Well, I have to disagree. On my system (Bang & Olufsen) it sounded absolutely amazing. I am very happy with it. The instruments sounded lifelike and present with an incredible sound stage. It was like the band was right there in front of me. However... I must say, I am very happy with it carries a very big BUT! I am in Australia and I finally managed to purchase it last week. AUD$300. At the store I insisted on opening it before I left. I have had so many records this past twelve months with manufacturing faults it is ridiculous. I won't buy a record now unless I inspect it. The store owner had to open three before we found one where both of the discs where fault free. I wish I was joking.
Really enjoyed your video you remind me of me when I'm doing a review of a mofi that doesn't live up to their name. I just reviewed Santana abraxas mofi DSD 33.3 on my channel. Again I just found your channel and I plan to watch a lot of your videos You're reviewing some records I don't know and I'm always searching for new records. Cheers mate
No, you are not wrong! You've absolutely nailed this review! This MOFI 1-Step is really awful. I don't even think that guitar in the intro sounds good at all. It sounds so thin myself and my friend confused it for a mandolin instead of an acoustic guitar! Lol
@@top5records796 Not just your copy! I did a collaboration with a local friend and I even produced a side-by-side-by-side video for my own channel that clearly displays the differences between four different Hotel California pressings. The best of the four we found to the Steve Hoffman 1992 remaster on the DCC label. Second best was Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's own (analog) effort from 1984 - *not to be confused with* the newer company going by the name MOFI. And lastly, even a well worn OG was massively better than this MOFI 1-Step. It was bad enough that we had to turn the volume down. It sounds too brittle. The only systems I could see this sound OK are incredibly lower resolution, dark sounding systems. Period. Anyway I will leave you here the link to by comparison video on Vimeo. I originally uploaded it to my UA-cam channel but it got blocked worldwide so I had no choice but to upload it in this other video sharing platform. Please let me know what you think: ua-cam.com/video/AFRQJeS9WvU/v-deo.htmlsi=rKZ4Lien8Eu4vVQF
P.S. I might as well give you the link to Scott's own review which was a collaboration with me since we carried out the shootout at my place: ua-cam.com/video/AFRQJeS9WvU/v-deo.htmlsi=rKZ4Lien8Eu4vVQF
@@top5records796 You are so welcome! The DCC copy is the "top dog" in my humble opinion for sure *but* with the current reality that it has become seriously expensive as of late. Consider yourself lucky if you found it anywhere under $200 for a NM. Most clean copies are hovering between $350 & $500. Yipes! 😱 But if scoring one of these DCCs becomes impossible due to cost or availability, do not pass up an original MFSL *especially* if the price is right. It *should be* cheaper and it is only 2nd to the sublime DCC. Good luck!
You have to be in the mood to listen to The Eagles. I waited for the One-Step and enjoyed it on the first two listens. Then on the third listen a few days later, I hated it, too much detail. Whatever the difference was was in my irritation factor, each cymbal strike getting on my nerves. When I am interested in listening to The Eagles, I love the One-Steps, with On The Border being the best in my view. There are a ton of One-Steps still available on their site, so it's over for the One-Step in my view. However, I bet if they dropped the price to $89-99 to counter the $150 UHQR, they would sell like hot cakes. Just my opinion. Cheers
Interesting review. Most othe reviews so far have posted positively about it though that doesn´t make them right. I had it on order but have cancelled. I bought the Desperado One Step and while the sound is excelllent, the time consuming box opening and the uppy/ downy with the 45rpm has put me off further One Step purchases. Maybe the copy you heard is faulty, or of course maybe the low mid frequencies have gone awol and there has been a complete screw up at MoFi. Would love to hear to judge for myself but not enough to make me buy it.
Thanks for your response. I think canceling it is a wise decision. We are financially not talking about peanuts (and first pressings are relatively easy to find). Perhaps my copy is faulty! But I’m also becoming more suspicious about Mofi’s proces.
Absolutely agree, sounds f@ck-in amazing on my system.... Luxman tubes and Klipsh .... Huge sound stage, deep black depth. I have been listening to this records for 40 years, never sounderd better. Buy it while you can!!
I have a revolving system with Joseph Audio speakers, VPI TT, and a snooty Soundsmith cartridge, and this release is bight, thin and harsh on top in my rig. I have the Eagles debut album UHQR and it is a stunner, so of course I couldn't wait for Hotel California.... Kerplunk ....So disappointed.
