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. Crimson King

    Crimson King Silly Audiophile

    Location:
    Chicago
    Regarding the Kevin Gray interview:

    "I'll refer you to the interview. I don't know who he signed it with or whether DSD is even relevant in his case. I don't like to be inaccurate on a public forum. He clearly says he is not allowed to reveal sources. And that each label does this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=d...CryqS1QjK5feyhO8SBwB2tOrrTnpcwvXy5QxRmHyUHfmk

    Exact timing: 4.53 minutes into the interview"


    "And he states he's not allowed to reveal sources used unless the label does or unless they specifically allow him to state for a particular release."

    Seems to me they advertise it as AAA if it is - and then he's allowed to reveal. For everything else, he is not allowed (because they are digital. If there were AAA the label would rush to advertise it and allow him to say so... don't you think?). So this does not change my conclusion I trust no one anymore and my vinyl purchases will be cut at least 50% (from all sources except original pressings)
     
    audiotom and Paully like this.
  2. DancingSea

    DancingSea Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maui, Hawaii
    The Washington Post article conveys a sense that little thought went into the AZ Mike invitation. Wood at MoFi saw Mike’s YouTube video, felt badly, and spontaneously invited him to Sebastopol. There was no thought process about marketing, or how to best handle the situation, or even to apologize - Wood simply invited a fellow vinyl lover out for a tour. There was zero strategy involved. Wood never got near the neighborhood where inviting a journalist was on the menu. It went “see Mike, invite Mike”. That was the extent of it!

    For me, the most striking part of the Washington Post story is not about MoFi, but rather about AZ Mike’s past. His father was murdered when he was 11, and he grew up in foster homes because his mother was a drug addict. Overcoming that makes all the “gnashing of teeth” about the minutiae of record mastering seem so meaningless by comparison.

    No matter how all this played out - and it was hardly a work of art in any direction — bravo to AZ Mike for overcoming so much and having a successful record store that allows him to pursue his passion and support his family. I hope The In Groove has seen an increase in business as a result of this brouhaha.
     
  3. Fruff76

    Fruff76 L100 Classic - Fan Club President

    It’s in the Washington Post. Re-read it because it’s kind of a carnival of absurdity.
     
    MonkeyTennis likes this.
  4. Wounded Land

    Wounded Land Forum Resident

    Does that sound plausible to you? Considering what was at stake?
     
  5. Adagio

    Adagio Forum Resident

    Somebody in 670+ pages has probably noted.... but it bears repeating

    Here is their apology: A Statement from Mobile Fidelity Regarding Our Mastering Process – Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (mofi.com)
    "We at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab are aware of customer complaints regarding use of digital technology in our mastering chain. We apologize for using vague language, allowing false narratives to propagate, and for taking for granted the goodwill and trust our customers place in the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab brand."

    The use of the marketing description "The Gain 2 Ultra Analog System" is not vague language as described by Mo-Fi; it is outright misleading.

    How can something described as "Ultra Analog" if a key component in the chain is digital ?
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2022
    jakenasty, bluesfan, timzigs and 12 others like this.
  6. Briskit

    Briskit “I don’t know karate, but I know ka-razy!”

    Location:
    St Kilda
    No chik-fil-a, though I have heard of them.

    We do have Red Rooster!

    [​IMG]
     
    Mugrug12 likes this.
  7. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Listening to an old early 70’s Joplin Pearl and this beats the crap out of the One Step. The vocals are far more natural and full. Actually everything about it is better. A missed opportunity for the One Step. Some albums are meant to be dirty and scratchy instead of clean and polished.
     
  8. thrivingonariff

    thrivingonariff Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Cui bono? A couple of names come to mind.
     
    Wounded Land likes this.
  9. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    It’s actually a very cheezie catch phrase which just goes to show how most people glossed right over it not paying attention, lol. It actually sounds like a lie.
     
  10. Newguy444

    Newguy444 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New york
    So any lawyers here want to file a class action? What kind of ******** is this. Make them pay
     
  11. Crimson King

    Crimson King Silly Audiophile

    Location:
    Chicago
    Lol. I wonder what the difference between analog and ultra analog is :)

    Consider its either you are analog, or you are not.
     
