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. 666666

    666666 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    What?
     
  2. Britt in VA

    Britt in VA Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    I have a question that is a little bit off topic at this point.... In the two weeks of discussing this, the thousands of posts, and the ever increasing amount of YouTube videos....

    Has it been established who, or what, let the proverbial cat out of the bag?

    From my basic understanding, Mike from The In Groove made a video two weeks ago. A week after that he had been invited to Mofi, spent a day at the facilities, and granted an extensive interview on the mastering process. What tipped Mike off to begin with?
     
  3. shug4476

    shug4476 Nullius In Verba

    Location:
    London
    Yes the news would not deter me from buying the SACDs provided I find them at a keen price. The mark up in the UK is a deterrent.
     
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  4. Plinko

    Plinko Senior Member

    Customers were never told that their vinyl went through a ADC—DAC process and we have since seen numerous statements over the years from employees of MOFI indicating their cutting is was all analog along with the manipulative marketing material. There is nothing ‘a priori’ or “disingenuous” about this. Hope this helps.

    I’ve said before the real tragedy is the $100+ reissues on the whole…speaking of One Steps and UHQRs. I might even go so far as to say the UHQRs are even more BS than the digital One Steps. Major titles appear to now be saved for $100 plus reissues rather than reissues in more affordable range for more consumers and at a time where these companies cannot meet demand elsewhere in the market either because of pressing capacity or sleeve printing capacity. It is what it is…I blame the consumers for this.
     
  5. cwd

    cwd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Clarksville, TN
    I think the point is both oils are considered...ehhh, so-so, so a switcheroo isn't at the same level.
     
  6. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    There is audible degeneration with even a single generation copy done in analog. In practice there is no audible degeneration in a single generation DSD copy. So if we are already dealing with copies rather than actual master tapes why are we making that a fetish? Using are properly done DSD as the source is acceptable or even preferable.

    I believe ithe notion that there is dishonesty in marketing is more of the issue than sound quality. Trust has been broken. That is a valid point, but I don’t think it rises to the level of fraud. Just look at the games played with marketing using terms like organic, natural, all natural, and free-range. I’d like to see greater honesty going forward but I am not willing to issue what amounts to a death sentence to MFSL over this.
     
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  7. Raylinds

    Raylinds Resident Lake Surfer

    I think MoFi will survive this, but is going to have to adjust their business model. They do put out a good sounding product and it appears that there are people who are will to overlook the egregious lack of ethics to continue buying from them. That is their decision and I am not interested in trying to convince them otherwise, but I cannot in good conscious financially support what I consider to be basically a criminal organization. After reading through their advertisements and articles written by so-called audio journalists based on information fed to them by the company it is clear and utter fraud.

    The apologists may get their panties all in a bunch but the facts are the facts.
     
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  8. Sex Lies And Master Tapes

    Sex Lies And Master Tapes Gaulois réfractaire

    Location:
    Nantes, France
    No.
    Mike E., in his video, talked about "pretty reliable sources" and "pretty accurate informations" that came to him a week before.
    That's all we know so far.
     
  9. Gdgray

    Gdgray Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Tampa
    Wondering if you have seen change in number of visits since Mofi situation started. I’m not a big fan of you tubers in general but I do visit your channel when I see subjects of interest. Older guy naturally drawn to 60’s music. I can relate to your snarky self deprecating humor. IMO better we don’t take ourselves too seriously and enjoy life. I voted yes even to one steps. Brooks you jazz friend?
     
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  10. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    I hope MOFI continues to provide information as to prior releases, when the analogue/DSD shift started in earnest (I know we've hypothesized a date), and which releases remained all analogue?

    I'm actually curious why releases like KIKO went AAA when almost everything else was DSD? Was this a band preference? Who made this call? At this point I'm just looking for more information about their products.
     
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  11. Britt in VA

    Britt in VA Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    Thanks.

    Just throwing this against the wall... Does anybody think there is ANY chance this was a calculated reveal? I mean, within a week of the reveal Mike was in Mofi's office getting a tour and questions answered. Is it possible that with all the questions around the 40,000 copies of Thriller, and how many times the tapes would need to be run to do that.... Maybe Mofi powers that be thought it would be a good time to leak what they've been up to? And what better way to leak it then through Mike at the In Groove and his 40,000 subscribers?

