Explorations Into The Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MFSL) Label
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- In this video I talk about my exposure to MFSL with a little bit of history in the mix as I know it. Comments and corrections are most welcome. I know I confused a couple of pieces of information here and there.
What a great video!
Thanks for showing your MFSL records and explaining what the label is about.
Greetings from Germany
Armien
What a great overview and look at MoFi... I have a few of their gold CDs and you could always tell the difference in the level of care they spent.
My first MFSL disc was "Fleetwood MAc". I fell in love with it and was hooked on Mo-Fi
Hang on to that one! I have only seen that one pictured on the internet but I have never seen one in real life. I probably wouldn't hesitate to pick that one up in used if I ever saw it at a reasonable price.
I was hooked when I merly was a young man - last buy was Sgt Pepper limited 180 gram but I found the that the earlier vinyls made by mfsl was better ( for me)
I got my first Mofi about two years ago. I will soon be doing a video showing what I've picked up since. My local store gets very few in but generally saves them for me. Our education never ends. I really appreciate all of your videos. We need "Rockin Ronnie" to get going again.
Can't wait to see what you got :) Anymore, I get them directly from the source (Music Direct). There is one store in Houston that gets them but they usually have a 30% mark up which doesn't make it worth it.
I'm getting old ones from my store. They don't sell new. They have all been the Japanese presses so far.
Nice video, thanks. I recently bought my first MoFi record... Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms 2x45rpm Original Master Recording. Most impressed. Also borrowed one of their Ultradisks from my hifi dealer... Bill Evans Trio’s Sunday at the Village Vanguard, which is truly breathtaking - virtually no surface noise and wonderful sound quality.
That whole Dire Straits set is mind-blowing!
Great informative video on MOFI. I own several MOFI vinyl and SACD releases and overall I am very satisfied with their sound.
Thank you Rockabilly Project! IMO, Mofi just continues to get better and better.
On the Silver Label
Tears For Fears - Sowing The Seeds
Just stunning and highly sought after
I haven't gotten that one yet ;(
Great stuff man. I totally missed this video! Great info/ insight!
Thanks for watching Brandon. I am glad you were asking the question which was the genesis for the video.
Great walkthrough of some MFSL pressings :) those puppies are fantastic.
+My Analog Corner - Carsten Olsen Thanks Carsten. Glad you enjoyed one of my older videos. Can't wait for your mix tape to arrive. I am eager to delve into some Danish music.
I can't wait for you to receive the package either. I hope you like what's in there :)
I love MOFI fantastic and informative video!
Glad you liked it and thanks for watching.
wow my favourite Beck LP right off the bat! You are right, if there's one record I wish was still in print, it's Sea Change. I would put this album in my all-time top 50. Absolutely amazing music.
Yeah, I am glad I hopped on that one when it came out. It's definitely a top 50 album for me as well. I thought for sure that they would do a repress of Sea Change with the release of Morning Phase. Boy was I wrong.
Beck is one of those artists I wish they would repress his whole back catalog since most of what I have is on CD.
I have the Jeff Beck and the Pink Floyd that you showed and they are "GREAT". I got the Jeff Beck at Music Direct when I walked into their show room. They do have a show room and you can walk in and they have two listening rooms, one is a McIntosh Listening room and the other has their BAT stuff along with the mighty Vandersteen model 7's great stuff. Music Direct also own a company call BAT, that makes tube amps.
Man I would love to hear a BAT phono pre-amp as their stuff has always appeared really attractive. I have been subbed to Music Direct through the mail for over seven years now and I was hoping to make it to Chicago this summer just to walk the floor. Sadly, it never happened. I have heard a lot of great McIntosh gear and I think I would be hard pressed to leave the store if I got sucked into a listening session.
MFSL great for alternative collecting great video
Thank you Hugo for taking the time to watch this.
Hi Paul it’s been a while I
haven’t seen any video. Your channel got me into UA-cam. Your channel is very
informative. I’m a subscriber of your channel since 2016 when I started getting
back into vinyl. Just commented one or two of your videos and I always clicked
the thumbs up every time I watch your videos. I don’t do videos. I love your
Tales Of The Deadwax series so with your Mastering Comparison videos. You and
Robert Zee got me into MOFI, I am not an audiophile but I like to have a better
copy of my music if it is available and most specially if the price is right
and I can afford it. You have covered MOFI and MM but I haven’t seen any CBS
Mastersound, Speaker Corner and Nautilus videos. Can you also please make a
separate series of these pressings if you have the time. I have just acquired my
#1 holy grail a few weeks ago. Found Eric Clapton Just One Night in Nautilus
press at local record store in San Diego for $25 in M/NM. M because it was
sealed and NM because the sleeve got damage when the gatefold got opened. My
record store was so honest and told me why it was just $25.
Well that is my story, I just
wanted to share. Please do cover Nautilus if you got the time.
Sheridan
Thank you so much Sheridan and I promise I won't be gone for long. I have had a lot of life events creep up on me this summer and work hasn't helped much that either. It makes me happy to hear I have inspired someone and thank you so much for commenting. Sharing with others is really the reason why I elected to jump into this UA-cam thing.
As for your suggestion, I'll definitely consider it down the road. I might have enough Speaker's Corner stuff to do a dedicated video. CBS Mastersound and Nautilus, I don't have enough records to really make a good video but I am definitely open to the idea down the line for sure. I think one only have one or two pressings of each.
I have the DGC pressing of Sea Change and that sounds great- so I can only imagine how good the MoFi pressing sounds!
It would be interesting to do a sound comparison between the two. I contemplated picking up the newer reissue to see how it would stack up against the Mofi. Thanks for watching Richard.
