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

Not the case. I've stated this before and I'll state it again. There are a myriad of qualities that make a great pressing. Some of us do hear tendencies when listening to digital recordings. They can be from subtle to bad, depending on how well the mastering is done. A bit of inertness in the flow is a subtle aspect I hear in digital. Hashy and thin highs is when digital is at its worst.

But when the label states a pressing is all-analog, we may try to find another reason for what we're hearing. It's partly human nature, and we're curious. If your car is dripping a fluid and you're told it's not oil, even though you may suspect it is oil, you try to figure out what else it may be. Later, if you are told that it IS oil, you go "ah-HA!"

Generally, what makes MoFi's records so great is that they're musical, they're full of life and they tend to be tonally balanced. But they can run tonally on the cool side. This is a quality I normally associate with digital. But being told it wasn't digital, I figured it was just due to Kreig Wunderlich's mastering choices.

If we want to truly hear if digital has an affect on the sound, the same engineer needs to master a song using a master tape, with and without a digital step involved, and then press it to vinyl. It could be pressed with one version on each side.

But these days, the best of digital is really good, so, if done well, differences might be subtle. But man, I have some bad digitally remastered records.

 

Haha

 

It would have to be a different edition to the One Step otherwise as you suggest the screams of "bad faith" will be heard for miles around.

 

Disappointed in that article. It seems to have added fuel to the idea there is no discernible difference between analogue and digital. As if this entire debacle somehow proves that.

If that were the case, and it isn't, then you must also believe that there is no audible difference between a MoFi remaster and a first press of the same title. I think, or at least hope, that most would agree that the notion is ridiculous.

So we're agreed that MoFis sound different. To my ears most of their titles are a little boring, lacking musicality and overly analytical. The idea that they were cut from digital files seemed absurd (especially at those shameless prices) so of course I assumed this was down to mastering choices or other factors.

Rightly or wrongly, had this charade been exposed earlier, MoFi titles WOULD have been accused of sounding digital. MoFi's lies afforded them a luxury that the likes of MOV and others don't have.

As mentioned, I sold my entire MoFi collection (with the odd exception) last year. I never did comparisons, drank the kool-aid, paid extortionate prices and believed paid reviewers (shills). I wanted them to be the best, and at those prices I expected them to be. I got rid of a few rare originals before the MoFi remaster had even arrived at my doorstep!

Then one day I added another Linn LP12 to my system. I thought it'd be a laugh to compare the MoFi to a lowly and budget first press. Think it was a Billy Joel record if I recall correctly.

The original wiped the floor with the MoFi. i had my my girlfriend come in and she agreed. I felt like a bit of a fool, but whatever, it's one record.

Only it wasn't, the MoFi came off second best in almost every shootout. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, I remember feeling a little sick and stupid that I'd spent all this money and time searching for these MFSL pressings whilst having a better and cheaper version of the same title. I convinced myself that it must be due to my system.

So I took a few records to a mate's home, who has a system that must total in the £100k+ range. Same thing. Time after time, the MoFi sounded worse than any original. The vocals were muffled, the bass was boomy, and the top end was unnatural.

As I recall, the only MoFis that sounded as good as an original were the Dylan's, Grateful Dead and Rickie Lee Jones - even then I wouldn't say they were better, just different.

Anyway, moral of the story, it's easy to believe a record sounds the best when you pay top prices for them. Its why in almost all of these shootout videos on YouTube it's usually the most expensive (or rarest) that gets the vote. Let your ears be the judge. Don't get rid of your originals or the budget reissues. Don't fall for the marketing scams.

 

No, but if a copy of a copy qualifies as an OMR, why not a copy of a copy of a copy?

When viewed with the moral and ethical flexibility of a MoFi Exec, it would need to be a cover album in order to not qualify as an OMR.

 

I really wish you wouldnt quote me out of context.

Let me clear this up for you since you did..

What the discussion was concerning was mastering. Not the digital vs analogue back and forth insults. I have encouraged others not to do that.

Here is the context:

"This Heat said:

Or it tells you the importance of mastering

mpayan responded:

Exactly. Hardly discussed in this thread. Who gives a fiddle (man Im really trying to cut back on swearing here) if its digital or analogue if the mastering sucks eggs.

I think its interesting that the few Mofi titles that are being revealed as AAA sound inferior IMO."

Why did I say the last part, because the context was MASTERING. But instead you jumped on part of the conversation between three people and saw it in error.

And what is worse is you call a forum member a liar because of your error in not reading the context.

You are wrong to call me a liar sir.

But thats ok. Im a big boy I can handle your mistake and mistakenly being called a liar.

Long suspected a dog in the race? My narrative? lol...

Im not even sure what you mean by this. My only narrative is what it has always been. The best sounding versions of the albums I like. Whatever doesnt fall into that digital or aaa. Vinyl or cd. Then it goes out. Whatever does, stays.

But ok.

