Mobile Fidelity Vinyl One Step of SANTANA, BILL EVANS TRIO, etc.*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Drew769, Dec 1, 2015.

  1. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    Were the uhqr's set to 5000 each? I thought i read that?
     
  2. honestabe316

    honestabe316 Analog Rebel

    They have to press more...they are sending out replacements for warped or damaged discs...thats part of the process im certain.....if they put out boxes with a 2501 or higher they would commit serious repectability concern....im willilng to bet anything they wont...there will be promos too im sure
     
    SergioRZ and Slick Willie like this.
  3. SergioRZ

    SergioRZ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Portugal
    #1282 = A1/B1/C1/D1

    Test played for a few seconds sides A and C, both show very minor off-center hole with minimal (but present) sideways movement of the tonearm... Side C has the label a little off-center as well.

    It's fine, and I'm not worried about it, but here's what I think:

    If you'r going to come out and say you're going to do the best vinyl pressing in the world, then please... get the basics right. It's not a matter of being expensive or cheap or exclusive or limited, I don't care... even if it cost $5 bucks... if you say you're going to do something, just do it. No games, no playing around... if you can't do it, that's fine with me, ttake my money anyway, but just tell me: "we're going to try our best, odds are it's not going to be the best pressing in the world, maybe a couple of minor issues that really don't hurt all that much" and they can add: "by the way, we do provide a bloody AMAZING cut, mastering quality way above average and really worth your time and money". That's it, I'd be 100% happy. But, as it is... I'm just 95% happy :p

    I would really value a label that would cut the bull**** and talk about these things seriously for what they are and not what we all dream they could/should be. I'd happily pay $100 or more per tittle regularly if they just came out and said: "No, we're not going to push some ultra-mega-incredible cut/plating process, and no, we're not going to make anything new or revolutionary... no... we're going to press vinyl records that play silently, dead center, warp/dish free (even if we need to design proper packaging to avoid it), and with good mastering. We say we will do it, and we will really do it, because it will be expensive but the money we charge you is going to this ULTIMATE bad ass quality control model that will make sure that when you buy our record it's not going to have any of those flaws". I would pay for that, I would buy all of them!

    So please just stop the madness, and start the quality control, ok? :D

    Anyway, despite all the rant... I'm truly happy with my purchase and would buy it again, but of course my expectations were set realistically. That's the key ;)

    Hope to review the sound properly when I can play this loud (late here now).
     
  4. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Makes sense. After filling in returned boxes, then left over unboxed copies to employees and friends....I would not be surprised to see white jacketed copies hit the market at some point!
     
  5. Guy from Ohio

    Guy from Ohio Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    [QUOTE="Tullman,
    2218- Highest number purchased at Music Direct, getting closer to 2500. Highest number gets to share a wienie on a bun with #15.[/QUOTE]

    I doubt I'll win in the end

    the #2218 is A3 B3 C3 D3
     
  6. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Well now...Classic Records had a program at one time that presented hand picked issues, supposedly the better looking pressings and test played? That could be pricey though!
    While not an excuse, plants are running at max volume....and for years now. Maybe they need to slow down and take stock of their situation?
     
    SergioRZ likes this.
  7. Bigbudukks

    Bigbudukks Older, but no wiser.

    Location:
    Gaithersburg, MD
    #317-A1 B2 C2 D2
    #496-A1 B2 C1 D1
    #605-A1 B1 C1 D1
    #623-A1 B2 C1 D1
    #644-A1 B2 C1 D1
    #621-A1 B2 C1 D1
    #715--A1 B2 C2 D2
    #923-A1 B2 C1 D1
    #934-A3 B4 C1 D1
    #949 A1-B2-C2-D2
    #950-A1 B2 C1 D2
    #981-A1, B1, C2, D2.
    #1192-A3 B4 C1 D1
    #1269-A3 B4 C1 D1
    #1282-A1 B1 C1 D1
    #1313-A1 B1 C1 D1
    #1339-A3 B4 C1 D1
    #1354-A1 B2 C1 D1
    #1473-A3, B4, C1, D1.
    #1541-A1, B2, C1, D1
    #1784-A3 B4 C3 D4
    #1919-A3 B3 C3 D4
    #2037-A3 B4 C3 D4
    #2098-A3 B3 C3 D4
    #2218-A3 B3 C3 D3