My first MoFi was Gordon Lightfoot ... I didn't know what it was and when I found out... I never looked back. I'm at about 28 now. My favorite, strange enough is George Winston's Autumn on Windham Records. This was engineered by MoFi, early on , but without the MoFi strip on the top of the album cover. Such a beautiful record and soooo quite.
Windham Hill had a bit of a unique association with Mofi early on. They both pressed at JVC in Japan and Mofi actually started out pressing Mystic Moods records before almost immediately diving into the Rock/Pop genres.
I bet the Geo Winston is amazing!
Hi Paul...really miss seeing you on the airwaves. Hope you are staying safe from the damned virus and that we see a new segment from you in the near future. Cheers from Australia
Thanks Steve! I finally got something new out after several months. The Coronavirus thing has complicated my life in that I am working from home and taking care of my daughter at the same time. The days just seem longer here and it hasn't left me with a whole lot a free time. In addition, the United States continues to botch it's handling of the damn thing which is sad. The case counts here in Texas are close to equaling that of New York at the beginning of the outbreak and I am fearful more will get it. Regardless, I am happy to see Australia is doing a better job dealing with it. Makes me want to move there ;) Got any room?
@@BarakaPDub Paul we watch you guys on the news every night and can't believe the devastation. Come down under when you can ! Here in Queensland it's pretty much business as usual plus we have the constant sunshine, beaches and the bush to escape to. I had to work at home for a while as well...was so disruptive so I totally empathise with you. Good to know you are safe !! A video from you would be great..moreso to see that you are ok. What a crappy year...thanks heavens for vinyl !! All the best from across the miles.
Steve
Beck is an amazing artist
Love his work
I wish Mofi covered more of his catalog but Sea Change is my favorite.
MFSL is great! Love your shirt!
+Vinyl Eyezz Thanks for the comment and for watching of course. I dig what your channel is doing as well.
thanks man!
I've seen them at record stores in LA for decades, never really felt the need to check them out. I'll grab one sometime and listen, I guess. In the 90s and 00s I was slowly drawn to another "mystery" format. As large as a 12" LP but an older invention. Details coming soon :)
Super !
Thank you sir!
I just ordered my first MFSL album off Discogs! The first Pretenders album!
I do hope you will enjoy it. I thought they have done well with the Pretenders catalog.
Bought mine in 1980-83 then lost them..sry Well the last one was those Uh?MFSL Beatles limited Sgt Pepper 180? gram vinyl -played like 12 times (counted) anyway lost - crystal clear sound with a MC pickup-warm sound - I still got a AJA on compact cassette from mobile.
Zach Jira that is a Great Album👍
For what you pay for the MoFi version of Zeppelin II, a description of "not too bad" isn't what I'd call a ringing endorsement. ;-)
While I love some of Stan Richter's stuff, the Zeppelin II didn't ring well with my ears. To be fair, he cut them really low in volume but I got to say, on my Zeppelin II comparison, most people will state the Robert Ludwig cut will blow it out of the water.
@@BarakaPDub That's the way I heard it too, though I have to say Grundman's version is equally as good. IMHO. I have heard other reviewers remark on their disappointment in a number of MoFi recordings. Also didn't Kevin Gray kind of debunk the whole half-speed mastering thing? I guess that's probably one of those "do cables really matter" arguments. 😉
For my money and from personal experience, I'll stick with the better Japanese pressings and newer remasterings. I love what Steve Wilson has done recently. The Yes boxset is just outstanding. That's probably the best vinyl version of "Close to the Edge" I've heard. Anyway, really enjoy your channel and look forward to new videos. I have an idea for a future video. Have you seen the soon to be released Schiit Sol turntable? Looks tasty. Might make a good review video. 😁👍
Cheers!
@denny b I have dozens of Japanese pressings and have yet to find one that has these issues. Guess I'm just lucky or maybe this is yet another urban myth. The only Japanese pressing I have that doesn't sound better than a standard black vinyl pressing is a Green vinyl version of Eddie Jobson's "Zinc" LP. And I attribute the poor sound to the media more than the country it came from. I have a Japanese copy of Allan Holdsworth's "Atavachron" that I use as a prime example of how much better "most" Japanese pressings can be. It blows my other copies out of the water. Perhaps it's just a matter of taste, but I have not experienced the supposed sonic deficiencies you (and some others) are talking about. Cheers!
I have some of those MFSL vinyl titles you showed including Bob Dylan. i would that Zepp II but have the US release with RL (Robert Ludwig in the dead wax), sounds great. Mobile does make a very good product and it's always worth doing the research.
If you have an 'RL' cut, it's not going to get any better. The Mofi version of it is okay and most people that have seen my comparison video of six different cuts of Zeppelin II found it to be lacking. IMO, Mofi keeps getting better and better with their mastering. Thanks for watching Rick!
Good video. Not really a fan of MoFi personally. When it comes to their titles from the 70's at least half were pretty good imho, the rest bested by OGs. When it comes to the 80's and beyond, if an OG exists, it's typically better, again imho. Now the Silver Series, I have never heard a single release on that where it was better than an OG, however, there are several titles on it where the MoFi is the only vinyl release, so that would be the best. I'd really like to see the Music Matters guys expand out into the classics of rock...
Interesting on the new wave/80s mo fi releases. I am pretty curious about it. I have the original UK pressing of Tears For Fears's second album and the sound just JUMPS! It is that good so when mo fi did it on the silver series, I am skeptical. If that is the first album it could be worth to check out. But then again who am I to diss mo fi? They got lots of fans. Hey howsabout a feature on Nautilus releases. I have the Pretenders' first album on Nautilus and it just trumps the standard Sire release. I agree with you on the half speed mastering process, my Innuendo album is the 2015 reissue and it sounds so good considering it used a digital master source. If mo fi's SOP is half speed mastering, does this means the 45RPM albums were mastered likewise on22.5 RPM? I wonder if mo fi ever did a 7" single....that would be interesting.....
