi A Trick of the Tail sounds really nice. However, my favorite version of that album is the Norwegian pressing, which appears to have been made from UK lacquers cut by George Peckham.
     
  22. Hamhead

    Hamhead The Bear From Delaware

    Ages ago, I loved MFSL and Nautilus 1/2 speed records, one of the reasons was because of the pressing quality
    and they sounded wonderful on my Carver stereo along with a Thorens TD-166 turntable (which I miss dearly) and Shure V15-Type III cartridge. Now when I play them, they sound so bright, the low end is non-existent or has the life sucked out. Nowadays, they don't sound right to my ears.

    The thing I love about 1/2 speeds is they paid for my Christmas 11 years ago when I was out of work.
    I sold a nice chunk of my 1/2 speed collection and made $1500, that helped buy a lot of presents that year.
     
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  23. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    I'd also like to mention that the 1st UK A//1 B//1 pressing mastered at Trident is also spectacular, maybe it's the ultimate.

    Nonetheless, the MoFi is grand...
     
  24. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Another reason not to trash the 1/2 speeds, resale value... that may be the best thing they have going for them, Let us not screw that up! Others watch this forum, dontcha' know?
     
  25. STBob

    STBob Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Michigan
    hehe, well 1/2 speed is not all bull. And no matter what people say here they will always have good resale value. The price on records has more to do with scarcity than quality of the sound.
     
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