Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has been cutting vinyl from digital since a long, long time ago...

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Ben Adams, Jul 14, 2022.

  1. wumbo

    wumbo Forum Resident

    I have done this multiple times. Contacted multiple emails and hit them up on social media. Nothing.
     
    bmusic likes this.
  2. LordTazzman

    LordTazzman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southwest U.S.
    Poll now at top of thread.
     
    Rose River Bear likes this.
  3. audiomixer

    audiomixer As Bald As The Beatles

    After reading that MOFI has been cutting records digitally for years, will you still buy their LP's?

    No, but I will continue buying their SACDs as I have been for decades. :agree:
     
  4. Michael Renwick

    Michael Renwick https://www.reddit.com/r/VPIturntables/

    Location:
    Colorado
    I finally cancelled all my orders, 6 One Steps. If we can adjust the poll to show One Steps vs standard issue MoFi I think that would be good. I will still buy the regular offerings but I will not pay $125 for the One Step.
     
  5. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney

    Sorry, still not quite so. If you have any doubts start a thread specifically about MOV out of the blue and see what people think. Over the years since I own it I have discovered that there is plenty of consensus.

    Also as I've said there are many others, another that comes to mind is a double Carpenters compilation, I don't even remember the actual name as luckily I haven't seen it here for years.

    I've probably sent it to storage with the other crap I have. If that Carpenters record doesn't sound like a really bad MP3 I don't know what does.

    There are others in those lines, there are some of MOV records that sound very good indeed. In early days I thought they could do no wrong.
    After Out of the blue that notion went to the bin as I kept getting disappointments over and over. Now I am fairly reluctant to buy from them.
     
  6. LordTazzman

    LordTazzman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southwest U.S.
    Did you buy their records too?
     
  7. Okay, that's fair. But, does he like it in his vinyl?
     
  8. LordTazzman

    LordTazzman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southwest U.S.
    Someone is listening. :)
     
    Big Blue likes this.
  9. jasonsouza77

    jasonsouza77 Vinyl Enthusiast

    Location:
    Portland

    i voted no in the poll
     
    vinyldad62 likes this.
  10. audiomixer

    audiomixer As Bald As The Beatles

    Hundreds of them. All pre-digital in the 70's and 80's, however.
     
  11. myles

    myles Argyle, before you ask ....

    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
    As you did
     
  12. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    :goodie:
     
  13. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    That's a red herring. The vast majority of Forum members loved the sound of the MOFI Gold CD's, and the sound that people like Barry Diament and our host, Steve Hoffman, got from digital. While artists like Neil Young and George Harrison complained about the sterility of digital, this Forum was dominated by discussions about the quality of black triangles, targets, and red-face CD's. The reason people pay three figures for the Toshiba-EMI 1983 Abbey Road or four figures for the Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here 2-track is largely because Forum members discovered how natural and warm CD's could sound.

    By the same token, as I recall (and if you like, you can go back and read through old threads), the 64-69 Rolling Stones stereo vinyl box, and the mono Rolling Stones vinyl box were both Forum favorites and often cited as examples of how good DSD sourced vinyl can sound.

    There may have been a handful of Forum members who were sure of the absence of "naturalness" as you say, in digital, but that is probably because as a matter of fact, much of the digital mastering of older pop/rock material has been poor. It started becoming apparent around the late 80's with the CD's of the Beatles catalogue (and many became familiar with Steve Hoffman through early articles on the subject). By the time of the loudness wars of the 00's, it was the rule rather than the exception. But, to the true audiophiles, who have actually been listening for more than a couple of years, there has never been any doubt that digital could sound very good if done properly.

    I have no idea if people conducted blindfold tests using the MOFI records. I don't recall any, but there might have been a few. It doesn't matter. Even if they did, and even if they mistakenly concluded that the great sound of say, Santana Abraxas or Mingus Ah Um (and those do sound great) was because they were sourced from the analog tape, rather than because they were well mastered, it doesn't make the misleading advertising harmless. Same with Aquafina bottled water - it may taste good, but it's not because its from natural mountain springs, but because the filtration and minerals added to tap water make it delicious.
     
    the nightfly, Merrick, nosliw and 2 others like this.
  14. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    I generally don't go to the specific claims of blind tests but I am in the mood today.