Be skeptical on the Silver Series. Some are not that great and really, the reason for it is because they can't get the original master tapes to California so they have to go with the next best thing.
Unfortunately, I don't own a single Nautilus Master Disc at all. I have come across a few but most of the titles I have found down here don't really interest me at all (i.e Rita Coolidge, Crystal Gayle, & Seals & Crofts). They did do some great titles but haven't ever seen any during my digs. That said, if I saw the Pretenders, that one I would grab because I like that band.
Mofi did do a 7" single but...it was pre 1970 and it was train sounds.
Just trying to spread information that at least I know of here. One thing I read recently was Robert Ludwig talking about mastering through the years and in the interview he mentions that half speed mastering doesnt necessarily enhance the sound. It was more so used for certain albums that needed the cutter head to track slower for finer frequency response or something of the sort. It has its drawbacks too and is not necessarily an Audiophile cutting method according to him.
I found the article here tapeop.com/interviews/105/bob-ludwig/
Thanks Leon. I haven't seen this article before but I caught video on it somewhere. I think it was from Matt Colton if I am remembering correctly. He said the cutter head can overheat at the higher frequencies and cutting at half speed helps prevent the overheating. Bob would definitely know though.
BarakaPDub Yes, that was it. The cutter heads back then could not handle frequencies like todays but doing so requires you to re adjust the RIAA curve and add equalization which can cause ringing. And the lowest frequencies effectively get doubled from 25 to 50hz when played at full speed so you lose some low end.
Excellent video.
+Michael Kem Thank you for watching me ramble excessively about Mofi.
My first Mofi LP was "Abandoned Luncheonette" by Hall and Oates. Love it
That one is rarity! While have come across a bunch here and there in the wild, that one I have never seen in person.
I have the "Nirvana-Nevermind" on "Anadisc 200" Vinyl and it's awesome!!! I bought mine way back in 1995-1996 sealed for $29.99!!! Whew!! Glad I got that one in!!!!!
Very jealous of that score. Every Anadisc I have found since I have got back into collecting sells for three figures at a minimum. Too rich for my blood at this point.
Yep, there are pricey! I'm very glad I got both the "Nirvana-Nevermind" and "John Cougar Melencamp-Lonesome Jubilee" on the "Anadisc 200" VINYL. Two of my most precious things in this world!!!! I haven't priced any lately but about 1 year ago I saw a sealed "Lonesome Jubilee" for under $100! Like around $80. Now the "Nevermind" is a totally different story!! Three figures for sure!!
I listened to the CD version and the drums are totally different.
Thank you, you've just cost me a lot of money.
Sorry Warren...I think ;) I had that experience when I first discovered Mofi.
This music has been digitized. Why are people still paying for it? It's free. 24bit 96kHz SACDs, blu-rays, and even vinyl and MFSL CDs have been ripped digitally to FLAC already. It's $0. Free.
@@nirv Because if we don't pay for it we will end up with no music industry that will record more. #Society #Civilisation #BeCivil
@@warrengday So? It's over. There hasn't been a good album in years. Music, movies, and video games are over.
@@nirv If you have to ask this question you wouldn’t understand the allure of owning and collecting vinyl.
Is the MFSL Magical Mystery Tour an all stereo album like the CD or the German Horzu LP?
It's all stereo as far as I am aware. The Mono version is quite the experience but at the time the early Mofi LPs were released, the interest in Mono just wasn't there. Hope this helps.
Everything's great but half-speed mastering on vinyl and its advantages are very debatable. Especially low-end response can be an issue. Moving to 45 RPM can be larger improvement than a speed of mastering. Use your ears folks! Even half-speed mastering won't prevent bad choises of mastering engineer.
The later point is very true. The advantage of the half-speed master is for the higher frequencies and the benefits to the cutting head (i.e. doesn't over heat). I do like 45 rpm discs as it offers some of the same advantages. The only complaint people have is having to change sides more often but for me, I don't mind that at all.
I'll put my 1982 Half speed mastered Procol Harum Whiter Shade against any other release....
I've owned a couple dozen on Vinyl, and a dozen or so MFSL cassettes. Out of all the early MoFi pressings, the ones I use for reference are Olivia Newton John, "Totally Hot", and Jethro Tull, "Broadsword and The Beast", also 1st press, "DSOTM", all I bought new in 1983-84. I doubt I will part with the ones I have left, although it's tempting. My copy of MFSL "Imagine", blows away any master I have heard on vinyl including the MoFi version, which I believe is a completely different master tape.
Imagine is a great one and if you bought it in the early eighties, it might surpass their new cut in terms of sonic qualities. I wished they would do some other album is in the Lennon back catalog. I don't have a cassette deck, other than what is in my car but if I came across a Mofi cassette, I would definitely pick it up for the geek factor.
You have all the good MOFI records! Thanks for sharing. I actually only bought one of those in the past. It was the pixies doolittle, but had to return it because it came with a huge seam split. I think the records are awesome, but the packaging is not too good. They leave too much space for the album to move around the sleeve.
Sorry to hear about the seam split. I hate it when that happens. I think the Pixies may have been one of their earliest titles they did when Music Direct bought them during bankruptcy. I would have to say the packaging has improved immensely since the initial run of titles. I don't know if you're into Weezer but they did a good job with the jackets to those titles.
Here we are 4 years later but just wanted to mention the Abbey Road Sound Studios who have a small catalogue of half-speed remasters. I recently purchased Japan's Gentlemen Take Polaroids and Tin Drum albums and think these recordings are the best i've heard yet. Of course they have a The Beatles recordings as part of their series. Might be worth checking out?
At some point I want to cover Miles Showell in a Tales episode. Miles does most of, in not all, of their half-speed masters. I have a dozen or so of his cuts and I think he's the best lacquer cutter in the UK by far. I don't think anyone else comes close to his work in Europe or the UK.
used to love sending the trains thru my living room MFSL #001. Can't find any reference to it these days...
Ahh...I did a follow up on this one using a MFSL #003 which you may want to check out. I tried to acquire a MFSL #001 for the video but the one I did find was going for far more than what I cared to spend.
ua-cam.com/video/8_XxJih9nHI/v-deo.html
MFSL are very much a varied bag. Some pressings are well worth the extra money while others are appalling. One such LP that falls into the latter category is The Sisters of Mercy - First, Last and Always. Each side has different sonic characteristics but both sides are extremely poor in terms of mastering.
Yeah. The Sisters of Mercy stuff was done on their Silver Label and I can't say any of them were super stellar. Personally, while they were shooting for a lower price point, I am glad they abandoned the concept.
Love Mofi
I was hoping if mobile fidelity sound lab would do any mastering on Mariya Takeuchi’s albums
Wouldn't that be nice. It would be nice if they opened up a studio like Bernie Grundman did!
BarakaPDub here’s where you can view all her albums that were released www.discogs.com/artist/656253-Mariya-Takeuchi
From what I have listened with my own ears and can recommend beyond reproach, the MoFi Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and Miles Davis' vinyl releases of their respective catalogs are the definitive versions of those albums. I've several of these releases and "Blonde on Blonde", "The Stranger" and "Kind of Blue" have never sounded better. The new Ultradisc One-Step of "Blood on The Tracks" is like having Bob playing in your living room.
I can also recommend the following MoFi vinyl releases as "definitive versions" of these albums:
+ Derek and the Dominos - Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs
+ The Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East
+ Supertramp - Breakfast in America (even this album notoriously plagued with bad mixing decisions)
+ Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Great recommendations Fernando and I can definitely second all of the recommendations you have made. Weirdly enough, and I know I can find it in the $1 bin, I don't have an original of Breakfast in America but I had to go for the Mofi version of it without hesitation. I can also second your claim on Blood On The Tracks. It is incredible, isn't it!
@@BarakaPDub First, I'd like to thank and congratulate you for your channel, which is an excellent trove of vinyl wisdom. I have specially enjoyed your Tales from the Deadwax series and your comps of iconic albums. Thanks so much!
Regarding Breakfast in America, you made the right choice in going straight to the MoFi. There's a good reason why the original pressings can be find for a buck at the used vinyl bin. It's a bloody mess in terms of weird mixing choices in several songs in the album. Keep them coming!
For me it was the half speed mastering and that supper vinyl plus it's full life in the special sleeve. I have PINK FLOYD DARK SIDE OF THE MOON MFSL 1-017
I agree. There is/was nothing quite like the complete Mofi packaging. Thanks for the comment Michael.
Hi Paul. I had been dipping my toes into MoFi but now since I’m starting over I’m going heavier into MoFi. I picked up a 1992 issue of Atom Heart Mother yesterday. Most everything they show on their site says sold out! I am trying to be more selective in my buying, something I’m not great at, and looking for things that are more special. I thought MoFi would be a nice way to go with that. You have not aged a day in 5 years by the way.
Ha! You're too funny. I feel five or six years older now and it's painful for me to watch my older videos since my production skills have evolved a bit. Anyway, yeah, I wouldn't pass on any of the modern Mofi's at all. Krieg Wunderlich, who does the vast majority of the vinyl mastering for them now, has some of the best mastering chops in the business. Since I am trying to scale back my vinyl purchases due to lack of space, I am saving any vinyl purchases for the good stuff such as the Mofi's and the Tone Poets. With the Mofi's I just hope the branch out a bit more from Columbia's catalog. Not that I have anything against Columbia but that seems to be where 70 to 80% of their focus has been. It's likely due to the master tape access but personally, I think they can try harder.
I do have a package I am putting together for you and since I am not on Facebook or other social media forums, I am hoping I might be able to get your address from another VC member.
Hi Paul, my address is
5305 Huntington Drive
Midland MI 48640
That is very kind and generous of you. I just picked up the MoFi from Los Lobos Kiko this week. I may try to get one MoFi a month and one Tone Poet a month, that’s the plan but I tend to detour from those plans.
Thanks Steve. It might take several days for me to get some thing out. With the COVID cases on the rise in my area, I am only venturing out for the essentials once a week. I hope to send you a bit of a Mofi treat which I hope you haven't picked up yet.
Thanks for the video BarakaPDub. I am very interested to know your thoughts...see below.
I got a Mobile Fidelity re-issue of Jim Hall/Bill Evans Undercurrent. The record played all the way through, but with so many nicks and pops as to be unlistenable. I tried cleaning it (Record Doctor, Discwasher D3 - tried both several times. Very little improvement.) I wrote to MoFi and got this response:
"Additionally, as you are experiencing pops and ticks, are what you are hearing may be a “horn”. In the process of cutting a modulated groove into a master lacquer, small burrs referred to as horns can occur. There is a process for removing these called de-horning. The de-horning process tends to damage the high frequency content of the recording, so we have never employed it in our production process. We have found that the horns usually get polished out by the playback stylus after a couple of plays."
So I played the record on a spare turntable (no volume) about 20 times over a couple days and tried again. There is quite a bit of improvement. Now I can listen to the record, but it sounds like it could be an original pressing that was played a LOT over the years....lots of surface noise remains.
