Dire Straits Brothers in Arms MOFI 45rpm

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by irwin69, Feb 23, 2015.

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  1. canonlon

    canonlon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario, CANADA
    Thanks for the recommendation.
     
  2. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    That is one album a reissue was probably unnecessary for. As you said, the standard issues all sound wonderful and are easy to find cheap for under $5.

    Edit...I am seeing some are saying the new one has more detail, so I am probably wrong in my previous opinion. But on its own, the originals did sound great.
     
  3. canonlon

    canonlon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario, CANADA
    The original RL pressing from '85 and the 2005 SACD were fantastic sounding. But, if the MoFi vinyl is best yet, then worth buying IMO.
     
  4. brimuchmuze

    brimuchmuze Forum Resident

    A good example of how even audiophile labels do a poor job on provenance.
     
  5. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    :shtiphat:
     
  6. RichC

    RichC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Actually, the main selling point is that half the tracks on the original are EDITED down. Even if the Mofi only equaled the sound of the original press, the fact that it's got all the full versions gives it an advantage.

    Even so, I'm not sure I like this album $45 worth. My OP does sound nice and I kinda enjoy hearing "different" versions of the songs I knew quite well from the CD.
     
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  7. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    [​IMG]
    I made my comment based on my memory of the album rather than giving it a fare comparison.

    I didn't listen to the entire album just "money for nothing" on both records at the same fairly high volume. The MoFi Pressing is clearly better. It comes through for me in the more quiet sections, the beginning with synth and "I want my mtv" lyric. The MoFi is dead quite and more detailed in everything you are hearing. When the Volume rises with the drums and the guitar riff, the differences in the pressings are less obvious.

    At the end of the day if you are reading this tread you are interested in both Dire Straits and MoFi pressings. Go get it, it will sound like you want it to.

    For me, when a Mofi 45 blows me away is when I hear or notice elements that are new to me in recordings that I have listened to for many years. I put on the Highway 61 Mofi 45 and it was astonishing. There was a tambourine that had never stood out to me before that sounded so detailed and crisp, all the cymbals and percussion just sounded great.

    That didn't happen as much for me with Brothers in Arms. I would put on the Mofi if I were doing some critical listening, evaluating my system or a component change. for just casual listening the original pressing is fine and doesn't need to be flipped as often.
     
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  8. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Yeah this was a great listen for me. At times it was pretty mesmerising...

    The Bellman 2014 was ruined by noise for me, but also the sound was a couple of notches down from the Mfsl.
     
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  9. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    This MFSL is a step up from any other version. Second copy bought from another supplier - acceptable but the odd noise on side 3 (as did the first copy). Labels on disc two are marginally off centre which means the locked groove is pressed through edge of label in one place making a noise. Not something that is normally a bother and only noticed it because I half dozed off. Mo-fi appear to cut the run out to the extreme end of the dead wax on all their releases so leaves no margin for error.

    I do think the fact it is digital is irrelevant as this is a good recording in spite of it. However limitations of digital do ensure this is not the revelation that Blonde On Blonde or Ricky Lee Jones 45 rpm are. Probably not for the casual DS fan.
     
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  10. John Doe

    John Doe Senior Member

    Location:
    L.A.
    I have both MFSL versions and my vote is that the 45 is completely unnessary, wish I didn't buy it and the sacd is the go to source. The lp is just not right to my ears, sounds like a second generation tape (pun intended) was used and too soft sounding with no edge to it, and I'm an analog guy normally. Don't know why Fremer digs it, he can have my copy gratis......
     
  11. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    This is a great sounding record and have absolutely no regrets paying the price for admission. My copy really needed a cleaning on the Okki Nokki as have most of the other releases that I have bought from MFSL lately but that's not a big deal.
     
  12. Johan1880

    Johan1880 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    I bought the MFSL last Saturday and compared it with my Stan Ricker WB 2lp and my wife's ears for a second opinion. We both have a confirmation bias: I want the 70 euro MFSL to sound twice as good as the 35 euro SR cut. My wife the opposite for reasons you can imagine :)
    Both came to the conclusion: the MFSL absolutely smokes the SR. I can't imagine this record sound better than this. Don't have the Chris Bellman though.
     
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  13. motionmover

    motionmover Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Finally got around to purchasing the MOFI 45 rpm reissue of Brothers In Arms.
    I also have the MOFI SACD and the 20th anniversary SACD...I listen to only the CD layer.

    The 20th Anniversary edition is the better sounding of the digital versions.
    Has a wider soundstage than the MOFI SACD edition.