    I'm just completely speculating of course, but does that sound plausible to anybody?

    We are in the "influencer" age. Mike was careful to say in his initial video that he would still buy Mofi and that they were still the best he had heard of many of their releases.
     
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  12. Hot topics do get more views on YouTube so a vinyl MoFi in the the title does get a lot more new viewers. Just like this thread pulling everyone in.

    jazz $hit Brooks is my good friend who got me more into jazz in the mid 70s a roommates he played a lot in the apartment and we saw so many great shows at Keystone Korner. But he’s a CD guy has all the Mosaics.
     
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  13. MonkeyTennis

    MonkeyTennis Billie Eilish style

    Location:
    Manchester
    PR and comms is not my field, but I find it inconceivable that MoFi would have deliberately orchestrated this carcrash.

    From where I am standing, the last twelve days has been an exhibition in self-mutilation as MoFi repeatedly punches itself in the face.
     
  14. Britt in VA

    Britt in VA Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    Well think of it like this: In twelve days, the cat was let out of the bag, they had an immediate, extensive interview to set the record straight and clarify, and a prepared statement released. Now the process of moving on begins. The band aid has been ripped off.

    I'm not a PR guy either, but that seems to me like something out of the playbook, especially the speed in which those things all happened.
     
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  15. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    The response to me was quite delayed. This thing festered for days before saying anything. No, this was not pre-planned…
     
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  16. MonkeyTennis

    MonkeyTennis Billie Eilish style

    Location:
    Manchester
    I think that is revisionistic.

    They were exposed, then agreed to a half-assed car-crash of an interview fronted with three inappropriately placed individuals. Then days later, a s*tty ‘apology’ is issued. Then silence.

    Meanwhile, I can only assume that the phones remain redhot with people cancelling digital OneSteps.
     
  17. Britt in VA

    Britt in VA Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    Well wasn't the time between Mike initially breaking the news and then being in their office granted full access like four days?
     
  18. Britt in VA

    Britt in VA Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    A lot of things social media influenced leave me cynical. It's sort of like reality TV in it's infancy. What's real? What's scripted? What's planned?
     
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  19. Gdgray

    Gdgray Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Tampa
    First time I saw your channel was with Brooks talking about MMJ’s …..was same time I got back into to vinyl. It was a hoot as they say almost like a Benny Hill episode.
    Maybe we can get back to the music soon. I’ve been focusing on Dylan during the ongoing debate ….OG’s and Mofi’s…..seems to be room on my shelves for both.
     
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  20. Sex Lies And Master Tapes

    Sex Lies And Master Tapes Gaulois réfractaire

    Location:
    Nantes, France
    If it was, their PR has surely been fired...
    But i'm speculating that they had none...
     
    aroney likes this.
  21. MonkeyTennis

    MonkeyTennis Billie Eilish style

    Location:
    Manchester
    To paraphrase and then misapply Freud, ‘Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.’

    No conspiracy here and no reason to think so. Just human nature - cut corners, break rules, treat your employees like s*** - the truth will out.
     
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  22. Cjb2233

    Cjb2233 Forum Resident

    So you would choose to listen to a dsd copy of a master tape and not a 15ips tape copy of a master tape? I would bet you are in the minority here.
     
    BuyMeVinyl likes this.
  23. petercw2

    petercw2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    tx
    Thank you! I'm glad to see others are wondering the same thing - even after the lame apology, I'm confused if that effectively quells the suspicion or somehow empowers it.
    although, at the time I was suspect over the fact it was 45Mike that I believed to have originally asked questions about Thriller - only to learn that he also owns an agency which offers services in the area of "crisis management". But now that seems ridiculous based on how poorly FoMi has managed this entire thing.
     
    Britt in VA likes this.
  24. thrivingonariff

    thrivingonariff Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    But "degeneration," a pejorative term, is not the only issue. Difference in SQ of any kind is also an issue, in principle.
     
  25. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    I just spun the Band Big Pink MFSL (2012) last night on blistering volume and this one goes in the incredible pile. I thought it was more engaging and sounded quite a bit better than my original version although I can see why some people might think it was too different. Immediately ordered the self-titled MFSL.
     

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