    Let's see now....we have three that have all 1's spread out from #605 to #1282 & #1313. I can't help but wonder what #1 has for stamper numbers. It's a mystery folks, it's a plumb mystery. :shrug:
     
    Kyhl and Slick Willie like this.
  8. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.

    Thanks for doing this....it's very interesting!
     
    The Beave likes this.
  9. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    You understand that the numbered boxes have nothing to do with the order in which the vinyl is pressed, right? It's just random, for Audio Fidelity, all labels.
     
    Kyhl and The Beave like this.
  10. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    I mentioned in my review that I perceived that they were pressed off-center a hair. And so little I couldn't audibly detect it, so that's fine. The labels were also a hair off.

    Vinyl is an imperfect medium in that it's very difficult to get perfect. Steve Hoffman's very recent post had him wondering what time of day a particular copy was pressed, or when they made the stampers (and whether the machines were left continuously on)?

    I mentioned in a Music Matters Blue Note thread that I had two copies of the 45rpm of Horace Silver's Song For My Father. Each side 1 sounds very different from the other. They're doing no more than 500 copies per stamper, so it's not a question of fresh or tired stampers. But one copy sounds bright on top, and as a result, sounds more forward and alive. The other copy sounds laid back, and as a result, sounds less forward and more just there. The brighter copy causes me to sit more upright in my chair and take notice, while the other copy sounds merely fine. Why such a significant difference?

    Conferring with both Michael Fremer and Steve Hoffman on this, they suggested that the time of day a copy was stamped, due to the temperature of the water used from the cooling system, affects the individual sound of that particular copy. This means that there is one more variable to consider. I could have a laid back sounding copy. You could have a brighter, more forward one. Imagine having a discussion here I complain that the Music Matters pressing of Song For My Father sounds a bit too laid back, while you respond, "What do you mean it sounds laid back?!? It sounds alive in my system!" Both could be true.

    And that's not to mention all of the other variables such as the turntable, the tonearm, the cartridge, the phono stage, the cabling, etc., not to mention the musical ear of the poster.

    But back to how hard it is to get a perfect slab of vinyl. It does happen. But it's going to be a bit of a gamble. There are just too many variables in the making of a record.

    What absolutely kills me are careless human error - fingerprint, scuffs, scratches, poorly applied labels, audibly off-center pressings, etc. I just got a copy of Nina Simone's A Very Rare Evening (a TERRIFIC album). I opened it up and it almost looks like someone took an Exacto knife to a 1/3rd inch area. Surprisingly, it's not audible. But the vinyl looks VG overall, not only because of that, but because of some scuffs and light scratches in several places. I'm not sure whether to return it for another copy or not, as it pretty much plays fine (there are a couple of ticks and pops in a few places), but it looks bad. I could never call it NM if I were to want to ever resell it (which I won't, unless I'm hard pressed -- I really like this album). If I return it, will the retailer cover the cost or is it up to me?

    In the end, I don't think ANY producer of vinyl should suggest that they're capable of a "perfect" disc, that is, one with absolutely zero defects. I'm not sure that's possible on a mass basis. I'm even wondering if those ERC, $350 single LP records are ever returned for a defect.

    I noticed some excessive glue on the side cover of my Abraxas copy box that was smeared several inches. I'm not going to ask for a return. Might they have an extra box? I'll ask. But at $100, MoFi is setting up such high expectations that they need to make sure they can fulfill them. Otherwise, they need to tone them down. If they don't, they'll just be exhibiting a deaf ear to a passionate audiophile community.
     
