Dire Straits Brothers in Arms MOFI 45rpm

I agree on your technical statement.
However this is not a question of bad or good thing if your equipment is settled correctly.
My original 1989 Sire Records LP plays perfectly well for 30 years + and the sound is still great.
Unless the album had gone through the 45rpm treatment, cutting it on 2 LPs will give you minimal if no improvement, not to mention that this 2020 reissue has surely been cut from digital files (with a DR drop in the process).
To give an example, i can tell you that my 2 LPs edition of Bruce Springsteen's Tunnel Of Love didn't improve the sound of my original 1987 Columbia LP in a noticeable manner.
I just have to get up more often to turn the record...

Apologies for the off-topic comments.

 

Tunnel of Love isn't a particularly long run time, about 46:30
I agree that it wouldn't necessarily benefit significantly from being split over more sides.
Plus, the original was mastered by Bob Ludwig, one of the best engineers ever.

I'm not arguing for more 2 lp records, just pointing out the limitations that
mastering engineers themselves say are challenging to cutting longer times
on vinyl. 23 minutes per side is not that uncommon, but 30+ is really long.

If they do have to cut a long side, it helps if the tracks closest to the label are
less dynamic and quieter, because of the slower groove speed. Tunnel of Love
really benefits from the track sequences, both sides end with a ballad without
any big demands on the cartridge.

 

I never got anywhere with MOFI about a replacement disc 1, but very recently, I discovered that just down the road from me is the Expert Stylus & Cartridge Company.

The chap who runs it had worked closely with Len Gregory, who personally sold and fitted my Cartridge Man MusicMaker mk3 a fair few years back.

The bad news first - in contacting this chap, he told me the sad news that Len Gregory had only just recently passed away, but two bits of good news follow.

So I took my cart off my deck so that it could be assessed for wear, and it turns out it's hardly worn at all and has loads of life left in it. This is remarkable, considering how much use it's had, anyway that's the first bit of good news.

The second, and considering there was absolutely nothing done to my cart, in the process of removing said cart from the deck and then putting it back on, I found that it actually sounded better than before!

Also, on playing side 2 of the MOFI BIA, it didn't skip on Walk Of Life! I played it a few times to make sure. I then dug out my original copy of The Kinks Powerman LP, as that always jumped on the the first track and again, no skip!

So very strange indeed, as I know my cart was perfectly aligned before, and I put it back on and aligned it the very same way. So a happy accident and I don't need to worry about sourcing a recut of BIA side 2 anymore, and my cart sounds better than ever with plenty of life still in it...result!

 

There's a new Half Speed master coming:

'Brothers In Arms' half-speed master will be available on 19th March, remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios.

Originally released in 1985, 'Brothers In Arms' features the hit singles 'Money For Nothing', 'Walk Of Life', 'So Far Away', 'Brothers In Arms' and 'Your Latest Trick'.

The half-speed album master is pressed on double 180gsm black vinyl, with a series branded obi-strip and certificate of authenticity from Abbey Road Studios, as well as a full colour outer sleeve with printed inner sleeves. Pre-order yours below.


Brothers In Arms: Limited Edition Half-Speed Master

 

Oh my word, I'm not buying it again!

So Far:

2006-2009: Because Sound Matters (all the LP's included except 'On Every Street' and all analogue except 'BIA' which was half speed cut by Stan Ricker))

2014/5 - The 'Back To Blacks' - all cut by BG?

The MOFI 45rpms - 2019?

2020: what I assume to be the 2014/5's reissued?

2021: Rhino 'Start Your Ear off Right' - no idea if these are new cuts...?

and now 2021: Half Speed Abbey Road by Miles Showell....

Have I missed any?

 

Yea this is ******** with this album. They are one of my favorite bands of all time and I must own at least 6 different versions of this on digital and vinyl. How long do they think they can milk us?

 

And yet, I only have a 1985 pressing with the edits!
So the question is: which one to get?
(no, really, I would love to know)

 

Here is an interview with Miles about the new edition.
Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler half-speed mastering details revealed | superdeluxeedition

 

This is really interesting. I think a lot of people are writing off this new cut and I just think that on this occasion, it will provide the MFSL with some stiff competition...

 

I'm excited. I never got the MFSL for BIA, so this might be a solid alternative.

 

Not sure I need yet another pressing of BIA, but the Local Hero release sounds well worth getting!

 

Something that has been discussed on and off for many years. Usually dismissed as utterly impossible right out the gate, but here's someone saying, that no, it is indeed the fact:

SDE: Isn’t a digital clone identical to the digital original?

Miles: Back in 1984, most of us believed the hype that digital clones were identical to the original. We now know that anything that went through a Sony DAE-1100 editor was subtly different (it is just that we did not know what to listen for then). To prove this, I had access to a digital copy made (by a VERY reputable studio) from [producer] Neil Dorfman’s personal clone 1610 tape, and the original masters sounded better. Not a huge difference, but more open and a better stereo image.

In one of the past discussions on the topic, I referenced material that quoted staff at CD manufacturers who privately puzzled over how or why a pressing of an identical digital recording from one plant would differ from that from another. They concluded what the only answer could be: equipment. Decades later, here we are again.

Back to Brothers In Arms, I am interested in what kind of improvement, actually, how much of an improvement this would be over the MOFI.

 

Well, first of all...this is a digital recording so that levels the playing field somewhat. We don’t have to worry about the ‘it’s abbey road, it’s digital debate etc’. Secondly, if there is even a subtle difference in the master then it would be worthwhile advantage to have them cut from that master. Thirdly...and I rarely criticise them for it, but I find the bass is a bit boosted on the MFSL. This is especially apparent on Ride Across The River imo.... so eq choices are something that could be interesting. I do think this gives the MFSL the perception of added depth and has been done to further give it some extra warmth to a digital and clinical sounding recording.
I have heard some very good stuff from Abbey Road cut at 45rpm. I’ve pre-ordered my copy and hope to compare.

 

Me neither, but I broke down and ordered anyway. I blame the Super Deluxe Edition interview...

Just realized that I will have,
- ‘85 CD
- ‘85 LP with edits
- 5.1 SACD
- BG re-cut
- MoFi SACD
- Abbey Road cut

Probably the most different versions I have of any record.

 

I’m in the same boat. And I have found the Abbey Road half speed series hit and miss, though all pressed well. Hard to imagine this not being phenomenal though. I got the 45 MFSL pretty recently, so this is a tough one but I think I’ll wait and see what you guys think. A big take away for me, and exciting, is that a major label is finally realizing there is money to be made in offering a high end vinyl product. While MFSL is limited by what can be licensed, the labels aren’t. This will be interesting! I probably should buy it just to support the label.

 

Abbey Road are indeed hit and miss. But they occasionally come up with fantastic cuts, like Inxs - Kick, which is superior to the MFSL silver label and also the originals that I’ve heard. Sure, there have been some lacklustre ones... I just think that this might be one of the better cuts. Problem is that many out there will not bother or see any value in this after the MFSL, they may just not bother and think that the MFSL is all they need. I think this would have attracted more interest if they had reissued it prior to the MFSL.

 

Sorry