Ive said time and time again that I see both sides of this equation. Im sorry that the side you object to seeing happens to be in that post. However, its not even really in that post of taken in context.

I have no dog in the race, whatever you are imagining that may be.

Addressing the claim of one single title, I would also disagree as have others:

A couple of The Cars titles, The Foreigner Head Games sounds inferior to the original, Crosby title has been considered inferior to the other recent anniversary edition by many..so thats what Im talkin about. There have been many Mofi/MFSL AAA titles that are inferior to originals and other reissues. Mastering wise. Which is again what the context was.

Btw, Iron Butterfly Super Vinyl got high praises, not sure what you mean there.

And yeah the Eagles and Yes One Steps were beaten by the originals. Im the one who posted the videos.

Im not sure what your point is with that though.

I find it interesting also that they were beaten. But it wasnt because of digital or analogue. It was the mastering.

Which, once again, was in context of my point.

I think youd be served to go back and read the dialogue.

And not cool calling me a liar. That is a very strong word that should be reserved for Mofi and proven liars. Not me.

Your tone is aggresive towards me. Whether Im right or wrong that aint cool.

Check that please if you want to continue to dialogue with me.

 

My issue with the DSD64 on the Dylan and Tapestry OneStep is that it suggests that MoFi are both lazy and cheeky bastards. I know I wouldn’t be able to hear the difference, but I’d expect, at $125 a pop, the ‘painstaking process’ to involve ol’ Shaun and Rob dusting off their suitcase to recopy the tape at DSD256, rather than just using the copy that they took for the 33 and charging me a $70 premium for, yep - to be fair - a remaster at 45, and that f********* stupid box.

But that’s just me.

 

I’ve said this before, but I was initially underwhelmed with the Joplin OneStep, I then upgraded my system, and I now actively dislike it. The whole presentation sounds overly middley to my ears…. And, on quite a few tracks, the vocals are screechy and unpleasant.

I get all of this is system dependent, but it is the only OneStep I own that I actively dislike.

Oh, but Me and Bobby McGee does sound rather good. Which is a positive.

 

Nah, Paul Giamatti as Rob, Ben Mendelsohn as Shaun, and someone suggested J.K. Simmons as Big Jim.

Michael ‘Crazy Eyes’ Shannon is a shoe in for Fremer, and Mark Gruffalo for Chad.

I think the parts of Mike E and Krieg are still up for grabs.

 

Yeah, I googled it and nothing showed up. Wiki does say there was one here in the early 2000s. I tried Carl's Jr's - it was OK.

 

It was an enjoyable entertaining piece and well written . It would have been a dull read without including the characters in the plot. And I think its good to get the story beyond “audiophile nerd land” , as it might just get MOFI to apologise properly, reset themselves, build up their credibility again and produce some great sounding records at appropriate pricing levels, which customers want to buy.

 

Ohhhh, pleeeeease!!!!!!!!

One of these days somebody here will cause me literally to die of laughter. Oh yeah... do a Goodle search, everything sound the same

 

How did the Forum become ‘Customer Services’.
Wish I was a Gort right now…

 

“Found out one thing” : not cutting from analogue but cutting from digital : in terms of vinyl records that is a fundamental difference.

And the reactions of most folks here is both logical and realistic

 

Hey Mike - hope it sounds good at that price

 

On the business side behind the scenes, of course I don't know the whole story, but I certainly hope that the MoFi EVP John Wood doesn't pay the price if Music Direct's owner Jim Davis (and/or the Music Direct management team) knew all along about the digital misrepresentation.

 

He only had one job to do and that was to get them to confirm on video they were cutting from digital and he achieved that.

All the rest can follow , will do and are doing.

Hey, why don’t you get an invite to go to MOFI and ask all those questions that you feel need to be asked

 

Definitely

 

This thread is proof that as great as this forum is, it desperately needs the ability to 'pin' important posts. It's moving so quickly and as such there's an extraordinary amount of repetition. The first page of this thread should have the first Mike E video, the video with the MoFi engineers, the MoFi statement and the Washington Post link all pinned. That's all. Thank you and have a great day!

 

Wow, this controversy (and this forum) made the WASHINGTON POST.

Very good and lengthy summary for those catching up, but may be hidden behind paywall:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/08/05/mofi-records-analog-digital-scandal/

 

Case in point, the thread immediately following yours.
Apologies to @Roland Stone

 

There's usually a direct correlation between enjoyment and drunkenness with fast food.

 

Wrong forum lol!

 

Some of these aren’t fair comparisons because it is a 45 against a 33. However, I prefer the MoV Miles Smiles to the MoFi, and I prefer the Columbia Kevin Grey cut of Milestones to the MoFi (which, I know, isn’t what you were asking).

Whilst I think the MoFi In A Silent Way is better, the Columbia Legacy (2015) is no slouch. I don’t find the gulf between the two to be cavernous.

All of which is in my opinion, on my system, etc., etc.

 

Almost as good as their cherry turnovers.