    AaronW, SergioRZ and The Beave like this.
  11. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    But as I explained previously, Steve, there are better sounding numbers. For example, 107 sounds better than 1806. The former rolls off the tongue, while the latter is a bit of a tongue twister. You could almost pull a mouth muscle saying it.
     
    Bigbudukks likes this.
  12. Bigbudukks

    Bigbudukks Older, but no wiser.

    Location:
    Gaithersburg, MD
    Yeah. Back when I was a naive little puppy I thought there might perchance be some correlation but, alas! Alack! My world hath been torn asunder by the news which hath struck me to the quick and doth boil my blood! Nay! I shall not wonder any more, I shall only ponder my foolishness and cry to the wind. O! Bitter defeat of life! Why hast thou shaken my roots and burdened my shoulder so?
     
    AnalogJ likes this.
  13. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    In Asia certain numbers are terrible luck. I found that out when buying some Leica gear. Can't remember now but 7 (or was it 6?) means death or something so if a lens or camera has that in the serial number they won't touch it.

    At any rate, go have Thanksgiving already!
     
  14. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    And please remember, the first off the press are not always the best. If thou hast been around as many "starts" as I have, I think the middle of the run has the greatest chance of being great.
     
    bajaed likes this.
  15. Bigbudukks

    Bigbudukks Older, but no wiser.

    Location:
    Gaithersburg, MD
    Yes, they were limited to 5000 according to MFSL. I also have the original slip that came with one of my albums from oh so long ago and it states clearly that no pressing of any half speed mastered albums by MFSL will exceed 200,000. That is not a typo. 200,000. Talk about exclusivity.
     
  16. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Interesting. Because fixes are incorporated?
     
  17. Bigbudukks

    Bigbudukks Older, but no wiser.

    Location:
    Gaithersburg, MD
    Really? That's good to know. I never would have expected it. Is it because the slightly rounded edges of the grooves actually press better records after they have been "buffed" by use?

    EDIT: I should have written rounded slightly by use.
     
  18. The Beave

    The Beave My Wife Is My Life! And don’t I forget it!

    Steve! What you doing on your site on thanksgiving night with the rest of us??????
    Were you banished to the family room likethe rest of us?? :goodie:
    The beave
     
  19. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.

    Man!!! I'm glad mine is good so I don't have to type that much stuff!
     
  20. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Nice way to kill the discussion.
     
  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    The parts "set" after some hits, the vinyl is heated better, cooled better, etc.

    Look, you guys are obsessing. RTI (if that's where these are made) is a world-class pressing plant, one of the best if not THE best, but there is no such thing as a perfect pressed record any more. The vinyl compound itself is less perfect now, the stuff that made it silent is against the law to use, etc. They do what they can but it's a record. If it's sold for $5.00 or $500.00, it's still made the same way. There is no special Rolls Royce Press reserved for really expensive stuff, all the 180 gram presses are the same high quality. That being said, it's records! C'mon. Each one will be different from the other one, even when you stand there watching them being pressed. No two will be the same. Just like always and forever.

    Go eat your turkey (or tofu.)
     
    Tommyboy, Kyhl, richbdd01 and 4 others like this.
  22. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    My kids went to the movies with their mom. I'm here. Better than walking the streets.
     
  23. The Beave

    The Beave My Wife Is My Life! And don’t I forget it!

    I think it's fantastic having you here with us! And your site is obviously one of the high points of my evening. Hope your dinner was good.Christina made her best stuffing yet in the 19 years we've been married. I've very happy chillinwith here onthe love seat being on the site and her watching Blue Bloods on netflix.
    Great Thanksgiving and I wksh all the Hoffmanites the same:edthumbs:
    The beave
     
  24. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Whoa, yonder tearith almost rolled downith my cheekith, Yay saith I....doest thou care to ...oh, never mind....:disgust:
     
  25. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    So....you're not a streetwalker...eh?
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine