Mobile Fidelity inner sleeve residue problem - anyone else?

I know there has been some comment in the past about the inner sleeves made by Mobile Fidelity (sold by Music Direct) having a powdery residue. This seemingly was a temporary manufacturing problem, recognized and fixed quickly. I never experienced the powder, but I do have a stock of these inner sleeves bought over the last couple of years, usually as an add-on to LP purchases so that I meet the 'free shipping' level, and left in the box until I need them.

Well I've been on a binge of cleaning recently, using my DIY ultrasonic set-up with RCM final rinse (another story for a different thread, all good) and I've experienced a peculiar and inconsistent problem that I think I can trace to the Mobile Fidelity inner sleeves. Some cleaned records, when pulled out of their new inner sleeves for play, manifest a sort of oily residue on the surface. It's very thin, cleans off easily with a swipe of a lens cloth which I keep handy, but sort of bothers me. Not every cleaned record has this but when I pull a cleaned LP out of its fresh inner sleeve and examine it, I can see it on more than one or two that I've cleaned over the last year.

At first I thought it might be something in the cleaning regimen but nothing predicts or explains this. Then I started to notice that even if I cleaned this layer off when I found it, it would reappear next time I played the record. So I started looking at these inner sleeves. Many of the cleaned records are fine, thankfully, but some come out with this thin oily layer again, after I have cleaned it off, played the record and put it back in the same sleeve. This weekend I started to systematically check every inner sleeve where I found this to be the case and noticed that if I put my finger against the inside of the sleeve, the side that touches the record, and pressed up (outward), I left a visible finger print on the sleeve. To determine that this was something from the sleeve and not a residue left by the record, I started checking the batch of sleeves I currently have open for my newly cleaned records. These are sleeves that are still in the pack and have not yet touched a record. Most confusingly, some, but not all, seem to suffer from this -- try the fingerprint test and one or two in a row have the residue, others in the same pack do not. Ouch...so it's not as if I can say I have a bad pack, I seem to have several packs where these are mixed in with normal and residue free inner sleeves.

This is not a powder problem but something else. I am totally frustrated given the time I've put into cleaning these records that I have to go back and do it again, and I've written to Music Direct to see if they have had other complaints, I cannot believe I am alone in this. Since I suspect by now I've put 200-300 cleaned LPs in these sleeves, it's going to require some effort to identify and re-clean the offending ones but I am now giving up on Mobile Fidelity sleeves.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

 

Yep......Won't buy any more of theirs!!!

 

This is pretty much the same issue as last time. Are these sleeves you've purchased recently or ones that were in the box for a while? You should contact them immediately to get a refund and / or replacment sleeves.

 

These are a batch bought intermittently over the last 2 years. I know of the 'powder' problem but these are not powdery, it's a light, hazy oily residue. To be honest, the refund is the least of my worries, it's the wasted time and effort, I don't want to even think about the hours involved.

 

Previously it was powder as well as oily residue. The thread about the MFSL sleeves is quite long and many members went into detail about their experiences. If none of those packs of sleeves were purchased recently you may have gotten some of the bad stock before the fix.

 

I've been using the poly-lined paper sleeves from Elusive Disc. They're very nice IMO and much easier to slide in and out of the sleeve. Best of all they inexpensive. I bought three 50 sleeve packs of the black paper version at $10 each when they were closing them out. I think the black is all gone but the white 100 pack can be had for $29.99 or $27.99 if buying in volume.

 

I've been using those for a while now and never noticed any residue. I think I will go back and double check though.

 

I had that oily residue on some MoFi records that I purchased from 2012-13 due to the inner sleeves. I had to clean the records and resleeve them.

 

I stopped using the MoFi sleeves for about six months or so after the last problem. I have to wonder if the OP has old stock and this is not a new problem. I have a package now that is over half used and I haven't had any issues recently.
I hope this isn't a new problem. If it is, I am done with MoFi sleeves.

 

Yes, I believe mine are likely old stock since it seems the 'powder' problem and the oiliness I'm experiencing might have coincided. I'm waiting to hear back from Music Direct to determine if this might be a new problem, not that it matters much to me now, I have the current and at least one further unopened pack at home.

 

Just heard back from MD. The person there claimed they have never heard any complaints of an oily residue problem with their inner sleeves.

 

I have not had any trouble so far with the Mofi inner sleeves. I've probably gone through 6 packs of 50 so far.

 

I've never noticed this problem, there could be a few in my collection though but hopefully not. Honestly, I think the Sleeve City Ultimate Audiophile sleeves are much better but I do keep the Mofis with the records they come with because that would just be wasteful.

 

About 6 months ago, I read through all the old discussions and it looked like the problem had been identified and solved. Since then I have ordered 10 packs of 50 Mofi sleeves and have had no residue problems whatsoever. It sounds like a case of old stock rather than a repeat of the manufacturing issue.

 

I've not encountered this issue at all. I must have missed the bad manufacturing batch as I have been using these for many years. I'll double check mine just in case.

I would like to try out the Sleeve City ones but the postage kills it budget wise for me.

 

MD asked me to photograph this but I confess, I am at a loss how to do this with my skills. Anyway, I am giving up on these and moving on to Sleeve City.

 

Why don't you send them a couple in the mail as samples of the problem - shouldn't cost much for you to do.

 

I recently purchased a MOFI Ricky Nelson album. It was covered in white residue. Cleaned off easy enough.

 

Yep, am doing that anyway.

 

Current production of MoFi inner sleeves nare not showing any signs of oily substances or powder residue.

 

You'll like the Sleevecity, I use their Diskeeper Ultimate Sleeves

 

I just found a bunch of the bad sleeves (powdery residue), I had to re-clean & put my LPs in newer ones. I'll never
buy these again. I still have to check a few more LPs.

I looked for the Diskeeper Ultimate Sleeves but it seems they are out of stock. Anyone buy these recently?

 

Yes, I bought some about a month ago and only have a few left. No static issues or residue. I've used the MoFi's but I think the Diskeeper Ultimate Sleeves give them a run for their money. I like how they don't bend or fold over, seem more substantial unlike the MoFi's. Highly recommended...

 

After the last fiasco I've never gone back to MOFI's.

I still pull out albums with the old sleeves that I have to clean.

Sleeve City from here on out.

 

Why? They know they've had/have problems. Good vinyl, crap sleeves. 'Nuff said.