Marvin Gaye "What's Goin On" MFSL SACD*

Yes, and I have a slight preference for the Eighties Motown reissue. Here's a link to my review (with comparisons) for the MFSL vinyl of What's Going On and Let's Get it On: http://myvinylreview.blogspot.com/2009/04/marvin-gaye-whats-going-on-and-lets-get_19.html

 

I was very disappointed by the MFSL. (I also have the 1980s Motown and the recent Scorpio reissue that masquerades as a Motown.) To my mind there is an inherent weakness in this LP, which is that, right through most of side one, James Jamerson is laying down some of the finest bass guitar work ever put on disc but you struggle to hear it properly, it's so thin and weak. Then on the very last track of side 1, just as bass guitar duty passes over to to the competent but relatively plodding Bob Babbitt, the bass is suddenly ramped up and becomes really powerful - it sounds as if this track and all those on the rest of the LP were recorded or mastered completely differently.

I had hoped the new MFSL would attempt to iron out these differences and give James Jamerson's bass playing the emphasis it deserves. But in fact, it seems to widen the gap even further than either of the two other versions I have - the bass is really thin for as long as James Jamerson is playing, then becomes almost overpowering once Bob Babbitt takes over. To me, it is an opportunity missed.

Of the three LP versions I own, the Scorpio (probably a CD rip) gives the most prominence to James Jamerson's bass playing but the 1980s reissue isn't far behind and for overall quality is the clear winner, in my view.

 

I hear at least two separate tracks of bass guitar (Bob Babbit played both I presume) during "Inner City Blues". Perhaps that may contribute to the effect you are reporting.

 

I got my "Get it On" SACD a few weeks ago. Still have to open it. Trying to find protective sleeves for it.

Didja notice on the back cover that for the song "Please Stay" there is a typo!

 

Could you describe the labels (or any other distinguishing features) of your 1980s reissue, please? I bought a copy in 1990 (for 99p from a Woolworths cheapy bin; those were the days!) that has silver-on-black retro-look Tamla Motown labels, and I'm wondering whether I got a good one.

 

I don't have any other version to compare to, but I just listened to the MFSL CD the other night and it sounds amazing, imho. It seemed to have a wide AND DEEP soundstage. I can't say I really noticed the bass one way or another (and don't have another source to compare it to), but when I listen again I'll focus on it.

Highly recommended though.

 

Is that a UK pressing? The MFSL is superior to the 1980s US pressing I had in terms of midrange and sense of overall resolution although it does seem to make the variances (including bass) more evident, possibly due to being more accurate to the source. Even if one did prefer the 80s pressing I don't see how anyone could be "very disappointed" by the MFSL.

 

Personally it's my fav version.

 

Haven't heard the Mobile Fidelity yet. I like the UK original Tamla/Motown LP better than any other I have heard so far. It bests the US Tamla original and the 1980's reissue and has much better definition and much better record surfaces.

 

I think the MoFi SACD sounds great, but I haven't compared it directly to anything else. I don't remember ever being as impressed by the sound of the album as I was by the MoFi SACD (for whatever that's worth). I think it's a real winner.

 

No, there's only one MFSL pressing that I'm aware of.

Yes, you touch on an old controversy here. Very likely the MFSL is more accurate to the source, and my disappointment arises because of that. Those of us who buy reissues seem to fall into two camps: those who want the mastering engineer to make the new LP sound as much like the old one or the original master tape as possible, and those who want the mastering engineer to make the LP sound as good as possible, at least to the extent of rectifying any obvious shortcomings in the original. I'm firmly in the second camp. I can't really see the point in reissuing this readily available LP unless the reissue is better than the already available issues - especially given the very high price. In my opinion, the MFSL reissue is not better, or not in the respects that matter to me. But that's just a personal point of view, obviously, and I'm pretty sure it places me in a minority.

 

i'd second that. does anyone know if it's really motown "issue" or some mofi's mastering artifact?
do they really master it analog or its some digital hi-res dsd or whatever? i don't really believe in ultra analog after i found out that lennon's album by mofi, claimed to be original masters, are digital remixes... and "what's going on" does sound a bit digital to my ears.

 

this is OT, but rather than start a new thread......

Does anyone know what the Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Rarities Edition) CD contains? It's coming out January 5th on Motown, along with a bunch of other 'rarities edition' titles from other artists such as Melissa Etheridge, Weezer, Diana Ross etc...

 

Originally Posted by paulisme
I've mentioned this before, but do people even listen to lyrics at all?

Good one, Jamie!

This album really sounds nice in hi-rez stereo, at least on my system...

 

MoFi did a wonderful job on this LP. I just played it vs an original pressing. MoFi is the clear winner on my system, sounding much more natural and tonally balanced. By comparison, the original sounds compressed, messy, and grainy, so much so that the MoFi renders the original almost unlistenable, in the same way the MoFi "Cars" S/T beats the original LP.

The jacket is tastefully done as well, with the exception of Marvin's picture on the front cover. The original LP jacket has a more natural looking picture of Marvin.

 

The MFSL sacd is sublime.

 

I guess I'm different. . . I actually prefer the Deluxe version to the SACD. Maybe that will change, but my first three spinnings left me liking the Deluxe a bit more.

 

Is there a booklet for this release?

 

IIRC the "Rareties" cd will have all the extra material in the "Deluxe Edition" except the "Detroit Mix."

 

How does MoFi SACD of the subject compare to japanese SHM-SACD?

(except for price difference and redbook layer - these two points are obvious)

 

Same DSD master used for both. Mastered by Mobile Fidelity in 2008.

Both are very good. Some hear some small differences between SHM disc and standard polycarbonat, others don't.

 

thanks for the info
in this case MoFi is the obvious choice!

I'll try the US version ($28 shipped seems reasonable to me)

 

I do not own the original Motown vinyl for Whats Going On...but I'm curious as to whether or not there is a space between Whats Going and Whats Happening Brother. I have the Universal deluxe 2 disc version and they flow into each other.

 

There's no pause between the two songs in the original album either!!!

 

Interesting.