I stopped buying MoFi reissues once I heard how much better Better Records Hot Stampers sound. They're expensive but worth it. Unlike MoFi's which, well let's just say you don't ever want to compare them.
|
After the Marvin Gaye - One Step, I cancelled all my pre-orders. The sales rep asked why? I told him that the One Steps had taken a loss in sound quality and that some of my pre-orders were over a year in waiting. He shrugged my comments off. So be it.
I know, no one here will care either, after 3 years participating on A'gon, This will probably be my final post. I doubt that my posts help anyone here. Use your Ears.
Finally, there are just too many wannabes on this forum. Guys like jafant, uber, papa and others just make the nonsense intolerable. At least GK gives a laugh once in awhile.
Best to All on this Journey |
Just buy nice original pressings! Though those old jazz LPs are often very expensive (why I don't have more of them!). |
I will not waste money on any of those touted Better Records! Asking hundreds of dollars for typically common LPs is blatant profiteering preying upon the gullible! |
I can't imagine paying more than $100 for vinyl that isn't an original pressing. Keep in mind that 95% of the vinyl I buy is 50/60s jazz and mainly mono pressings on BlueNote, Prestige, etc. To me these are pieces of history and carry consistently wonderful sonics in good condition. They will also hold value and have a ready market. |
I bought two of the One-Step pressings--The Nightfly and Bill Evans "Portraits". I have only listened to "The Nightfly". I have two other pressings of that recording. The One-Step is AMAZING. Expensive, yes. But the sound quality is off the charts. |
Yes - MFSL one step records are expensive at $125 but an original pressing of POJ will run four figures in NM shape, if you can find one. |
I have all of them, except Abraxas. In terms of sound quality, the only 2 that left me wanting were Marvin Gaye and Simon and Garfunkel. I think the other albums sound fantastic. The new vinyl formulation, Super Vinyl, the record is semi transparent when brought up to the light. It is clearly superior to the previous vinyl formulation and as good as any vintage vinyl formulation I have heard. The silent grooves are dead quiet and the music arrives from blackness. The Super Vinyl only started with the Marvin Gaye release.
So Marvin Gaye, Stevie Ray Vaughn and the second Bill Evans release are on Super vinyl. The Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood, is fantastic. |
Anyone else interested in ordering these? No |
If they do Dire straight, I may cave in...
|
Bill Evans POJ sounds great |
I got the SRV Texas flood one step process it sounds amazing then my other reissues of it, but I waited till national records store day and saved 60 bucks. I bought Mo Fi's Arethas Gold though and I was extremely disappointed with it. Sounded flat and dull with no bass, So do what I do wait till a sale on boxing day, Black Friday or RSD. that's just my opinion though.
|
Nkonor Not sure what Jafant, Oregonpapa or myself did to upset you but no reason to leave these forums. You do not like us or our posts do as others surely do and just ignore us and said posts. Finally, there are just too many wannabes on this forum. Guys like jafant, uber, papa and others just make the nonsense intolerable. At least GK gives a laugh once in awhile.
Truly sorry to see anybody leave tbh but best of luck. |
On 06-12-19 @ 8:23, I posted that it would probably be my final post. Well, I need to make this post.
I need to give "millercarbon" a heads up !! Have followed his posts for quite awhile now and find his thoughts, opinions, and shared info to be very good and worth paying attention to.
I followed up on spending the money for a "Better Records" pressing. I too have stopped buying the MoFi, One Step pressings. Last weeks email from Better Records had a pressing of Ray Charles "Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul" on sale. $250.00 with $50.00 off. $200.00 for a used record ?? Yikes !! Miller, I took a leap of faith on your opinion. 100% guarantee,I could send it back, took the chance.
I have been upgrading my system since Axpona 2016. Was a 20 year Spectral owner. Have changed to Pass Labs. This will be my Final System.Plus I will really see if records from Better Records are what they are cracked up to be with my new speakers. (Rockport Atria IIs)
Received my package Friday. fired up the system, put the record on the TT, gave the record a cursory brush with my new Thunderon brush and cued the tonearm / cartridge. Within a minute, I knew this record was special. I just hoped that both sides were like what I was hearing.
I have had this on CD for 30 years. Have played it at least 300 times, ( It is a favorite) I was hearing Rays voice and piano in the room with me. Every inflection and nuance; Live !! The strike of the hammers on the strings, The backup singers like never before. Side One, was an absolute revelation. I hoped Side Two would be as good and it was. Maybe 12-15 insignificant ticks total on both sides. So glad that I took the chance.
Will I be buying "Better Records" only? No, cannot afford it, but will look a little closer now.
My system is posted but I will give a quick rundown of the equipment I used. |
Equipment that I used to hear this record.
Technics SL1200 G, modded with Triplanar Classic SE tonearm and Lyra Kleos cartridge.
Pass 160.8 monoblocks
Pass XP 20 linestage
Manley Steelhead phono with NOS Telfunken 6922 tubes
New Rockport Atria IIs, these are replacing my 14 year old Avalon Opus speakers.
Best to All on this Journey
Special Thanks to millercarbon
|
I really love vinyl but other than to try one just to know what the fuss is about I'm not about to spend $125 on a record when I can get a High def digital version for $18. If no body paid that kind of stupid money for them the prices would come down to acceptable levels. By buying $1 worth of plastic for $300 you are egging these guys on. Stop getting sucker punched!! |
Is it just me, or does anyone else find the notion of a seller of "especially good" pressings of LP's having actually listened to multiple pressings of every title he sells, found the one (or ones) that sound "especially good", does that sound not just plausible, but even possible? That's a lot of man (or woman) hours! |
Eric
I assume you are referring to the Better Record blurb on their web site.
I too went for a look after the recommendations here and was a little surprised that all it appears to be is something you or I or anybody here could stumble along.
Granted we may not have the time or resources.
But agreed it seems a little odd, I mean lets say they have bought and graded 1000 copies of DSOTM to find a White Hot Stamper, what happens to the other 999?
Now if they truly are listening to and buying hundreds of copies of each album I can see where the price comes in to pay for the man hours but still...….
Surely there must be more to it than that?
|
No there is not uberwaltz. It was all made up by some marketing person who usually listens to a Bose radio. These guys are into making money and figure us audiophiles are stupid enough to spend that kind of money on a record. They will market them any way they think might help them sell. Remember, marketing is the fine art of lying to the customer. All of the drug/supplement adds you hear on the radio are pure BS. Never buy anything from a human who is trying to sell you something.
I just listened to The Academy of St.Martin-in-the-fields doing Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez, Pepe Romero on Guitar. It is just a plain old Phillips pressing I probably pain $10 for 3 decades ago. Gorgeous recording and dead quiet. As good as any Analog Productions and better than many current MoFi pressings.
$125 is bad enough but 300 is totally ridiculous. |
I thought I had one MoFi recording... Lol.
It's an old one, All Around My Hat by Steeleye Span.
I have to admit it sounds very good but also it did NOT cost deep into 3 figures so....
Not sure I am convinced yet to spend those amounts on vinyl. |
I have the 2 bill evans one step pressings, bridge over troubled water and haven’t opened the Blood on the tracks yet.
If you have a significant investment in a vinyl rig I think the 1 step is definitely worth it, if you like the particular title.
Our hardware is only as good as the software and with the right masters, I think the 1 step is currently state of the art as far as LP’s. I’d love to hear Rickie Lee Jones POP POP on 1 step. |
$125 is shallow into three figures, uberwaltz. No doubt you'll reconsider, now, lol.
|
Was not specifically referring to THAT particular example.
More the OTHER examples I have found that are pushing $499 and more.
Now these maybe out of print limited editions that collectors only are buying but bejesus! |
The best thing about the One Steps . . . reselling! I got the first Bill Evans for $100 - the day it arrived I sold it in one hour on eBay for $325. Tidy profit to offset some more reasonable vinyl purchases. Luckily I'm not the guy that needs to have THE best copy - nor can I afford it. |
Amazing. I just came from Better Records web site. Did you know that none of us are decent listeners because we have not spent "10 years listening 40 hours a week"??? These people will not be in business long. In doctor speak they are totally FOS. IMHO anybody spending more than $35 for an albums worth of music is being sucker punched. Yes, there are great pressings and lousy ones. Good mixes and bad ones. But you can get the best mixes and pressings for as little as $20. You buy records to listen to the music you like. To have a large satisfying collection. They are a terrible investment and I have no interest in "original" copies. I also have amazing music that is on a terrible pressing or has a bad mix and I enjoy listening to it just as much. Just maybe someone will reissue it in better quality for a decent price.
It is all just profiteering. Also whenever you see "guaranteed" your BS antenna should go up. |
I view the hot stamper thing as an exercise in statistics with of course many variables...
so finding the white hot perfect sounding both sides pressing out of possible millions is mostly an exercise in futility.
you can of course narrow the search by making some assumptions about mastering engineer, pressing plant, made on a Monday or a Friday, etc....
part of that last bit was a trick question |
Back when I was working, this would have made a nice homework assignment for somebody wanting to get a six sigma black belt.... or not.....
now that I am retired, I think about two minutes about the math and just laugh.... |
But IF you want a single variable experiment on pressing # SQ, look no further than MoFi..... of course the range is limited, on purpose |
I just came home to an order from Elusive Disc. Paul Revere and the Raiders Spirit of 67. Friday Music. Great mix, almost perfect vinyl, $30.
Andrew Hill, Black Fire. Blue Note. Classic mix (piano to far in the rear)
Perfect vinyl. $35. Brahms Symphony #1 George Szell, Stereorama
Knock out recording. Perfect vinyl $35. Four great records for the price of one One Step. My kind of deal. |
Roughly half the time I never revisit my posts. Partly because I've said what needed saying so why? But honestly, also partly because it just gets so dreary reading through the same old same old from people who might as well write a macro and hit Ctrl+BS for all the consideration they give a subject. But then every once in a while being bored at work I do go back and that's why only just now I noticed this:
I need to give "millercarbon" a heads up !! Have followed his posts for
quite awhile now and find his thoughts, opinions, and shared info to be
very good and worth paying attention to.
I followed up on
spending the money for a "Better Records" pressing.... Last weeks email from Better
Records had a pressing of Ray Charles "Ingredients in a Recipe for
Soul" on sale. $250.00 with $50.00 off. $200.00 for a used record ??
Yikes !! Miller, I took a leap of faith on your opinion. 100%
guarantee,I could send it back, took the chance.
Received my
package Friday. fired up the system, put the record on the TT, gave the
record a cursory brush with my new Thunderon brush and cued the tonearm /
cartridge. Within a minute, I knew this record was special. I just
hoped that both sides were like what I was hearing.
I have had
this on CD for 30 years. Have played it at least 300 times, ( It is a
favorite) I was hearing Rays voice and piano in the room with me. Every
inflection and nuance; Live !! The strike of the hammers on the
strings, The backup singers like never before. Side One, was an absolute
revelation. I hoped Side Two would be as good and it was. Maybe 12-15
insignificant ticks total on both sides. So glad that I took the chance. Me too. For some reason I really enjoyed reading that. Thanks!
|
What a spends person on records in there business. Heck, people pay thousands for a rare bottle of wine and in the end it still comes out as piss.
|
Cheers.
vegasears, you are right. But most people will never admit that they spent $300 on a trivial piece of plastic so it becomes the best record they ever heard influencing others to make the same mistake. Having made that mistake several times I feel inclined to warn people that they are more than likely wasting money.
