I have #004034 of the 2022 SACD that I'll probably sell at some point. If someone is having hard time finding this, PM me
Sorry. I didn't pick up on your humor. I would have preferred analog. Of course, digitally sourced vinyl can sound great.
The MoFi SACD is noticeably brighter than the old 35.8p-11 disc I have with PE. It's not as bright as the old Sony SACD, but it's still quite bright. The older CD is an overall more musical experience. Things flow better, the vocals feel more lush, like they belong with the instrumentation. This new disc echoes the same problems I had with the MoFi Dire Straits S/T disc - it's got way more energy in the upper midrange and treble and feels a lot "harder" than the old disc. Ultimately I'm completely unimpressed. Save the 125 bucks or whatever you're gonna pay for the digital file stamped to vinyl and just pick up an early US pressing or a 35.8p-11 CD.
Then they’re lying or you’re misinterpreting. If they didn’t remix the album, there is compression in the mix.
This is MoFI. Anything is possible. But it seems unlikely they’d lie about compression in a video coming clean about a decade of lying about DSD. You’re welcome to watch The In Groove visit to MoFI and decide for yourself. The engineers clearly talk about compression in the original mix and how theirs is different in a meaningful way. Whether or not that “technically” means not a grain of compression sand left, I don’t know. I don’t care. But the lack of compression was a point the MoFI engineers were making for a reason. Once again, I’m sure the MoFI engineers know way way way more about compression in their mix, and how it affects the sonic signature, than any of us.
If you want a good example of poor mastering choices, try comparing Billie Jean from the 35.8p-11 cd with the MFSL SACD. I just compared the two. The kick drum on the 35.8p-11 sounds like a kick drum, on the MFSL SACD it sounds like someone banging on a cardboard box. IMHO, of course!
I'm thinking, Mofi claims to have not added much if any compression to their own mastering? What compression that is in the mix is a different story.
I also know general engineering trade. Perhaps they mean they didn’t use any in their master, but unless they remixed the album from the 24-track master and rather then remastering the stereo mixdown master, there is compression in the mix, I’m sorry. This was the 80s, in a record that while well-recorded, wasn’t meant to be a particularly audiophile experience. I promise you that unless MoFi pulled a miracle and got the 24-tracks there is most likely s decent amount of compression in the mix.
Having done recording at the Power Station in NYC during the 80s, I concur with you that there is indeed compressing in the mix. I can hear it in the rhythm guitar parts.
No one, even MFSL, stated there was not compression in the mix. Just that they didn't use compressing in the mastering. That's all that was stated. Don't read more into it than that.
People are talking about how what “no compression” does to sound. I just want to clarify that that statement just isn’t true and has practically no basis in the reality of engineering.
Most likely, the original vinyl release of Thriller in 1982 had compression applied to what came out from the source tape it when it was cut into the lacquer. There was probably some low end roll off applied as well. That was/is a standard practice in disc cutting, especially when it is for the masses. There is a story told by Quincy Jones that the original album version of Thriller was different and overall longer, something like 45 minutes long. When they did test cuts and pressings, it just didn't sound lively enough. They wanted it to have more punch. They went back and edited some of the songs down in length, and I believe there may have been a 10th song that was removed. The released album is 42 minutes, which is really pushing it for level vs sound quality. To get the level that the original 1982 pressings had, there must have been some amount of compression used. I haven't heard the new one-step, so I can't comment on it, but comparing it to an original 1982 pressing may not be so much of a case of "apples to apples." From my experience, MoFi does add a modest amount of compression on their CDs.
Aloha Fair Hoffman Forum Citizens, I’m far from being an audio purist. I have no issue with using tone controls or equalizers and use the Decware ZRock2 Tube EQ to increase bass slam with reckless abandon. I have little interest in the theoretical purity of a recording. Don’t give a hoot if my system is stepping aside and allowing me to hear the mythological “artist intent”. It’s not of great personal significance if a recording has compression or not. All that matters is that something sounds good to my ears. That’s it. If it sounds great with compression, then it sounds great to me. If it sounds best sans compression, then Gitty up. As mentioned, I think this MoFi Thriller SACD release sounds incredible. In that light, I’m curious about the inner workings of the recording, but do not cast that interest in a fundamentalist audiophile purity zeal. Here is a description of the MoFi “Thriller” SACD quoted from a German HiFi website that mirrors my understanding from the MoFi engineer interview and well describes my sonic experience of the recording: “In contrast to the initial release with a mastering by Bernie Grundman, dynamic compression has been omitted, making the album sound much more detailed and listenable. Dancefloor fans will miss the "slam" of the initial release, but the bass is now contoured. Eddie van Halen's guitar solo for "Billy Jean" is now concise and not just kind of there. The spatial effects in "Thriller" cleverly appear outside the stereo width of the system, and Vincent Price's sepulchral voice is much more somber than previously known. Initially, one has to get used to the fact that the album now no longer "jumps out at" the listener, but captivates him. The level is much lower than on previous versions and it's worth turning up the knob once to enjoy real dynamics.“
Hmm...the kick drum [MFSL SACD] does not sound like banging on a cardboard box on my 2 channel system....maybe it's your system....
So someone wrote the wrong song name....I'm a technical writer and have made mistakes like that. Inadvertent errors does not mean people are incompetent.
The point is that we have the MoFi engineers on video saying they added no compression. We have a German HiFi site saying the same thing. Rather than celebrate the lack of compression, we have a parade of grumps here refusing to accept the obvious reality. A good reality. Why? Can only speculate an enjoyment with being grumpy! We have a compression free version of Thriller. It’s ok to be happy about it. Really, it’s ok. I’ve provided very strong evidence. If the peanut gallery wishes to persist, please present quotes from MoFi where they claim to have utilized compression on the Thriller SACD. All of this moaning without evidence is rather useless. I’m perfectly content to be incorrect. Please provide clear evidence of that error. But if your argument is based upon a stray misspelling of a foreign language name, then your position resides on very thin ice.
As much as I hesitate to wade into this, I think you may be misunderstanding what the others have been trying to say. As I've read it, nobody has claimed that the MOFI engineers added any compression. They're just saying that there was already some compression baked into the mix (as is the case with the vast majority of pop and rock recordings). Nobody is challenging MOFI's claim that, unlike with earlier pressings, no additional compression was added at the mastering stage.