    How scientific could a blind tests be when there are so many unknown, unmeasurable variables which could also be manipulated like the hearing capabilities and attention span of the audience used to conduct it?

    Then there is the equipment, the sources used and the way the experiment is conducted which in most cases is done by people who have no clue or are biased intending to obtain a particular result.

    Most of this nonsense about blind tests on these boards are driven by malice and more often than not a deluded notion about having some knowledge that only comes from a ignorance at the highest level.
     
    mikedifr0923, Tullman and Sipuncula like this.
  15. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    Unfortunately, I don't think that poll is comprehensive enough to reflect what many people think, at least it does not cover me. I might still buy occasionally but I will vote no because this is way beyond one steps.
     
    audiotom and CBackley like this.
  16. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    It was a rhetorical question. He stated that numerous studies have been done and the conclusions all point to the same thing. I of course am aware no such study exists and challenged him to show me the source of such claims.
     
    Uglyversal likes this.
  17. Victor Martell

    Victor Martell Forum Resident

    Sure - go meshuggah! - no desire to derail to convo.

    Now back to bashing MoFi for their ethics lapse!

    v
     
  18. Don K.

    Don K. Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Essen, Germany
    Not the first. Some smart guy posted this yesterday already:

    That’s right, but I was referring to their DECEPTIVE LIE that they would use better sources and therefore do a better job and better product than their competition and by that, not only deceiving their customers, but routing more market shares and, last but not least, more margin per unit to themselves.

    Yesterday at 11:52 AM
     
  19. blakep

    blakep Senior Member



    I wouldn't be surprised if it was mixed/mastered to analog tape. But I also wouldn't be surprised if the first stage was digital.

    Had a vinyl first Canadian pressing years ago but traded away I believe. Had all the hallmarks of a crappy digital recording as I recall. Never liked it.

    But there are crappy analog recordings as well so perhaps it was just one of those.

    I wonder if it's out there on compact disc with a SPARS code?
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2022
  20. dance_hall_keeper

    dance_hall_keeper Forum Resident

    Time now for a breather and a short musical intermission…


    “The Fan” - Little Feat.
     
  21. Sex Lies And Master Tapes

    Sex Lies And Master Tapes Gaulois réfractaire

    Location:
    Nantes, France
    UPDATE

    No other album's information has been updated since thursday evening, except the Van Halen's (from VH II to 1984) about which you will see the following words :
    "Mastering Source to Be Determined Closer to Production Date; Specifics Will Be Posted Here When Authenticated"

    What we know so far :

    Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky : 1/2" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Alan Parsons Project - I Robot - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256
    Bill Evans - Sunday at The Village Vanguard - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master
    Bill Evans Trio - Portrait in Jazz - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Blood, Sweat & Tears - Blood, Sweat & Tears - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256
    Bob Dylan - Another Side of Bob Dylan - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256
    Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256
    Bob Dylan - Love and Theft : 1" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Bob Dylan - Desire : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Bob Dylan - Nashville Skyline - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256
    Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 64
    Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Carole King - Tapestry - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64
    Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Crosby, Stills and Nash - Crosby, Stills and Nash -1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Curtis Mayfield - Super Fly - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog copy direct to lathe
    David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name : 1/4" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms - Digital clone of Sony 1630 U-Matic digital master
    Dire Straits - Communique - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Dire Straits - Dire Straits - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Eagles - The Long Run - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Eagles - On The Border - 1/4" / 15 IPS Dolby A analog master to DSD 256
    Eagles - Desperado - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Eagles - Eagles - 1/4" / analog master to DSD 256
    Eagles - Hotel California - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256
    Eagles - One Of These Nights - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256
    Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256
    Elvis Presley - From Elvis in Memphis - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Grateful Dead - Blues for Allah : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Grateful Dead - From the Mars Hotel : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256
    Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Harry Nilsson - Son of Schmilsson : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Janis Joplin - Pearl - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Jeff Beck - Truth : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256
    Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256
    Los Lobos - Kiko - 1/2" / 30 IPS analog master
    Love - Forever Changes - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Mark Knopfler - Local Hero - Digital clone of 3M digital master
    Michael Jackson - Thriller : 1/2" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Miles Davis - Bitches Brew - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64
    Miles Davis - Miles Smiles : 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby SR analog remix master to DSD 256
    Miles Davis - Porgy and Bess : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Miles Davis - Kind of Blue - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby SR analog remix master to DSD 64
    Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64
    Miles Davis - Filles de Kilimandjaro - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Miles Davis - Miles in the Sky - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Miles Davis - Nefertiti - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Miles Davis - Sorcerer - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Miles Davis - E.S.P. - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256
    Muddy Waters - Folk Singer - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Paul Simon - Still Crazy After All These Years - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256
    Paul Simon - There Goes Rhymin' Simon - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256
    Pretenders - Learning to Crawl - 1/2" / 30 IPS analog master
    Run DMC - Raising Hell : 1/2" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Santana - Santana - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256
    Santana - Abraxas - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood - 1/2" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 64
    The Cars - The Cars - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master
    Thelonious Monk - Monk's Dream - 1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    The Young Rascals - Groovin' : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256
    T. Rex - Electric Warrior : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256
    Van Halen - Van Halen - 1/4" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256
    Vanilla Fudge - Vanilla Fudge : 1/4" / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256
    Yes - Fragile - 1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256

    69 albums updated yet, 62 DSD-mastered, 2 "old digital format" mastered, 4 AAA, 1 direct-to-lathe (?)

    Note 1 : these are only the records displayed on the MoFi website.
    Note 2 : none of the Silver Label series have been updated (42 albums released in all)
    Note 3 : according to Discogs database, MoFi has released roughly 1500 products, half since Jim Davis acquired MoFi in 2001.
    MoFi has released about 300 vinyls in various formats ever since.

    Next update : monday evening.
     
  22. Melele

    Melele Groover

    Location:
    Wanderland USA
    I’ll take all those True Colours cover variants off your hands! :p
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2022
  23. 4-2-7

    4-2-7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF Peninsula
    That's why I would buy those so I could help people that just didn't have any record stores around. The Police Synchronicity was a mainstay, everyone would want the RL translucent copies, the same with brothers in arms. I would gather up a bunch of both and then list them in the classified on another site and ten of each would sell in a day. I'm lazy in selling anything these days, but I should because my buying habits haven't changed much.
     
  24. Segasonic91

    Segasonic91 Forum Resident

    Hmmmmm, this does not surprise me. I confess to not owning any Mo-Fi records as the import prices here are a joke (and Mo-Fi's internal shipping is, too). That, and they have noone that interests me. I did want the Van Halen One Steps but yeah.... not now.

    I DID just pre-order Thriller though. Pretty disgusting that SONY farmed such an important release out! I am wondering how it will compare to my CBS/SONY MASTER SOUND copies. SONY never marked the Jp records as "HSM", only the import US plate MASTER SOUND (Joel's The Stranger, ELO Discovery, Boz Scags Silk Degrees etc) They are the US plate ones I own although I also have a non-HSM The Stranger that I presume was done by SONY. Have not compared them yet.

    I have never been sure if the Jp records suffer the same issue as the US Columbia versions or if they were "fixed". The Stranger is A1/B1 yet Discovery is A8/B7, so I have never been sure. I figured that the non-HSM The Stranger was released to fix the US copy. Sorry, way off topic.
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2022
  25. Revolver

    Revolver Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    That’s one of the things that actually annoys me with all this. They basically created a false scarcity so they could charge more and more money for their releases which also affected the entire market as definitely one of the first companies to raise prices. When they could have went back to their digital master again and again.
     

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