I can't imagine buying another MoFi record if what the guy says in quotes above is true - I think what he has said above is that MoFi is knowingly selling records that don't sound good. As noted above, i am interested to know your thoughts on this.
Thanks!
Odd and thanks for commenting on this. I seem to recall the Bill Evans Undercurrent record was a Silver Label version so they were not using the original master tapes. It makes me wonder if the master tapes were lost on this on. I checked on Discogs and it doesn't look like you're the only one that had this problem. I wonder if there was a plating flaw that wasn't caught by the QC. Honestly, I wouldn't write Mofi off based on this one but I understand you disappointment. Personally, I stay away from the Silver Labels as I found they were not much of an improvement over an original press. At least that's been my experience with some of their 80's reissues. Believe me though, the Miles Davis issues are really, really good if you're a Jazz fan.
Thanks for responding. I'd have to seriously consider before buying any more MoFi product. If only because the customer service rep has stated that they send out their records with the knowledge that you may have to play it a couple times before it sounds good. If a record needs to be dehorned (as the customer service guy said) by playing it a couple times, seems like they should play it a couple times and make sure it's good before they send it out.
Informative video. I'd like to try out a few more mofi's. I have a DSOTM press that looks perfect but plays with some background noise. Minus that I bet it would sound awesome. I picked up Aqualung mofi that also sounds really good but you can tell it was loved on a lot lol. Do you have any from the Nautilus series?
No Nautilus records but I wish I had some. They are pretty rare to come across here. That's odd about DSOTM having background noise. One of the reasons Mofi started out pressing in Japan was because of the quality of their pressings and the lack of noise. That's not to say all pressings are perfect but I wonder if someone played the record with a damaged needle. I have a few DJ 12" singles that you could tell the needle did a lot of damage.
***** Oh yeah, I'm positive the DSOTM album has been played a lot or like you stated, needle damage. I don't credit the quality of the pressing at all. There are a lot of quiet moments on DS where it's most noticeable.
great picks!
Thanks for watching Chris.
Analogue Productions has released that Beach Boy's album in both Mono and Stereo.Have been acclaimed as the best recording ever.
I have a couple of the Beach Boys releases through Analogue Productions and I agree they do sound fantastic.
I always preferred DCC (mastered by Steve Hoffman, Kevin Gray) LPs and cds to Mofi. Mofi did a horrible version of Sticky Fingers. The 2000s releases are somewhat better overall. I also prefer the Sundazed Dylan's to the Mofis, but they are pretty hard to find. Thanks for the video.
Yes, I too struggle with the 80's Mofi's. I really don't find them to be as good as their post sale to Music Direct, output. Thanks for watching and commenting John.
My vinyl version of Sticky Fingers is way beyond amazing! I have a German pressing of the same title coming that Michael Frermer suggested to make a better comparison but it'll be tough!
@@Primeanaloggourmet Is it an original on RS records or a reissue?
@@Primeanaloggourmet I have some great Japanese pressings of Emotional Rescue and Tattoo You from probably the 90s. The original US pressings are very good , on RS/Atlantic
ive just bought al jarreau all fly home OMR and s wonder music of my mind MFSL. hope they sound great :) these 2 will be my first products from mfsl.. :P
Nice picks and I hope you enjoy the MFSL. The Jarreau LPs can still be had at a reasonable price. I have encountered a few on digs in the past.
yes I got it for quite an affordable price together with a regular US pressing of "look to the rainbow". shipping rate from USA to Singapore was a let down though (what else is new) . I already have a reg US pressing of all fly home so I will definitely do a comparison and ill put it here :) saw your video more than twice. I'm really impressed (and jealous) of your collection especially LZ2 and PF dsotm. those are so pricey rite now. wished I had a time machine. thanks again for this video brother. truly appreciate you sharing. happy holidays to you and family. :)
Thank you Jason! Shipping to Singapore is super high and I wish there was a cheaper way of getting records over there. There has to be a business out there that can make things cheaper.
yes there is vpost but that too can chalk up to quite a bit paul. hopefully pricing improves soon. the mofi bug has officially gotten to me. am even thinking of picking up the 80s classic c Lauper's she's so unusual as well as stevie's hotter than july on the silver labels.. hmmm.. plus b joel's songs in the attic even though I have the Japanese n us first presses already... mofi madness.. hehehe.. plus Priscilla ahn and bros in arms (got a few japn pressings already) but the mofi has the unedited songs.. hmmmm again.. hehehe
That bums me out about them not being able to do a vinyl version of Pet Sounds. Now I could be totally wrong in even thinking this is possible, but is it like not possible for them to take the files and tapes they used for the CD and transfer it to vinyl? Or is that a totally separate thing that cannot be done?
You know, you never can tell in this industry what will happen. If Chad Kassem at AP, ever loses his license, I can see Mofi trying to do an Ultra Disc of this one since it's so popular. If you don't have the AP version, it's worth grabbing. That said, I wouldn't use a CD transfer for the vinyl. While you could do it, the mastering engineers will tell you really need to master for the medium. Vinyl is a little more challenging to master since the process of cutting a record is a little less forgiving.
DCC did a vinyl Pet Sounds in the late 90s and two excellent CDs about fifteen years apart. Haven't heard the Mofi Pet Sounds.
I loved the mofi version of guns n roses appetite for destruction cd I downloaded it
(Not on an MP3 because they sound like crap) to flac and converted it to Apple lossless and it sounded amazing a whole lot better than the one I bought from target it's a shame that, that version is extremely rare because I would love to own the real thing instead of downloading it off the internet and would love to replace that cd I own after hearing that version
+goldylover1000 You and me both. I didn't realize that Mofi did that one. It should sound good if Mofi touched it. Thanks for hanging with me.