There are worse One Steps but Hotel California is a travesty. Way too hot on the top, tonal imbalance, tweaked the ultra details. Get a DCC by Steve Hoffman (costs $$$ for a reason) and hear the emotional and natural sound. The 1S One of These Nights is worse, etched, hollow mids, 1S Eagles debut some absolutely great - every harmony vocal sounds layered and defined. CSN sounds muddy. It’s Mofi - there are so many garbage records. Thank you for being honest and trusting your ears
I just went and listened to both... the MOFI One Step and an original NM 1st pressing. While the original sounds amazing the One Step opens up a lot more. Bass is tighter and just as present, same as the vocals. The high-hat and cymbal strikes shimmer more and the soundstage and imaging is outstanding (much better) .
For me, Hotel California One Step is the best sounding version of this album that I know! Opinions can be so different! Compared to the also good sounding DCC and a vinyl version from 2013, the One Step is by far the best for me. So warm sounding and the bass is very nice too! Love it!!
@@toddbromgard5211 thank you! I have a Thorens TD160, a Marantz 2216 receiver and Dynaudio BM6A MK1 speakers. I use a Ortofon Blue for stereo and a White for mono.
Sounds better with the dsd step that audiophiles didn't notice until mofi admitted the dsd step on other previous releases ,maybe it depends on the system mine is rega planar 10 with aura ,naim 552 300dr .
@@hawkmoon369 if you listen for the sound : yes. But if you listen for the music the One-Steps is not automatically the best version. ABRAXAS One-Step is a good exemple: the RIGHT OG, with the RIGHT Stampers is better !... provided your ears are skilled to hear such differences, and provided you are able to find the RIGHT OG !
Well, I have to disagree. On my system (Bang & Olufsen) it sounded absolutely amazing. I am very happy with it. The instruments sounded lifelike and present with an incredible sound stage. It was like the band was right there in front of me.
However... I must say, I am very happy with it carries a very big BUT!
I am in Australia and I finally managed to purchase it last week. AUD$300. At the store I insisted on opening it before I left. I have had so many records this past twelve months with manufacturing faults it is ridiculous. I won't buy a record now unless I inspect it. The store owner had to open three before we found one where both of the discs where fault free. I wish I was joking.
hyper detail does not make a good sounding record
Really enjoyed your video you remind me of me when I'm doing a review of a mofi that doesn't live up to their name.
I just reviewed Santana abraxas mofi DSD 33.3 on my channel. Again I just found your channel and I plan to watch a lot of your videos You're reviewing some records I don't know and I'm always searching for new records. Cheers mate
No, you are not wrong! You've absolutely nailed this review! This MOFI 1-Step is really awful. I don't even think that guitar in the intro sounds good at all. It sounds so thin myself and my friend confused it for a mandolin instead of an acoustic guitar! Lol
Thanks for hour response! So it’s not just my copy!
@@top5records796 Not just your copy! I did a collaboration with a local friend and I even produced a side-by-side-by-side video for my own channel that clearly displays the differences between four different Hotel California pressings. The best of the four we found to the Steve Hoffman 1992 remaster on the DCC label. Second best was Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's own (analog) effort from 1984 - *not to be confused with* the newer company going by the name MOFI.
And lastly, even a well worn OG was massively better than this MOFI 1-Step. It was bad enough that we had to turn the volume down. It sounds too brittle. The only systems I could see this sound OK are incredibly lower resolution, dark sounding systems. Period.
Anyway I will leave you here the link to by comparison video on Vimeo. I originally uploaded it to my UA-cam channel but it got blocked worldwide so I had no choice but to upload it in this other video sharing platform. Please let me know what you think:
ua-cam.com/video/AFRQJeS9WvU/v-deo.htmlsi=rKZ4Lien8Eu4vVQF
P.S. I might as well give you the link to Scott's own review which was a collaboration with me since we carried out the shootout at my place:
ua-cam.com/video/AFRQJeS9WvU/v-deo.htmlsi=rKZ4Lien8Eu4vVQF
@LetThereBeSound1 thanks! That is an interesting comparison! Sounds like I should look out for the Steve Hoffman pressing!
@@top5records796 You are so welcome! The DCC copy is the "top dog" in my humble opinion for sure *but* with the current reality that it has become seriously expensive as of late. Consider yourself lucky if you found it anywhere under $200 for a NM. Most clean copies are hovering between $350 & $500. Yipes! 😱
But if scoring one of these DCCs becomes impossible due to cost or availability, do not pass up an original MFSL *especially* if the price is right. It *should be* cheaper and it is only 2nd to the sublime DCC. Good luck!
