Dire Straits Brothers in Arms MOFI 45rpm

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

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  1. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Mine copy was fine. ^^^
     
  2. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    Good to know, thanks!
     
  3. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I have had issues with these. First copy had a big scratch due to vinyl debris. Replacement OK but labels of centre so stylus scrapes edge on a couple sides. Decided to live with that. Couple years later bought a second copy. Still label issue on one side. It also has a similar issue on 'Brothers In Arms' you report - sort of low level repeating crackle in one channel near start of track. A different stylus might miss this. Anyway left it too late to return as it was tested on a less revealing TT rather than my latest vastly superior set up. Will stick it on Ebay at half price. I think this is the worst MFSL pressing I have come across in recent years, though in spite of the glitches the cut sounds fantastic.
     
  4. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    My noise is not so low level. Was this pressed at RTI? I know they took a lot of heat in the past with QC pressing issues, but I thought perhaps this was past them now?
     
  5. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    Mine was pretty perfect, as far as I can recall.
     
  6. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Yes RTI. Looks like there is actually a bad run of these. The fault you describe is obvious enough to be annoying on my copy. For these you expect perfection.
     
  7. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    Is there any other information about this bad run other than what we are discussing here? These are numbered, I wonder if it was a specific batch of them.
     
  8. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Since numbers don't equate to order in which pressed I think this could be random up to a point. However the one I have with the pressing fault and bought much later has a number 6815 while the clean copy is I think around 2000 (label centering issues on both). My guess is they pressed a second run of these so it may have the same issue on many copies.
     
  9. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    My pressing is perfect. A really fantastic sounding 45rpm LP by MoFi!
     
  10. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    I will have to check my copy, but I think it is one numbered near the end of the run - that could have something to do with it as well.
     
  11. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I have that slight crackle on Brothers in Arms, just very slight though and isn’t sustained.
     
  12. JDP

    JDP Active Member

    Hi all. I have a few copies of the MFSL 45 RPM (numbers in 12000-13000 pressings). On all copies I've listed to, there is a hard skip at the "woo-hoo-hoo" part of "Walk of Life" (around 2:30 into the song). I've tested 3 copies, and one is worse than the other. One is so bad, in fact, that the stylus falls back and the skip becomes a cyclical loop.

    I've contacted Mobile Fidelity and they say that it is a problem with my player. I don't buy this, as I have a ton of vinyls (MFSL 45's as well) and have never had this problem.

    All I could think of is that this was repressed and there was a defect?

    If anyone has this problem or could fix this if it, as they say, my fault, please let me know! Thanks!
     
  13. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    I ripped my copy of this pressing and didn't encounter any problems like you mention. My copy is number 11,036.

    However, I did return a copy prior to this one due to excessive noise on one side that couldn't be removed by my cleaning process.
     
  14. JP Christian

    JP Christian Forum Resident

    I've only just discovered I have a copy of this with the pressing fault on side two (B2). On 'Walk Of life' - there is some sort of groove error and it's a skip you can't 'fix'.

    How do you go about contacting MOFI for a replacement and have I got any chance of getting one at this late stage?

    Apparently they repressed them having recut side two (B3) and offered replacements - but I bought mine a while ago and I can't remember where from - I wonder if I do contact them directly would they even consider offering me a replacement copy?

    Original version:
    Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms

    Corrected version:
    Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
     
  15. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Same happened to me, they told me that it was just due to the amount of bass on the record...which I don’t believe. I have records with absolutely enormous bass and have never had a record skip.

    I contacted them and they wanted me to pay to have it shipped from US. I can’t track through it but have to adjust anti-skate a little. Not ideal...

    In the end I stuck with it...
     
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  16. JP Christian

    JP Christian Forum Resident

    Yes, they fed me the same line about the bass causing the skip too - funny though as they clearly knew it was a problem if they went to the trouble of re-cutting that side and sending out replacements last year...

    I wasn't holding out much hope anyway, and anyway, it's my least favourite song on the album so guess I'll have to live with it!
     
    richbdd01 likes this.
  17. Timbo21

    Timbo21 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I have a B2 cut. It plays fine on mine. MOFI are correct, it is actually a bass problem. I have a sub underpinning my main speakers. There is a very low frequency mic boom on "Who-hoo."

    On my Rega RP10 and Technics SL1210 it plays fine with 1.9g/2.0g, VTF respectively. If I change my Technics to 1.5g it skips. I used to cut records. That kind of low frequency jolt from a mic breath-boom will definitely cause issues.

    Bass on vinyl causes a much larger swing to the groove. If it's not cutting deep enough it will cause the stylus to jump out the groove. So, they will have set a certain minimum depth to cut that side, not expecting a sudden very deep bass boom. I would imagine many systems you wouldn't hear it unless you have a sub or speakers that really are full range. It happens so quick, and it's very deep. A boom like that is very transient, plus being a low frequency means all of a sudden your playback stylus will get jolted wide. If the groove isn't deep enough you get a skip. As I said, on my two turntables a VTF of 2.0g is fine. Also, almost forgot to mention, that boom on "Whoo-hoo" is predominantly on the right hand side. That sends the groove crazy. Stereo bass is a mother to cut, and you often have to add the elliptical equaliser which will mono bass below either 300hz or 150hz. Bass on one side will make the cutter head modulation go really deep and then really shallow making the playback stylus jump out the groove. You have to be so careful with stereo/out of phase bass. You risk cutting straight through the lacquer into the aluminium core if you try to cut loud out of phase bass, and if you're unlucky buggering your cutter head, costing thousands to repair!

    Additionally, to my ears, MOFI don't appear to filter out any low end when they cut. A common practice in cutting is to use a hi-pass filter that filters out low bass from 40hz down. This is not only save space so you can cut louder, but also as a safety to prevent any playback nasties such as what many have encountered here. If you have a long side to cut we would put in the 40hz filter and elliptical equaliser to save space and get a louder cut.
     
  18. Timbo21

    Timbo21 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Just played my original BIA, master disk RL cut. Less bass throughout, so probably cut with a low end filter. Also heard the boom on "Whoo-hoo".
    I've just cleaned it with my new project cleaning machine and this original sounds fantastic for a 33 with 25 minute side.
     
  19. Ctiger2

    Ctiger2 Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    Wow, I'm going to re-spin my copy to see how it plays. The vinyl visually inspects at flawless MINT condition so that's a good start. #15149 My copy was on backorder for a while so maybe the issues were resolved with this pressing run.
     
  20. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Interesting, thanks for the info! I think I have a small number of other records with that mic boom you mention and I’ve always wondered what it is. I always want to hear records as true to the master as possible and would without any filtering whatsoever. This is the only record that I’ve ever had skip before. I did manage to get it to pass through with some anti skate adjustment but it always sounds as if it’s going to skip even if it doesn’t.
     
  21. Ctiger2

    Ctiger2 Senior Member

    Location:
    US
    My copy skips on Walk of Life right at the WooHoo. I'm using a Thorens TD125LB with a 12-inch SME and my table cart never have issues with playback unless there's a massive pressing defect like this.
     
  22. Timbo21

    Timbo21 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I believe the re-press of that side should show B3 in the deadwax
     
  23. Timbo21

    Timbo21 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I recently bought an Analogue Productions 45rpm Nat King Cole album. It's re-mastered by Kevin Gary and Steve Hoffman. I could hear these sub thumps and wasn't sure if it was the music and then went close to the speaker and realised it was. I actually thought it was going to skip. I must say I might have been inclined to add a frequency dependent compressor to catch them, or switch in a high pass very quickly. When I did my time in recording studios stockings were used over a wire frame to stop the mic booms and pops from breath.

    Yes, anti-skate could help to counteract the force throwing it out. Are you on maximum VTF? Worth trying a bit more if you are not at maximum.
     
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  24. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I’m tracking at 2g. I’d prefer not to go over this really...which is more or less max for the cart. Especially considering it’s for one record...

    My copy also has the low level crackle that some have mentioned...
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2020
  25. Timbo21

    Timbo21 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Low level crackle on which tracks/side?

    Also, do you have a B2 cut?
     
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