When MOFI started in the 70's it made sense. Mass produced vinyl back then in many cases was noisy, warped, and lacked quality control. So even though vinyl back then (which was also sourced from the original analogue tapes), would still sound inferior to a MOFI release. Before CD's, a MOFI record in some cases was the best sounding release available, but in many cases when comparing a MOFI record with an original album in mint condition, (say Steely Dan "AJA") you wouldn't hear much of a difference. For an interesting read, Google the article where reviewers in a blind listening test were asked to compare a Beatles album from the MOFI box set, the British blue box set, and the new stereo Beatles albums digitally remastered and released on vinyl in 2012. In short, the results were split with the best sounding albums being picked from all three sets.
Fast forward to today. I find the new MOFI releases are very hit and miss. The new MOFI is not the old MOFI. For instance, I found the recent Little Feat's "Waiting for Columbus" MOFI vinyl release to be muddy sounding. Billy Joel's "Piano Man" was lifeless compared to the original Columbia pressing. Being these titles are usually 'non refundable,' I say buy with caution. Thicker 180 gm vinyl does not necessarily equal better sound quality (remember the original MOFI releases of the 70's and 80's which had a really good sound quality were pressed on regular weight vinyl, but the vinyl used was high quality JVC virgin vinyl from Japan. The vinyl was so pure that it was translucent when held up to a light! If you have an original MOFI record try it. MOFI was a special product back then. This is not the case today.) These new $50 double 45 rpm sets are ridiculous and just a cash in for these companies. Sorry...but $50 for a 50 year old Bob Dylan record is a bit much. What's next? 78 rpm 5 record box sets for $100. No thanks. Just my 2 cents. Back in the day MOFI was a special and unique product, today not so much.
Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts and I am happy you took the time to write up such a detailed comment. IMO, even the older Mofi's are hit and miss but it's all in what a given listener's ear prefers. I recently have put together a couple of sound comparison videos (Pink Floyd & Led Zeppelin II) where a Mofi was featured in each. In both cases, most individuals did not pick the Mofi as the top out of six different pressings for each video. The mastering engineer, Stan Ricker, had a very unique sonic signature. It's not necessarily bad and some cases I do agree with you point on some of the early pressings but not all. The JVC vinyl is excellent and was used for more records than just Mofi but it was extremely toxic in its production. The Japanese while they wouldn't give out the formula cited it could not be manufactured again. Classic Records tried to procure the rights to it but couldn't get it and experimented with different vinyl formulations. They did acquire the Quiex vinyl formulation and ended up creating Clarity vinyl. I have another Mofi video where I demonstrate the light technique BTW.
As for the newer releases, I think that they have slowly built up some street cred. Like their 70's/80's counterparts, they do have some misses but they gradually gotten better and it also depends on the sources and mastering engineer. IMO, Krieg Wunderlich is doing a fantastic job. As for the 45 rpm, it can sound better by design because it allows for more detail to be cut into the grooves and it also mean less attenuation. The cutting engineer doesn't have to worry about the spacing between the grooves if you're cutting a side in excess of 17 minutes long. That said, some folks don't want to flip the record every ten minutes which I get bu 45 rpm cuts are here to stay. Thankfully, the way the audiophile industry is headed, consumers will have the option of both cuts. Analogue Productions has been doing this for the past year or so.
Nice talking with you. I didn't know that the JVC process was toxic. Either way some of the old MOFI records I remember to be noisy. Not sure though if I purchased them new or used (I've been collecting a long time), but they can be 'hit and miss.' For instance Abbey Road while good sounding, to me has bloated bass (have to almost disengage my subs). A lot of the new records are dead quiet, Tom Petty Greatest Hits is very clean. While digitally sourced, it sounds good to me, in fact better than the original release in the 90's (which was also from digital). While I think digital vinyl defeats the purpose, I thought the recent stereo Beatles releases sounded pretty good. There certainly were some pressing problems though. There's also the CBS 1/2/ speed mastered series, some of which sound good, some of which don't. Personally in my 25+ years collecting I've mostly had good luck with vintage regular CBS pressings, rarely warped and noisy, and usually good sounding. Probably Capitol is the worst which is why the MOFI Beatles set was probably so popular. It certainly is a fun hobby, kind of miss the days though of digging through $1 and $5 dollar bins at my local record store and discovering great music. I remember getting into Wes Montgomery and other '60 jazz music that way. At the one used record store in town they were charging $15 for a used Bangles record! Guess they have to make a living too. $50 for a record though is just over the top for me. Even if it sounds better than an original 'nice price' edition, it still won't sound 8 times better. Sometimes an original is the way to go. I've heard horrible re-mastering.
MFSL has just released the first 4 Dire Straits on vinyl. Pretty pricey even for them. Over 60 bucks each IIRC.
I have a couple of them on pre-order. I've had their take on Brothers In Arms for over a year now and I was really impressed. It's not to say the original wasn't bad but I felt like MFSL just put a little more into it.
Great Information. Do you have a particular "Go To" site to get those reviews you mentioned?
The best place to go to is the Steve Hoffman forums. You need to take things with a grain of salt though. There are a lot of anti Mofi people so you really need to seek out your own truth. At the end of the day though, everyone is different and our ears are not the same. Thanks for watching Bobby.
@@BarakaPDub Thanks for the quick reply.
Michael Fremer's Music Angle or Tracking Angle archives. Always reviewed Mofi stuff. Sorry my response is a year behind!
@@johnryan3913 No worries. Thanks. Happy New Year.
AFAIK, the Dead Can Dance and The Sisters of Mercy silver MoFi pressings are amongst the really good ones, according to people who owned them.
I personally like the Dead Can Dance releases but there are some that say they are not as good as the original. Seeing that I don't have an original of either, I can offer no basis for comparison...on vinyl anyway. Thanks for commenting.
Gordon Lightfoot Sundown is a masterpiece
I only came to love that album much later in my life. I am happy I landed that one so cheaply.
Japanese pressings are the ultimate
Just incredibly quiet
They are definitely quiet but sometime's the in country mastering can bring down some of the low end.
Robin Alexander I Really Like the Japanese pressings, too!
I don't have a story just a Moody Blues MFSL cassette. I bought it off of eBay. I keep it in storage.
The MFSL cassettes are a bit of a rarity. I would hang on to it!
HEy paul/ hope u and family are well, what do u think of the MOFI DSD thingy
Thank you sir. Several other commenters including yours pushed me over the fence to put my two cents in.
@@BarakaPDub yes was waiting for a video from you and yes ive seen it. i think one of the best ive seen so far paul
@@BarakaPDub just my suspicion. but i suspect that MOFI did not even go to sony music to create their 4xDSD masters. i believe sony created digital clones of the analog tapes years back and MOFI used these digital clones to master their OMR/MFSL/UD1S. just a gut feeling. why they said otherwise in the interview? to make themselves look less guilty. hehe
What do mofi do?
Reissues from original master recordings TT:s and skevees not adding static to LP:s?
Sure. Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs attempt to get the master tapes of recordings and conduct their own dedicated masterings of albums. They work to ensure that all dynamics are preserved to the best of their ability. The spend a lot more time bringing out the highlights if they can since it can weeks to months to bring anyone title to light. Your average release will only get a fraction of the time in the mastering stage because the major labels are looking to push the product out as quickly as possible. Having said that, not everyone agrees with their mastering choices. They also press their records on the best possible vinyl, produce high quality jackets, and have their own anti-static inner sleeves. You pay a bit of a premium for these records but for most the outcome is worth it. For your average listener though, this is not something I recommend.
BarakaPDub Interesting. Thank you.
Are they making it sound more like 1 st pressing in a way?
No problem. Their goal is to meet or exceed the sound of an original pressing. Keep in mind, it's all subjective though.
BarakaPDub Yes its subjective.
Just like me prefering one master over another is.
I had never heard of MoFi until a year ago or so. I doubt they were ever released in Australia.
I wonder how they compare to say, the SONY (not CBS) Master Sound series? Two I own that MoFi released like TOTO IV and She's So Unusual. I do not have a regular Jp SSU pressing, but I have read bad things about it. The Master Sound copy I have sounds great. TOTO IV sounds amazing, as does Thriller and Off The Wall.
I see that KICK is a "silver" label, I guess that means that they did not get the original Australian masters? It still annoys me that the "half speed" mastered KICK has an Atlantic label rather than WEA, as it should be. Although the AU KICK vinyl had a picture label and not regular WEA.
Sadly, I don't have any Sony Master Sound Series. I do have one on CBS but not Sony. Eventually, I would like to do a direct compare of the CBS Master Sound Series but I don't have any to do a direct compare yet. I would love to own Thriller or Off The Wall. Those should sound fantastic.
As for KICK, you're correct. I doubt INXS would let the tapes out of the vault at this point but there was an Abbey Road Half Speed Master that was just dropped.
Thanks for watching!
BarakaPDub Loved the video! Very interesting.
I would be interested to see how the SONY half speed mastered Master Sound titles compare to the (hated?) CBS releases. The Japanese literature states that the half speed masterd titles use "US cutting". Would the EQ error be baked in to the cutting master or changed later? I would like to think that SONY caught the error that Columbia made, but sounds like they could be the same. Thriller and Off The Wall use "digital mastering" and not half speed mastered so they are not the same as the US discs. Titles like Born To Run, Silk Degrees and The River use the US cutting.
P.S I recently bought MoFi sleeves, love them. Even if they cost $39 for 50 >_
I have about 20 mofis on lp which I like but don't love, I preferred classic records, dcc and now buy Analogue productions or Impex Records.
Thanks Tony for commenting. Mofi's are a bit of a mixed bag for me. Pre-1994, I find the mastering to be a bit lacking. Stan Ricker cut the records to be very quiet and I prefer their standard releases. The newer Mofi's sound really great to my years but I know some that still don't care for the sound. Classic Records, AP, and Impex can and could do no evil for me.
How do u feel the MoFi compares to the 45 half speed remaster??
It depends really on the Mastering Engineer and the equipment involved. With the 45 rpm Half Speed, your cutting process is more controlled and 45 rpm allows you to cram more information into the grooves. I have had some 45 rpm Half Speeds that are really disappointing and that, I point the finger at the Mastering Engineer or source material used. Most of the Metallica 45 rpm Half Speed Masters fall in the disappointment category and these were done by Mofi but don't carry the Mofi labeling. It's just speculation on my point but I think the Mofi Mastering Engineer Rob LoVerde may have been pressured to get something done by a short deadline. Most of the time, the Mofi guys will work a release for months to get the most optimum sound out of the pressing.
I just ordered Genesis - A Trick of the Tail...i will report when I get it
I have 10 MoFi vinyl titles. My experience:
7 excellent! Excellent mastering, quiet though not dead quiet vinyl.
2 Very good. Excellent mastering, reasonably quiet vinyl but should be better than they are for the price.
1 Bad! Excellent mastering, shit vinyl! Way more surface noise than my MOV version. Which album? Dylan's Basement Tapes. The noise between songs and even during songs is insane! Just garbage! Nashville Skyline, on the other hand, is pure gold!
My point is this: don't believe the hype that MoFi vinyl is always going to be dead quiet vinyl, because it just isn't so. There is variability on that particular dimension. Some are better than others. I am still a fan though and will buy more in the future because generally I think they are better than regular releases most of the time (I have cd and regular vinyl versions of all 10 titles). I just wish they more consistent than they are given the price.
LOVE these videos, BTW!
Weird about the Basement Tapes and I don't have that one at all. I do have Nashville Skyline though. Usually RTI has pretty consistent quality but it's not to say they are totally void of defects. Every plant will have them but RTI is one of the better plants in North America. MOV or Record Industry (out of the Netherlands) is usually pretty good but my challenge with MOV is getting slightly warped records from time to time due to the thin stock cardboard they use for their jackets. I do agree the surface noise is really, really low on any MOV release.
@@BarakaPDub Agreed about RTI. I have some Miles Davis and Van Morrison albums that are RTI pressings and they are very good, though I just bought a Buck Owens Sundazed reissue pressed at RTI and it is warped like you wouldn't believe! Oh well, I guess we take it one LP at a time! Cheers!
The Basement Tapes is a lo-fi recording that was never intended to be an example of audiophile excellence. As a matter of fact, Rolling Stone magazine called it "the birth of lo-fi" although albums like Smiley Smile by The Beach Boys and McCartney's self-titled solo debut were lo-fi albums which were released before.
I have an original Columbia pressing, the Music on Vinyl pressed by Record Industry in the Netherlands and the MoFi. The MoFi is the best sounding to my ears with the blackest silences between songs. The original pressing and MoV are on par. But again, if you were expecting the audio production standards of Steely Dan's Aja, this is not it and was never intended to be. As a matter of fact, this is purposely the opposite.
Here, I shot a quick video. ua-cam.com/video/XJMlam9Za3M/v-deo.html. You can see the bump in the vinyl going all the way around.
Weird...that's definitely a pressing defect attributable to the stamper if you had it on two separate copies. I don't fault Mofi for that one but I do fault RTI which is even more strange. RTI has a rock solid reputation as a pressing plant. I checked the Steve Hoffman forum thread and there would be a lot of complaints by the audiophiles with what you had but I'm not turning up anything. forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-cars-on-mobile-fidelity.439806/
That would really bug me too with a Mofi pressing for what it's worth.
I'm going to pick up my Prince Paisley Park 7" with the bside she's always in my hair first thing tomorrow....
Hope you scored it.
Just received a new copy of The Cars Candy-O and it is a MoFi. It’s quality is pretty poor compared to my used copy of The Cars (original album) on the Nautilus Recordings Superdisc. Anyone have the same experience? This is my first MoFi and I was excited to get it. I gotta say, I’m a bit disappointed. The quality difference is huge.
Sorry you're experience wasn't so good. I only have a couple of Nautilus and not of the Cars. Is there a KW@Mofi in the deadwax? KW is Krieg Wunderlich and usually his mastering jobs are well don.
I’ll check the dead wax tomorrow. The biggest issue is the physical vinyl. There are a lot of cracks, crackles, and pops. Yes, I cleaned it. There’s even a distorted area at the lead-in “dead wax” that is somehow deformed. It’s just a small area that is raised up. When the stylus passes this area it gives a pretty loud whoosh with crackling. It affects side one but not two. I’d say musicality, it’s good. Possibly I can get it replaced.
I would go for a replacement. All the modern Mofi's I have are defect free. It's not to saw a bad press gets squeezed out from time to time but RTI is generally one of the best plants in North America. @@sullivan44
Just a quick update. I received a replacement yesterday. Plaid Room Records in Cincinnati is fabulous with customer service. The issue is that the new one has the same exact problem. I’ve sent a message to Plaid Room this morning. I’ll let you know how this thing plays out. Just thought this was a little interesting. Two new MoFi records, 4 digits apart in serial number (at least on the jacket) same problem.
It's good that Plaid Room is so accommodating. 1000 digits off means you should be on a new stamper in theory. Do you know what section crackles? I have Candy-O and I may have to dig it out to see if it pops in the same area. I haven't played it a very long time though.
Nice recordings, but the cover art is killed with the "Original Master Recording" along the cover top. Wish they'd do something less obvious on the back. Sometimes it's the small things.
+RumbleBones Your thoughts are shared by many. It has always kind of bugged me on the Dark Side Of The Moon. That album should be left with the image alone. Thanks for watching.
Agreed. It's horrendous
The biggest thing that bugs me about their pressings is the big ugly bar on the front covers. Obviously has no bearing on the sound but still
Your not the only one that feels this way. There are many that see it as a complete turnoff and I get that. There probably could have been a better, non obtrusive way to brand the records.
I bought the MFSL version of Imagine (MFSL1-153) back in the 80's and it sounds like shit.The piano sounds like a sponge.I played it a couple of times on an Ariston RD40 with Linn LVX arm and AT140 ML cartridge and also on a Linn LP12 Nirvana/Valhalla with Ittok and Asak and it was terrible on both.
Bought the stock Standard local stamped copy and it was fine.
MSFL back in the day had their misses. The Rolling Stones 'Sticky Fingers' being one of them. I haven't heard any comments on 'Imagine' but mine was pressed when Music Direct took them over and was cut by a different mastering engineer. That said, I do not have an original pressing to compare. Thanks for commenting. I do appreciate other people chiming in with their experiences.
No worries mate.
I have the UHQR version of Crime of the Century and another couple of MOFI half speed masters which are good. My comment was because everyone was saying how great The Imagine cut was and mine was so bad, I had to leave a comment. :)
For Zeppelin, Classic Records is superior
They are all really good. I just wish they were more accessible to the masses.
open your mouth when you speak so I can hear you vocalize clearly!
Part of the problem is the mic on the video camera. Future videos will utilize a lav mic.