  12. DaveyF

    DaveyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    La Jolla, Calif
    Maybe I'm missing something here?? We have a report on the WAPO article about Jim Davis rushing to the interview and missing it due to an issue with his rental car? What was Jim Davis going to do if he made the interview??? Was he going to nix it (probably!), was he going to somehow change the narrative and refute the fact that MoFi are mastering in the digital realm? IOW what was the importance of Jim Davis making this 'expose' meet except to possibly de-rail it. ( IMO to make sure that was not transparent in the past, stayed that way!!) Then we have the release from MoFi and Jim stating that they will be transparent going forward....:tsk:
     
    Mazzy likes this.
  13. Wounded Land

    Wounded Land Forum Resident

    New Fremer video:



    Not going to convince the haters, but this seems pretty accurate to me. I think Fremer’s tone can be a bit confrontational, which encourages people to tune out the points he’s trying to make (which are largely solid, IMHO).
     
  14. rangda

    rangda Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    That's the most damning bit to come out honestly, it shows just how far upper management (and probably the marketing people) was willing to go to perpetuate the lie. And does illustrate that the very careful wordsmithing of all of their print material was entirely intentional. I wonder how much blowback this will cause to Music Direct.

    That said can you imagine the ****storm that would have happened if he did get there in time? Mike E posting a video saying "I got to MOFI, set up to record a video with the engineers, Jim Davis showed up and asked me to leave."
     
  15. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    It would have been ****ing incredible if he burst in for the last 5 minutes and then an argument ensued and the camera went black.
     
  16. Jam757

    Jam757 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    The same difference between Michelob and Michelob Ultra. Wait, never mind that’s a terrible analogy lol
     
  17. David Pietras

    David Pietras Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midlothian, Va
    Same, I was already a fan of Mike, and an online customer of his, but this situation and the information about his past just makes me like him all the more. Bravo Mike, may good fortune follow you and your business.
     
  18. DancingSea

    DancingSea Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maui, Hawaii
    It does sound plausible given what a dumb idea it was to invite Mike. The MoFi guys simply said “this is what we do”. There was no mea culpa, no apology, no expression of understanding the trust they had betrayed.

    It was like FEMA showing up to a hurricane disaster with only a box of toothbrushes.

    That makes the Washington Post portrayal that the Mike visit was not run by Jim Davis or Music Direct, extremely plausible.

    There is no conspiracy to that MoFi interview. It’s an example why most companies don’t put engineers in charge of public relations.
     
    Doug_D, David Pietras and JFSebastion like this.
  19. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    Agreed - most of what the guy has been accused of in this thread is totally unwarranted.
     
    Twinsfan007, kundryishot, trd and 2 others like this.
  20. recordhead

    recordhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kentucky
    Not a typical Fremer video. Adderall?
     
  21. rockinbrian19

    rockinbrian19 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    53144
    Thank You
    First of all I love your videos, how you package your albums, and your selection.
    But as a consumer I feel I should not need to keep emailing a store for listed in stock items or to find out when my order will ship.
    Keep rocking, bopping and grooving.
    Brian
     
  22. Bill Hart

    Bill Hart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    I'm watching the Fremer video which was sent to me a little while ago. He looks like Woody Allen.
    The "Deep Throat" thing sounds like a chimera.
    Fremer--the paragon of discretion.
    Already, Oy, Mike, it's too long.
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2022
    Aftermath likes this.
  23. DaveyF

    DaveyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    La Jolla, Calif
    Exactly my point from my prior post. The issue where Jim Davis was desperately trying to interject his weight into the proceedings and presumably de-rail them, does not look good at all! Then we have the information that MoFi will only release DSD reissues going forward- also says a lot. Personally, it tells me they couldn't give a hoot as to what their customers want, they are ONLY interested in one thing...what lines their pockets the most! IOW, max profit regardless of whatever they have to do to get it ( cheat, lie, commit fraud..you name it!) . Like Tullman stated up thread, the more I hear about this company and its behavior, the less likely i am to ever buy anything from them again. Seems to me, that in order to survive, MoFi needs a major turn over in its ownership and management ( from the very top on down) ..and the sooner the better.
     
    JCRW, David Pietras and MonkeyTennis like this.
  24. Aftermath

    Aftermath Senior Member

    :laugh:

    Reminds me of the earlier posts in this thread where folks were casting characters for a hypothetical movie on this and someone proposed Paul Giametti as the MoFi boss.
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2022
  25. Wounded Land

    Wounded Land Forum Resident

    What I meant was, do you find it plausible that Esposito was just spontaneously invited? I agree with you that Davis was out of the loop.

    Also, remember that the article says that Esposito was told about the digital step in the car from the airport, before the conversation with the three engineers.
     
    David Pietras likes this.

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