    The 45 rpm is the best sounding version of this album I have heard to date.
    Has a nice wide soundstage, comparable to the 20th anniversary.
    For everything else the 45 rpm smokes the digital versions.
    The 45rpm has richer texture, richer nuances, sounds more alive and real with greater emotion.
    The last title track on the LP actually brings a tear to my eyes and gives me goosebumps, whereas the digital versions fail to do that for me.

    The digital versions sound cold and sterile in comparison.

    If you love this album, in my opinion one of the greatest albums of all time, and if you own a nice quality turntable then you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this release before it is out of print.

    MOFI really hit it out of the park with this 45rpm release.
    Vinyl is flat with no surface noise. A top quality release overall.

    Hope that MOFI releases another 45 rpm Dire Straits LP, perhaps ON EVERY STREET.
     
  14. I hope this video will be interesting and useful to the visitors to this thread:



    For the record, and after direct comparison, I can tell for sure that there's no noticeable difference in sound quality between the original .wav files stored in my hard disk and the resulting audio after uploading the file to YouTube.
     
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  15. jgrillo

    jgrillo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA USA
    I've read comparisons to originals and the Chris Bellman 2014 issue and the Ricker half-speed issue. Anyone have the Quiex II that was supposed to be the best of the original lot that were out in the 80s? I have the Quiex and it is so punchy and in-your-face while still sounding smooth to my ears..no harshness, doesn't sound "cold" or "sterile" as do many of the stock original pressings. Who here has compared the two...anyone? I am still on the fence, and I know the original song length is a reason to get the MOFI, but I'd need it to be a significant step-up over the Quiex to make the purchase. Anyone?
     
  16. PteroDon

    PteroDon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent ,England
    I've not heard the Quiex version but if the bass on Ride Across the River doesn't sound as powerful as a quality Dub recording , your missing out!
    MoFi is really good.
     
  17. pdf1964

    pdf1964 Tainted Member

    Location:
    Shame Alley
    Dennis,
    I am coming late to this party, but have you had an opportunity to compare The MoFi to the box set version? I compared it to an original pressing, and the one from the box set has way more depth and detail. Here is what Acoustic Sounds says about the box set version. Since it is the same engineers, I imagine these are the same masters used on the Warner Brothers releases in 2014 that were pressed at Pallas, but you never know.

    This deluxe vinyl box set features all six Dire Straits studio albums, which have been remastered for vinyl by Bob Ludwig, with lacquers cut by Bernie Grundman and Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, and pressed on beautiful 180-gram vinyl. For the first time, the CD running order with full-length versions of the tracks have been restored to Brothers in Arms, now presented as a double LP set, as well as a double vinyl of On Every Street. With all the original artwork restored, the six albums are packed in a handsome box set slipcase. All come complete with download cards and are available as a strictly limited edition.
     
  18. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    come on man! I didn't even know about the box set and I think I just completed my Dire Straits collection last month. Now I have the seed planted that I need the box set, thanks! :)

    I do still regard the Mofi as an excellent sounding record, even more so after upgrading my speaker cables. It is a recording I go to when testing out new equipment.
     
  19. pdf1964

    pdf1964 Tainted Member

    Location:
    Shame Alley
     
  20. Dhreview16

    Dhreview16 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    The box set versions are available as individual albums now. Brothers in arms is a full length double, and is very nice. (I have a set, though I bought them individually). I don't know about the price difference with the MOFI (which I own for some other stuff) but over here in the UK the box set one has been going new for very low prices recently, so if that is a factor I'd go for this one ( mastered by BG as others have said).
     
  21. vinylvark

    vinylvark Forum Resident

    I posted a comprehensive review on this ablum on my blog (see sig).
     
  22. John

    John Senior Member

    Location:
    Northeast
    Wow great comparison. The SR is less defined a bit muted but smoother and more forgiving of the recording. The MOFI has more of everything but may be a bit more of this recording than some may want. I especially noticed the difference in how each LP handled the sibilance and leading edge transient of the instruments. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
     
  23. Rockos

    Rockos Forum Resident

    Original CD is fine. One of the best actually.
     
  24. pdf1964

    pdf1964 Tainted Member

    Location:
    Shame Alley
    There are differences between the box set and the individual releases:

    Box set:
    Vertigo labels
    Pressed at GZ
    Sleeve inserts are exact replicas of originals
    BG scribed in deadwax

    Individual releases: (I have the S/T debut and Making Movies)
    Warner Brothers labels
    Presses at Pallas
    Sleeves are plain white. Single sheet insert contains printing and pictures that were on original sleeve
    BG scribed in deadwax

    Sonically, they sound identical, at least to me. The Pallas pressings may have quieter background but will have to listen again to compare.
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2015
  25. It is extremely rare for me to give the nod to a digital version, but in this case the MFSL SACD beats the original vinyl version, and I would imagine this new reissue as well.
     
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