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

I don’t think anybody was making buying decisions on MOFI releases based on Melinda’s reviews. She is new to analog, and that’s very apparent if you spend any time with her content.

But the truth is, I can’t really think of any you tuber who’s bona fides are such that I would trust their ears or put much stock in their recommendations, other than Fremer.

Fremer is a print reviewer who has primarily made his bones with the written word. That makes him truly accountable (as so many of you want to hold him) since his opinions are there in black and white to be read for the future. And he has been reviewing since the 1990s. Also he has many originals in his extensive record collection that help ground his reviews of audiophile releases.

Spouting off opinions on video takes no great effort, and persona and camera charisma ends up substituting for real knowledge. Neither Mike E nor Mike 45 know nearly as much about what they are talking about as their demeanors suggest. Watching their videos is at best like eating starbursts. Flavorful candy for a long car ride.

I have been going back through Fremer’s MOFI reviews on Analog Planet. It’s worth taking the time to do it. He gushes about certain releases and seriously pans others. Definitely not an apologist/promoter. Definitely calling them like he hears them. And I have not seen one instance in any of those reviews where he discusses the source for the masterings. Analog/Digital. Not a word. Probably because he didn’t know. He is just reviewing based on his ears.

 

You gotta be kidding me! Right after I quoted the same line!

 

Exactly

 

Scarlett Johansson?

 

The Cars Candy O and Shake it Up
Bread Baby I’m a want you
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe

Iron Butterfly reg press and super vinyl
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256

 

I've been a member for 11 years and in the last 2 or 3, people here have (generally-speaking) exponentially intensified the idea of accumulating records in droves, as well as buying high-priced top-tiered marketed records. Everything from MFSL, AP, Craft Small Batch, etc. Just a massive amount of people buying nearly everything in sight, and posting relentlessly here about how everyone better grab 1, 2, or 3 copies before their sold out, kicking FOMO into unseen-before overdrive...

I've never watched her videos and am quite ignorant about this influencer business but what I've personally been exposed to here should not be dismissed as mob mentality. MFSL marketing material, Chad's "buy now, cry later" mantra, the limited editions of everything from Craft's Small-Batch to ERC's reissues,... it's quite intense. Dozens of pages of people relaying experiences in buying, waiting for shipping, getting it in the door, and several reviews with the smallest enhancement described as "definitive", "amazing", or any other colorful and loaded terms...

All of these are components which drove a portion of the market (at the very least). Members' posts on this board influence quite a number of people (whether it be for good or bad). From that lens, I'd say the frenzy I've seen here for the past couple of years is likely just as guilty as people posting videos on YouTube.

 

That’s perfect on multiple levels not the least that she co-starred in that peon to record collecting nerds Ghost World.

 

True. It’s a much different scene than even 5 years ago.

 

Just ordered from the In Groove
Speakers Corner AAA
any peyote floating around? I keed, I keed

 

Who are you to judge his 'journalistic standards'? Can you offer any example where he failed to maintain these standards? (Being generally 'annoying' doesn't count).
I think he's earned a bit of respect, no matter how you feel about him. He's been an outspoken advocate for vinyl forever, even through the 'dark ages'.

(A bit outdated, but...)
Michael Fremer is the Editor of analogplanet.com, a Sr. Contributing Editor at Stereophile Magazine and Contributing Editor at Sound&Vision magazine. He’s also contributed to The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Consumer Digest, and The Bergen Record (New Jersey), among other publications and periodicals. Fremer has also appeared on the oft-run ‘History of Audio’ documentary on The History Channel. He’s been on MTV, The Today Show, CNN, The Howard Stern Show and hundreds of other radio and television shows throughout the United States, talking about the high-end audio listening experience, home theater and the ongoing, unlikely resurgence of LP vinyl records. His other credits include supervising the Academy Award nominated soundtrack to the 1982 Disney science fiction feature film TRON and co-writing the animated feature film Animalympics.

 

LOL. I, too, own the Artisan Exile. And while it's the best current version one can own, THAT has been a release that I would LOVE for any audiophile label to tackle. You want to show me and the world how good your process is??? RELEASE THAT and make it sound GOOD! As Tom Port would say, that record is a "tough nut to crack" in terms of finding a great sounding copy. Are you listening Mofi?? You want me to forgive and forget? You want to show the world how good 4x DSD is? Make that record sound like heaven, and I'll kiss your asses. Oh, and add Led Zeppelin IV in there as well.

 

Can you give me an upside for MoFi in pulling his dealership status?

Being in damage limitation mode I’m trying to see why you think they would stop using him as a seller.

 

Thanks for staying on top of this! I think we need a master list.

 

Easy, Meryl Streep. I can smell Oscar already!

 

Cool… all of the MoFi Cars’ LPs are analog… or so they claim!!

 

“Wood says MoFi takes great care in capturing the digital file. It won’t simply accept a link from a record company. If a master tape can’t be couriered to Sebastopol, MoFi will send engineers with their equipment to capture it.”

So, does this fully rule out being sent something — say from the Sony archives — already captured?

 

I noticed that too...so they always make the digital transfer themselves on location?? I hope they don't get caught in another "implied lie"!

 

“Davis, the owner, not only didn’t invite Esposito but also didn’t learn about the visit until after Wood had extended the invitation. He tried to get to Sebastopol for the tour but said that a long line at a rental car check-in left him arriving at MoFi headquarters only after Esposito was finished.”

Anyone else ever been in situations where you call ahead and secure a delay until all the relevant parties can be there?

 

I wonder-
What will happen to sales volume of ADA releases once forthright process info is added to the marketing descriptions?
What will happen to the price of AAA releases?

 

Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe

Grateful Dead - Live Dead
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe


Elvis Costello - This Year's Model
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe


Grateful Dead - Skull And Roses
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe

 

update: contributed to the Washington Post

NYT shilling/commenting on $400 ERC lp's

 

Pretty cynical take. He’d have looked pretty stupid if MoFi had turned around and said our product is AAA. He used his promotional YouTube channel to voice concerns. I don’t think he was looking for national exposure or expected to be quoted in the WaPo. Not everything is part of some master plan.

Everyone on this thread is taking of trust and lack of it, so is it really so hard to believe he wants to be confident in what he’s selling to his customers so they have trust in him. Anyhow well done MikeE.

 

i wasn’t sure but I now do know since sone reach out to me this morning so …. But I don't know who the sources source is. Oh well.

still if I knew then what I know now, I certainly wouldn’t have shouted it on in one of my videos.

 

See to me that is a part of the issue.

Do you not think that *knowing* something is digital and comparing it to something that is known analogue doesnt create a conflict of biasness?

If someone is partial to AAA and hears what they know by facts as digital this partiality to AAA doesnt play a part in the decision as to "oh that sounds digital or has digital traits as compared to this analogue lp"?

I cant imagine it doesnt.

That is why Im a strong believer in blind tests. At the very least it decreases bias percentage.