I wonder how many of the issues are due to shipping and handling. I think the labels on mine may have been slightly off center, I'd have to re-check. Otherwise, my copy was perfect.
Yep. The DSD transfer (SACD or CD) of BIA is completely lifeless. Even the old A&M CD - for all its flaws - is better.
Safe = 85dB, if you're averaging 85 with peaks in the high 80s and low 90s, you really don't have much to worry about. People regularly cranking their system to 105+, they'll be the ones to suffer long-term. Your listening habits sound pretty safe to me. I always aim for avg 85, it's nice and loud without being silly.
So I have 99 SACD and the new mfsl. Have heard both several times over at this point. My preference is the 99 sacd with some eq applied to reduce the harshness but keep the treble that seems to fall of a cliff in the MFSL. Neither are perfect but the MFSL sounds more like Songs for Thriller lovers then Thriller. I don't have the one step, after hearing the sacd from mfsl I really struggle with the love this gets. It sounds so compressed in the sense that it is not dynamic but all mid bassy with little sparkle. How anyone prefers this to the 99 sacd is beyond me. I have Thriller on various formats and the MFSL sacd sounds boring. Like someone said Earlier. I wonder if this would have been the best selling album of all time if it was mastered like the MFSL.
I had an issue with another MoFi vinyl album recently - so much so I've send two of them back. From the packaging being torn to a weird defect on the vinyl itself. Definitely some QC issues going on. Even my Thriller SACD has a crooked cover.
Well no such luck on getting the SACD. It would seem Amazon Canada and Intelcom cannot agree on the tracking data. Amazon says carrier picked up my item, and carrier says they didn’t and now nobody knows where my item is. It’s lost somewhere in Ontario as per the last scan. Oh well Amazon refunded me and I don’t care anymore. I’ll just stick with my original vinyl.
My SACD suffered the same fate - a crooked corner (upper right corner on the back, where the bar code is) - and I'm glad to know that it wasn't the shop I bought it from (which had it for below that stupid €40-mark, even with shipping included).
Ordered the one-step months ago and totally forgot about it, I tried cancelling the order but it was too late as it was already packed and ready to ship. Glad I couldn’t cancel because I think it sounds great, smooth, luxurious sound, the pressing is really good as well, no major issues , does the MFSL boogie like the grundman cut, no, but it add its own charms, oh and I wish MOFi would use the new box packaging for all their new super duper releases, it so much more convenient and efficient, looks better too.
Seems like they just added ETAs on many of the pre-orders, I would have made them replace it given that pre-order price can't be beat even by splitting the cost and ordering from the cheapest option in the US (ImportCDs). Mine was no ETA until yesterday, now it's Dec 21st and another buyer I know just got his ETA in the GTA and it's Dec 19th.
You don't find eq works on the MOFI? I've often read complaints about the Sony SACD having no bass...sounds just fine on my system listening in DSD DIRECT mode. Looking forward to comparing the MOFI SACD, for US$30 it's no biggie if it doesn't best it and I'm sure will retain its value in the secondary market.
Funny, I ordered on Nov. 21st and got it on the 30th with #690. I had to send MOFI vinyl "Upstairs at Eric's" back because when I played it, my stylus slid across the record no matter what I did. Never had another album that did that. (also decided the music wasn't for me).
Really? Haven't read that anywhere, quite the opposite. I have read however that that SACD has too much treble, to which I wholeheartedly agree. I can only enjoy it on speakers, never on headphones
Oh boy, no clean consensus on this master, huh? Would some people be willing to give their thoughts of the normal CD layer? I don’t have an SACD player (yet), but I was hoping that the MFSL mastering would be worth the purchase alone.
My take after 2 listens of the normal CD layer is in line with what I've been hearing: it's a clean master, but it doesn't have the oomph some of the others have had. You hear it all, but the presence isn't aggressive. Kind of a pure and polite master.
I have the 25th Anniversary Thriller CD plus the songs that were included on HIStory. I much prefer this new one, everything just sounds cleaner. I specifically compared Billie Jean on the 3 versions and preferred what felt like more separation of the various parts on the MoFi CD. Not as in your face. Some people prefer that take on it, but I like hearing more of the nuance in the songs.
This sounds amazing then! I definitely like more balance compared to the punch of some masters. I'll definitely be picking this one up when I can.
SACD arrived yesterday. In my opinion, not only is the new MoFi release the best version of Thriller I’ve heard. It’s the best sound quality of any pop music release I’ve ever heard. The best of late 1950’s - early 1960’s jazz recordings remain undefeated. But for pop music, this new Thriller is tremendous. Not saying it’s the best pop music sound quality release in existence, only that it’s the best I’ve heard, and I have most of the usual SACD suspects. I bought it because of the mention by the MoFi engineers during MoFi-Gate about this version being sans compression. To my ears, the OG Thriller is too bright and a taxing listen. The new one has a wonderful balance throughout. It shall be the first pop music recording to enter the rarified air of reference recordings in my collection. Setting aside all the bluster and ethical controversy surrounding this release, in my wee opinion, MoFi has delivered the sonic goods.
I disagree, it doesn’t sound boring, especially when you listen for the harmonics and the vocal tones. They nailed the balance perfectly. A reference disc for SACD in my honest opinion
