MOFI "Cosmos Factory" vs. Acoustech Q for SH

MOFI Cosmos Factory vs. Acoustech Q for SH

Hi Steve- Congrats on your new CCR transfer, it is quite impressive. I compared side two of my MOFI Cosmos that I purchased new and have only played a few times, to your transfer for Acoustech. Wow, ever want to hear how different two transfers can be, cue up these two! First the MOFI is very thick and heavy sounding. It is also cut slightly louder which tends to distort Forgery's voice slightly at full wail. It lacks transparency, and from the midrange on up, is very electronic sounding, and the hi hat is simply not happening. Although, there is still something about that JVC vinyl...

Your version is totally free from electronic nasties and is about a 100 times smoother and more natural sounding. Although, yours is the more balanced sounding from top to bottom, it seems to reveal track to track inconsistencies with the two track master that cannot be discerned with the MOFI. When listening to Up Around the Bend, as Fogerty goes into full wail it is difficult to follow the snare and bassline, as if he is mixed a little too loud, not compressed enough compared to everything else (Im not sure here). Yet, My Baby Left Me is sloppin' over with snare, and has plenty of bass, I think they use a stand-up bass on this track. Also, on Long As I can See the Light, at times the drumkit sounds a little anemic, and the bass a bit weak. Because the bass on the MOFI is so overblown this not as much an issue since everything gets "muddified" and its difficult to get a handle on whats really going on.

When listening to your version I felt that certain cuts (not all) may have benefitted from a slight boost of energy in the midbass area, something like 60-80 cycles. Having spent time with the masters what is your take on this.

Thanks
John

 

Hi Steve- Thank you for the reply. Im with you, if fixing it results in boom, then that is not the way to go.

John

 

Steve, interesting reply. I know some would feel tempted to "fix" the sound of the masters. Thank you for having the courage and conviction to stay with the original and not muck it up. I look forward to receiving my copies of the CCR lps that I have ordered.

 

Fixing a hole...

Steve,
Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you fix what you can, and leave alone the areas where the fix creates more problems than it solves?

In other words, nothing is left alone if there actually is a way to improve it. (Erring on the conservative side, of course.)

TP

 

That you are, my Liege!

 

Analog warmth? You mean that coloration that we record lovers have deluded ourselves into mistaking for better sound?

It's on the tapes?! Oh no!

I know. I'll make a CDR of the record; that should get rid of enough of the analog colorations so that the remaining signal should be more than "accurate" enough.

TP

 

Now Tom...

 

There you have it, the mastering engineers handbook, nice and tidy..."How To Master For Music Lovers, Not A&R". You can almost hear how the record sounds just by reading the above. I like the approach of going for the core of the music and letting the rest of the frequency spectrum naturally attach itself to that.

I think a liner note of this type should be on the back of each CD and LP. It shows the care that was taken and what you can expect to hear.

 

Yes, that's our boy. His description of the sound of "Cosmos' Factory" made me want to order the damn thing from Acoustic Sounds.

 

I guess I'm going to have to play again when I get home. All this reading is making me wish I had a TT at this temp job!

Todd