You have to be in the mood to listen to The Eagles. I waited for the One-Step and enjoyed it on the first two listens. Then on the third listen a few days later, I hated it, too much detail. Whatever the difference was was in my irritation factor, each cymbal strike getting on my nerves. When I am interested in listening to The Eagles, I love the One-Steps, with On The Border being the best in my view. There are a ton of One-Steps still available on their site, so it's over for the One-Step in my view. However, I bet if they dropped the price to $89-99 to counter the $150 UHQR, they would sell like hot cakes. Just my opinion. Cheers
Interesting review. Most othe reviews so far have posted positively about it though that doesn´t make them right. I had it on order but have cancelled. I bought the Desperado One Step and while the sound is excelllent, the time consuming box opening and the uppy/ downy with the 45rpm has put me off further One Step purchases. Maybe the copy you heard is faulty, or of course maybe the low mid frequencies have gone awol and there has been a complete screw up at MoFi. Would love to hear to judge for myself but not enough to make me buy it.
Thanks for your response. I think canceling it is a wise decision. We are financially not talking about peanuts (and first pressings are relatively easy to find). Perhaps my copy is faulty! But I’m also becoming more suspicious about Mofi’s proces.
Yes agreed. I could get a near mint early pressing for a fifth of the cost fairly easily, even here in Spain.
Absolutely agree, sounds f@ck-in amazing on my system.... Luxman tubes and Klipsh .... Huge sound stage, deep black depth. I have been listening to this records for 40 years, never sounderd better. Buy it while you can!!
I have a revolving system with Joseph Audio speakers, VPI TT, and a snooty Soundsmith cartridge, and this release is bight, thin and harsh on top in my rig. I have the Eagles debut album UHQR and it is a stunner, so of course I couldn't wait for Hotel California.... Kerplunk ....So disappointed.
The guitar sounds over processed to me on the MoFi Hotel California one step.
Yeah, the highs are overly present.
My findings too, and the louder you play, the more harsh it gets.
Processed is the main word when it comes to any remaster today
Thanks for the review. I’ve yet to hear it, but reviews are heavily mixed. Appreciate the details
Thank you!
Sold my copy. I hated it. The hyper detail is annoying.
I can understand!
There are worse One Steps but Hotel California is a travesty. Way too hot on the top, tonal imbalance, tweaked the ultra details. Get a DCC by Steve Hoffman (costs $$$ for a reason) and hear the emotional and natural sound. The 1S One of These Nights is worse, etched, hollow mids, 1S Eagles debut some absolutely great - every harmony vocal sounds layered and defined. CSN sounds muddy. It’s Mofi - there are so many garbage records. Thank you for being honest and trusting your ears
I just went and listened to both... the MOFI One Step and an original NM 1st pressing. While the original sounds amazing the One Step opens up a lot more. Bass is tighter and just as present, same as the vocals. The high-hat and cymbal strikes shimmer more and the soundstage and imaging is outstanding (much better) .
Wow these reviews are all over the place!
For me, Hotel California One Step is the best sounding version of this album that I know! Opinions can be so different!
Compared to the also good sounding DCC and a vinyl version from 2013, the One Step is by far the best for me.
So warm sounding and the bass is very nice too! Love it!!
Fanboys... 😂
Or connoisseurs.
Disagree I thought the mofi rocked the original
Thanks for your response! Aren’t you missing the frequencies in the low/middle?
I like your record reviews. What stereo components do you listen to?
@@toddbromgard5211 thank you! I have a Thorens TD160, a Marantz 2216 receiver and Dynaudio BM6A MK1 speakers. I use a Ortofon Blue for stereo and a White for mono.
It's the best pressing by a mile.
Interesting, why?
Sounds better with the dsd step that audiophiles didn't notice until mofi admitted the dsd step on other previous releases ,maybe it depends on the system mine is rega planar 10 with aura ,naim 552 300dr .
@@hawkmoon369 if you listen for the sound : yes. But if you listen for the music the One-Steps is not automatically the best version. ABRAXAS One-Step is a good exemple: the RIGHT OG, with the RIGHT Stampers is better !... provided your ears are skilled to hear such differences, and provided you are able to find the RIGHT OG !