Do Mobile Fidelity Vinyl Re-issues Have a Digital Step in the Process?

[Avidlistener]

On another board, people have indicated that they emailed MFSL asking if current LP’s were all analog or not. The answer they got was yes, all analog. I have requested that people post those emails. If so, this is even worse than just not revealing. I, like many consider an all analog LP to be a premium product. MFSL knows this and chose to either just mislead by not saying, or perhaps just flat out lie.

We as audiophiles have to put up with enough skepticism around cables, fuses, etc. MFSL has now made one step owners like myself look like fools.
I truly hope Andrew Jones walks away from Mofi. They don’t deserve his talents. I would have been very interested in his new designs, but I’m never buying a Mofi product again.

I compared The Mike Fremer samples of Paul Simon One step with the SACD files. There was no comparison. The SACD sounded considerably better, but like a lemming, I bought the one step anyway.

 

[PeterA]

What a mess. It will be interesting to see what happens to future sales.

 

[Jeffy]

You don’t get it they take the master tape to4X DSD then to record. They are not doing all analog. They were caught on this because of the up coming Michael Jackson record.

 

[Jeffy]

Oh I think this will hurt them a lot. Time will tell

 

[Avidlistener]

There are reports of massive cancellations of pre orders. They deserve to go out of business.

I may consider an email campaign asking labels to NOT license future titles to MFSL.

 

[Jeffy]

There are reports of massive cancellations of pre orders. They deserve to go out of business.

I may consider an email campaign asking labels to NOT license future titles to MFSL.

Come on this is stupid are you now the gastapo police

 

[Jeffy]

Who knows this may be the way of the future

 

[mtemur]

On the video mofi guys are advocating the dsd. They're explaining how perfect cutting from the dsd transfer sounds and how cutting from the master tape can not compete with it. I would like to ask those gentlemen why are you pressing vinyl with a ridiculously high price tag than? Why don't you press sacds instead?

 

[Jeffy]

On the video mofi guys are advocating the dsd. They're explaining how perfect the dsd sounds and how the master tape can not compete with it. I would like to ask those gentlemen why are you pressing vinyl with a ridiculously high price tag than? why don't you press sacds instead?

Good one

 

[Solypsa]

On the video mofi guys are advocating the dsd. They're explaining how perfect the dsd sounds and how the master tape can not compete with it.

How can the dsd be 'more perfect' then the master tape?

As far as I can see there are three reasons to do a dsd ( or whatever digital ) intermediate step:
1) to allow multiple transfers where the master tape cannot / should not be played so often.
2) to allow for noise reduction and editing in digital workstation.
3) to allow for easy preview path for variable pitch transfer ( if TdP Studer has no preview heads )

Of the three only #1 seems acceptable in my view...

 

[Avidlistener]

Come on this is stupid are you now the gastapo police

I paid MFSL quite a bit of money on one steps, which I now believe are inferior to the best digital files, based on what I heard. I never would have bought digital LP’s, and one steps Are possibly worth less now on the used market. Why is it stupid to make labels aware of a customer’s preference for buying from honest, all analog labels?

 

[dminches]

People should watch the video before drawing conclusions and asking questions.

For example, they explained that for some recordings, each song is on a different tape with a different calibration so it is impossible to cut a lacquer in real time.

Anyway, the important part to me is transparency. I just like to know what I am buying.

 

[mtemur]

How can the dsd be 'more perfect' then the master tape?

It can't, no copy can be better than the original.
Cutting from digital can be better only if the master tape is in bad shape with high noise, clicks, hum etc. In that case dsd is not the format to use cause you can not edit dsd. It is mandatory to use pcm for editing, cleaning and restoring. I know how it's done cause audio restoration and mastering music for vinyl is what I do professionally.

 

[Avidlistener]

People should watch the video before drawing conclusions and asking questions.

For example, they explained that for some recordings, each song is on a different tape with a different calibration so it is impossible to cut a lacquer in real time.

This could easily be done using an high quality analog dub.

I’ve already contacted Warner Bros. Music about this matter, asking them to work with reputable reissue labels in the future.

 

[dminches]

This could easily be done using an high quality analog dub.

I’ve already contacted Warner Bros. Music about this matter, asking them to work with reputable reissue labels in the future.

According to the 3 guys in the video they felt that the analog dub added its own thumbprint on the sound.

 

[mtemur]

According to the 3 guys in the video they felt that the analog dub added its own thumbprint on the sound.

Do you think that when they use dsd the unavoidable A/D and D/A conversions don't have a sound signature? Do you believe transferring to dsd and A/D-D/A conversions are really transparent as they advocated?

 

[Ron Resnick]

When I raised the question:
how can we be sure “original master recording“ means AAA?

You answered:

Now I'm watching the video and those gentlemen from mofi already admitted that Santana Abraxas was cut from a 4x DSD digital file. So it's not AAA, there is a digital mastering process but on the top of the jacket it says "original master recording". This one example indicates that “original master recording“ does not always means AAA. that's why I'm suspicious. Don't you?

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You are correct. I was not specific enough. Thank you for correcting me.

Right now it is not clear if one-steps or UHQRs which have the “Original Master Recording” are or are not AAA. We know (from the video) only that LPs with the “Original Master Recording” stripe and which are not one-steps or UHQRs are AAA.

 

[dminches]

Do you think that when they use dsd the unavoidable A/D and D/A conversions don't have a sound signature? Do you believe transferring to dsd and A/D-D/A conversions are really transparent as they advocated?

I am just reporting what they said. Ask them the questions, not me.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I do not want to entertain on this thread, please, another digital versus analog subjective sound quality debate or digital technical perfection debate.

Please take that discussion elsewhere.

I would like this thread to focus on establishing the truth about the recording, mixing and mastering technical details of each of the each of the subclasses of Mo-Fi releases.

Thank you.

 

[dminches]

You are correct. I was not specific enough. Thank you for correcting me.

Right now it is not clear if one-steps or UHQRs which have the “Original Master Recording” are or are not AAA. We know (from the video) only that LPs with the “Original Master Recording” stripe and which are not one-steps or UHQRs are AAA.

Ron, that is not correct. OMR means it is from a verified master tape. That’s it.