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. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    Only if people who don't read carefully interpret it that way. It should add fuel to the fire that there is no discernable difference between analog and digital. It should be instead instructive that it provided proof that there is not *always* a discernable difference bertween analog and digital. Big difference. Mofi's process has resulted in many titles that sound analog, and they were praised by many as the best sounding "analog" presses of those titles that they'd ever heard.
     
    EdogawaRampo, Kyhl and Ron13a like this.
  2. rnranimal

    rnranimal Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    But how long is that going to be true? Do you think this news won't affect used value? I don't know what's going to happen but one of the possibilities certainly exists that supply will increase while demand decreases.
     
    VQR likes this.
  3. spencer1

    spencer1 Great Western Forum Resident

    Wait ... what?
    Consumers shouldn't have to be the ethics police.
    I don't know about you but I'm busy enough handling my own ethics and then when you add my three sons ... oh my.

    I think consumers like it because it punishes wrongdoing and maybe, just maybe it might give another company pause.
     
    lazydawg58, jusbe and thrivingonariff like this.
  4. WillBithers

    WillBithers Well-Known Member

    Location:
    NY
    What is this obsession with the three sentences in a 2,200+ word article that added more color and texture to the personal background of one of the key players in the article? I'll also add that the very callous jokes/comments from members of the so-called YouTube "VC" on some daily livestreams about Mike E's father's death is pretty unseemly.
     
    CraigC, Troy McClure, rofffe and 4 others like this.
  5. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    However, let's not dismiss how the orders come from the top. If the management (CEO, etc) is entirely different, no one responsible for the scandal is left so they shouldn't have to bear the consequences for the actions of their predecessors, IMHO.

    It's sort of the same thing as a chunk of people in this thread who've stated Jim Davis should either sell the company or step down. He's the captain of the ship and as such should be responsible for what transpired. A bunch of members have expressed that they wouldn't buy any more MFSL products until or unless he is history.

    I can understand and appreciate that POV.
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2022
    DaveyF, Revolver, DeRosa and 3 others like this.
  6. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    That is surprising. Every “ general publication” story has background on the subject at hand. It just adds a connection for the reader. I’m think some are actually envious in some sense because ME is self made and does not work for “ the man” like 99% of the general population does. Just a guess
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2022
    folkfreak likes this.
  7. I don't think it will affect values as the sound is so good for many of these titles.
     
  8. rnranimal

    rnranimal Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    Maybe. Will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
     
  9. 4-2-7

    4-2-7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF Peninsula
    The main problem is MFSL was not honest in marketing, vague and when asked lied to the consumers.

    This got the cultish only AAA record fan to buy their products and maybe spending more on them than they would have normally.

    My opinion is the engineers as well as MFSL as a whole have always been audio geeks and push the envelope to get what they feel is the best sounding record. It didn't matter if they had to have them pressed in Japan so they could get the best quality work. It doesn't matter if they have to get technicians to build one off custom equipment to improve SQ.

    The mastering engineers have been working there for decades, I think their combined experience is around 80 years. They are the ones who kept pushing the envelope and thinking out of the box to improve sound quality, as well as the evolution of time of what can be done today. They decided to do what they do because they are professionals at it. They are not living in some mythical belief of how records are made or should be made. They are still making some of the best sounding records ever made and should continue to do so.

    If your living in the past and you think a record is a artifact and should be listened to in only all AAA there is plenty of records like that already pressed over the past 100 years. In fact if you really want to get into artifacts and natural sound you could alway get a hand crank 1915 Victrola. This way you have non electrical amplified recordings and playback, why color the sound with electronics?

    In the reproduction of sound there has always been an evolution over time, most if not all have improved the quality we are able to hear at home. I think most true audiophiles and music/sound lovers are not looking to listen to artifacts on antique equipment. Most want the cutting edge and the best possible sound quality in their homes. Without adapting to change in technology and times you will not improve any sound quality. One might as well go get a 1915 victrola if you want to live in the past. Don't get me wrong, I like the sound of my 1915 victrola, it reminds me of the past and nostalgia, but sound has improved over the past. I know records and my system has improved over time and with new technologies they always will.

    MFSL makes better records today than they did in the past, that's just a fact. How they get to the end result really isn't for others to dictate to them what they have to do to get that.

    They should not have lied, and just driven record manufacturing forwards in the best possible way today.
     
    Moonchild, timzigs, VQR and 9 others like this.
  10. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    It's been mentioned many times in this thread, but this whole idea there are these departments within MoFi and people who never talk to each other is just hard fathom, based on its tiny size. Practically 1/4 of the whole company was on that video. I would surmise that there is nothing on the website or in the marketing that Mr. Britton - wasn't aware of or didn't have the authority to correct.
     
  11. I counted, I have 18 modern MOFI titles; several Dylans, The Band, Pixies, Beck, FNM etc. I am keeping them all.
     
  12. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    IIRC, the EMI 100 series of the title is very good also. I have shm-cd platinum (I believe it is platinum series) which is usually my go to just for ease. The RL is indeed the best of what I have. AF is good also on cd. Though I dont have the Mofi to compare. Ive got like 3 RLs I think. Gotta stop somewhere!
     
    Jam757 likes this.
  13. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    I had the impression the mastering engineers were in California and the executives and marketing folks were in Chicago where Music Direct is. (exception- John Wood, Marketing, California)
     
  14. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    What??? Do you mean to tell me that you are unwilling to put all the cars in the market through rigorous lab tests yourself to verify they comply with all the regulations and claims from A to Z??? Then of course you need to check no child labor, underpaid workers, unsustainable resources, heavy metals, etc, etc have been used in the production.
    I don't know what the poster you are replying was on at the time of posting that but it certainly adds something to the thread.:doh:
     
  15. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    I'll be surprised even if in another country that they can be so detached from knowledge on what they produce and sell, especially when they are paying huge amounts of money for licensing.
     
  16. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    That could be, but the idea that Mr. Britton in particular either has no idea what is printed on their website/marketing or isn't even directly involved with it is hard for me personally to believe. But that's speculation on my part, I admit. I have no inside information on that.
     
  17. The 'In' Groove

    The 'In' Groove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    I can answer all these questions and probably will on Sunday.
     
    Aftermath, VQR, KariK and 19 others like this.
  18. JFSebastion

    JFSebastion Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maricopa Arizona
    I had a raised eyebrow when Dire Straits Brothers in Arms was released along with the first four releases. I knew it was digitally mastered . Where I was unsure of which of , if any of the others were digital. I believe the S/T was analog.
    The problem was that all five had the same verbage and the same Original Strip across the top cover. I didn't buy Brothers for that reason. My sin? I didn't want to believe that something was amiss. I would rather continue to live in that world that is "all analog" even though my brain ( the half that still worked ) was flashing the red warning sign!
     
    violetvinyl and kundryishot like this.
  19. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    Fair enough. I guess one has to be very specific about who knew what and I don't think we know. John Wood seemed to know; I have to believe Mr. Davis knew. The engineers obviously knew. But, when you get to customer service who made representations about "all analog/no digital" maybe those folks were left in the dark. All we know is MoFi handled this by saying those emails and messages were "unauthorized" which seems odd. And the people who did the artwork for the site and the inserts in the boxes-- I don't know if Music Direct has the equivalent of an ad agency in house, but I doubt the visual artists and others involved in the creation of the marketing materials were "in" on this. But, again, I'm speculating. And we may never know. It seems like the company is playing very close to the vest- which may be the smart way to avoid creating more problems. But, it does raise the risk of alienating some customers. No easy answer to this, right?
     
  20. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    He seemed the most angry of the three engineers. As to what he knew about marketing, we have him on video, relatively recently, saying "all analog." See my response to Ugly, below, (or above) where I talk about trying to get more specific. I come out where you do on this issue.
     
    VQR, JFSebastion and Fruff76 like this.
  21. Adagio

    Adagio Forum Resident

    I don't feel this is 100% true. Nothing can be stated as absolute fact in this hobby

    I have 5 examples (20% of my Mo-Fi collection) where I didn't like the sound result but paid a premium price because I was mis-led to believe that what I was hearing was somehow on the master tapes, as that has been Mobile Fidelity's overriding mantra. "Original Master Recording", "The Gain 2 Ultra Analog System"

    Don't get me wrong I have some great sounding Mo-Fi releases. However in terms of always producing a great sound 100% of the time I've had far more consistent, excellent results with Music Matters and Analog Productions Almost 100% of MMJ and over 90% of Analog Productions are outstanding. I can't say the same for Mo-Fi and I always wondered why.
     
    indyalden, VQR, Classicrock and 5 others like this.
  22. Spitfire

    Spitfire Senior Member

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    That would be one fun court case to see.
     
  23. Jasonbraswell

    Jasonbraswell Vinylphile

    Location:
    Guntersville
    What's still a question in my mind is what the artists think and what do the big labels holding the masters think?

    They have PR staff and this is certainly on their radar now... Just my thoughts on how this continues to evolve. Will they react?
     
  24. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    For every minute of real drama, there are hours of tedium. And the prep- you can put a hundred plus hours prepping what amounts to one hour of say, cross-examination. Trials are brutal. After a full day in court, you are back in the office prepping for the next day, dealing with negatives that came up during the day, etc. By the time you are done, you are so tired you can't sleep. And you can't "come down." Even if you win. I'm so glad I'm retired. More power to those who are doing it though. Watching a good trial lawyer is like watching a great actor. Because that's part of it too.
     
    VQR, scousette, Randy W and 5 others like this.
  25. Jasonbraswell

    Jasonbraswell Vinylphile

    Location:
    Guntersville
    More of the ends justify the means rhetoric it seems.
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine