2channel8,
I bought them to listen to but didn't get around to it at first. This was during MFSL's short-lived time as a retailer in a strip mall in Sebastopol, CA. They seemed to be on shaky ground financially and the possibility that they might disappear drove up the value of their records, particularly the sealed ones. So, I kept them. I told the owner of my local used record store about them. Every time he saw me he would ask about if I wanted to sell them. Eventually. I did. |
It's Brothers and Sisters. Bought it for $2, didn't realise it was sealed. |
Tonykay, Why did you never listen to them? Bought as an investment?
Josiesdad, maybe if you share which AB album one of us could let you know if it's one of MFSL's winners. |
A few years ago, I sold my sealed MFSL records for $50 each, without regard for the title or artist. I probably made a mistake, but I had only paid $13.99 for each years earlier. The only exception was "Woodstock" (5 record set, not sealed), which brought me $200. They were all bought by a used record store.
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IMO, it is of concern that you are asking others for your determining opinion? I go with my ears/gut. |
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Crime Of The Century is still the best MFSL I’ve heard.
Sticky Fingers the worst. |
My experience with MFSL goes back to the late 70's and thru the early 90's with their vinyl pressings including the original UHQR stuff.
I enjoyed the quiet surfaces and flat discs compared to commercial pressings but sometimes their EQ differed from the original...sometimes too bright sometimes just right.
When they started producing CD's, I stopped buying them except for a few examples because they didn't sound "right". They tweak the EQ to make the sound "better" with increased detail but most of the time I don't like the sound as good as the original pressing on vinyl. Also, a lot of their choices in the Rock department are good Artists with lousy recordings in the first place so the MFSL treatment just makes the warts more apparent.
I'll buy their recordings if I know they sound better than a original or a remastering of an original which never seems to sound better IMHO.
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In my collection of LPs, from the 80s, I have a dozen or so MFSL LPs, everything from orchestral classics to Neil Diamond's "Hot August Night" to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon". Since I bought them for their good sound and not for their future collector's value, I played them a great deal over the years and still do and they still sound very good.
I'd say, unless you're in a pinch for money, keep the sealed album sealed and hold on to it for a while, buy the unsealed album, take good care of it, but play it and enjoy the great sound...JMO.....Jim
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I hear the difference MFSL LP's that I own from the late 70's and 80's. For me they are the very best recorded Lp's ever made. If your lucky enough to have a collection of them, by all means do your self a favor and record them on a 1/2 tape recorder, and try not to over play them . Keep them all and enjoy them ,they will never make those MFSL like JVC did made in Japan. After saying all that tune up your system sit back and crack that system up and enjoy life is too short....... |
If you're an AB fan, open it up and enjoy. MFSL vinyl consistently has sounded fabulous in my experience. The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers pressing that they did had so much detail and resolution, it blew away the original. I can't speak as what they've been up to recently, but in the 80's, MFSL was the place to go for the best sounding source material. |
MFSL are just like any other pressing. Some were better, some were not.
Sometimes the masters were shot, played out.
Sometimes the match between the original recorder and the playback deck was poor. Even though the tones aligned, the music didn't.
Sometimes EQ copies were used as the master had been damaged.
Sometimes combination of tape, eq, lathe, computer and laquers detracted.
If you can get more than you paid, sell it!
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Thanks for the replies. Not my favorite allman bros album, but not bad. When it was new we passed it around. Those were the days. I paid $2 so I can't lose. I will probably take it to the big city and see what I can get in store credit.How did we listen to records and not care about condition or cleanliness? Sometimes I wish...but records are magic and cds are bits. Again, thanks |
Is $125 going to change your life? Do you love the Allmans? The MFSL should sound much better than yours.
Sometimes, it’s hard to resist making a good buck on a lucky find, but sometimes it’s also a gift from the cosmos.
I can’t say which is right for you. It’s a personal choice. (I’d keep it.)
Good luck, either way. |
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MFSL records are well made and generally reliable for good sound, especially if still sealed. Having said that, I agree with the above comment that you sell it and buy more music. |
But is it actually selling? Unless, you are a collector, if you can get $125, sell it and buy more music. Depends on the rest of the rig as to how much value musically you can get out of the MF.
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