Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has been cutting vinyl from digital since a long, long time ago...

Yeah - I think the mods are going at it quite hard - I could swear made a really insightful and smart post that got removed - if so, mods, that was unfair. My post was smart, brilliant, respectful and insightful.
v

 

I forgot to mention this: I was told that the Allman Brothers' s/t and Eat a Peach were digitally sourced.

 

For the the price Silver label is fine unless you have/know of a better option which I am sure they exist you just need to know what to buy. B52's it is one of the very few MFSL I have something to compare it against.

I need to revisit it but I have an original Australian pressing which wasn't fantastic that's when I bought the MOFI which I thought it sounded better, definitely crispier.

But, some years later there was an RSD colour splatter issued I don't remember the year. While the MFSL sounded sharper and at least on the surface seemed to have better highs, the RSD to me a few other people seemed to sound more natural and nicer in general. There was either a specific thread about it or it was discussed in the RSD thread of that particular year.

 

I'm alright
Nobody worry 'bout me

 

Why is everyone still buying this stuff after being fooled????

 

Looks like Ralphie from Christmas Story

 

No more bad songs

 

“I thought it sounded better, definitely crispier.”
is crispier good?

 

I had a gap of like 12 years with no turntable or records. It was something I felt like I was missing that whole time, but I was not really in a position to do anything about it. I’ve been very happy to be back to it, as I find putting a record on the turntable more viscerally enjoyable than putting a CD in a tray or selecting something from a streaming menu. However, I still definitely do enough of both of those, too, and I’m plenty capable of enjoying music on those formats (provided they’re not compressed to hell, which is unfortunately the case too much of the time).

 

First of all I need to specify I am talking about B52's "Cosmic Thing" because I was forgetting there are other issues by MFSL.

Crisp to me = Very clear, well defined.

While that could be considered good it could also be bad. These days I could refer to the sound of some CDs that way. I could use that description as something good but it does not tell you whether the sounds have the correct decaying timing or sounds end up more abruptly than what they should. I think that is what is happening when you compare the MFSL with the RSD record which in no way sounds sounds fantastic but it is still my preferred option. It is not an easy thing to explain.

 

Maybe I'm a little late to the party, but this does't surprise me. Music Direct has always sucked, and their Mofi releases overall haven't measured up to the originals. After all these years now the truth comes out. The 'wholly grail' of vinyl reissues are infact digitally processed and this fact was conveniently left out all these years. How about we audiophiles start a class action lawsuit against them!

How they sound is irrelevant, the point is Mofi and Music Direct has been intentionally deceptive. If I knew that their vinyl was digitally sourced I personally would't have bought it. Would you?

If your not getting an authentic analog copy from the original master tape what is the point of buying an 'Original Master Recording'? It's like buying a digitally remastered hi-res movie on a VHS tape.

Mofi has been selling $125 one steps with DSD processing? An absolute joke. What are you paying $125 for? Dishonest thieves!

 

Huh… I’ve always had very good customer service experiences with Music Direct, so that aspect of your take surprises me.

 

Why do you assume “everyone” was “fooled”? BTW, just bought the Abraxas SACD.

Really, maybe you should worry less about what other people are doing . . .

 

Unsurprising considering all of the posts in this thread stating otherwise.

 

I judge each release on its own. If I read that a particular release sounds better than what came before, I'll buy. Once I have it, I compare for myself in my system using my ears. Some I sell and some I keep. You can't "fool" my ears. If they are truly outstanding, that's why I buy and keep them.

 

That's bananas. Do posts like this get deleted?

 

I see it as getting a digitally remastered 35mm movie on a 4K blu-ray. And I'm a big fan of those too.

 

Likewise

 

Of course their equipment profile is blank. Some things about the forum will forever stay on-brand.

 

I understand the anger of those who were deceived by MoFi, BUT, if you buy cars, buy other consumer goods, eat processed food, eat at restaurants, take medications, listen to the news, and on and on; you have been lied to frequently, often by omission, about things that are much more impactful on your lives than a DSD step in the MoFi vinyl process. This is not the first time something like this has happened to you.

I'm not trying to say you shouldn't be angry, just trying to add a little perspective to the discussion.

 

I’ve always had great customer service from Music Direct. Some of the best I’ve ever experienced. I purchased my turntable and SACD player from them last year in part because I trusted their world-class customer service.

 

Your well considered statements are not going to soothe the Make Analog Great Again crowd.

 

Same here. Dealt with the same guy there for many years before he retired.

 

I hear what you're saying, but others being deceptive doesn't justify Mofi being deceptive.

For years they claimed their records were superior because they were directly sourced from the analog masters and that was the main justification for their cost. Now we find out they were digitally mastered the same as many record label reissues at half the cost. The subjective improvement in sound wasn't from cutting directly from analog but from digital remastering.

Jim Davis could care less. He's made his millions.