Hey Millercarbon. I have the original MoFi Beatles Box in pristine condition. All on JVC Super Vinyl. You can have it for a paltry $12,000. |
Speaking of mistakes, I inadvertently order two copies of the Yes Fragile one-step release. I received the shipping notification for both at about the same time. They seem to do nothing but go up in price, so I don't mind. |
|
I have a number of pressings from Better Records. Of the ones I have, I have multiple copies of them.
In comparing the duplicates, it's no contest! Better Records pressings are superior. For example, I have four copies of Oscar Peterson's, We Get Requests. The hot stamper from Better Records is far superior than my other three copes. I could go on and on. That's the beauty of hunting for great pressing. Every so often you find one at the used record store. But sometimes ya just gotta have the best immediately! If ya have a rig that can take advantage of the superior pressing I suggest giving them a try. I'd be embarrassed to share with people what I've spent on individual pressings from Better Records. No regrets.
|
For less than $35/ea you can pick up the BlueNote Tone Poet reissues which sound amazing. Best deal going in vinyl I believe today. |
To MOST people, we are oddballs- who would sit still, for an entire evening, and listen to music? Serious audiophiles, in case you didn't know, do that kind of stuff. They also spend lots of time. Lots of money. Lots of Jonezing. The lucky ones have arrived THERE and all they have to do is spin some tunes (or, stream). If you're lucky, you friends nearby who are equally possessed.
So, if a person spends his/her time and money on audio stuff, and happens to love music, it makes sense to seek out the best recordings, que no?
|
Only concern i have with the MFSL One Steps is that MoFi seem to be picking titles that appeal to the masses vs. are great enough recordings ( SQ wise) in the first place that they deserve the 'One Step' process.
For example, the 'One Step' of BOTW is an appeal for a larger audience..because the original master tape is well known to be veiled and dry sounding. Here the music is well known and to most..excellent; problem is the master was highly flawed to begin with. So this title, released as a 'One Step' was calculated to max profit, but not chosen because of the SQ in the master. Many folks are ok with this, as they want to hear the best sounding record of a particular piece...even though the SQ will ultimately be lacking. All good, except i think there is a place for that type of record/reissue...and is it the MFSL 'One Step' at $125-+ ?? |
miller's post are always helpful. Not to spoil this thread, I have a top notch digital rig which I enjoy very much, I have 20 something vinyls from the 80s don't think these will be too good. Wanted to start playing vinyl, have a technics old model 1200 mk4 I think with a denon dl301 I think cartridge. On which places online would you start getting good quality vinyl to start a library?
|
-
I stopped buying MoFi reissues once I heard how much better Better Records Hot Stampers sound. They're expensive but worth it.
I stopped buying Better Records hot stampers reissues once I heard how much better The Electric recording sound. They're expensive but worth it.
|
"I stopped buying Better Records hot stampers reissues once I heard how much better The Electric recording sound. They’re expensive but worth it."
Yeah, they are....expensive. But if one has a system up to the task, what the hell...we only go around once. I’d try one if I were in that league.
Sadly, I’m limited to multiple copies from the bins. Even then, occasionally it means 3-5 copies of....junk. Those copies I place out on the curb for someone else to enjoy, or if they have a decent system, realize they’re..meh.
|
I have been really happy with my system for the past couple years and have invested a lot more into my collection. Lately this has included 3 of the UD1S records, Mingus Ah Um, Texas Flood and Monk's Dream. I did not own any copies of these so that made it easier to justify the initial cost. I have been very impressed with their sound and how quiet the noise floor is on the super vinyl. What I wish MoFi would do is simply do more of the Gain2 45rpm treatments like they have done for the 5 Dire Straits albums. Those are all wonderful and with their sale, getting those for $45 each is awesome. I don't need the big box, foam and extra stuff.
I just pre-ordered the first IMPEX 1STEP release of Patricia Barber Cafe Blue. Again, don't have this album and recently got her Nightclub album that is wonderful. I prefer new, clean and quiet over vintage.
I read through most of this thread and went on better-records site. It seems very hard to believe and I may actually have a few hot stampers naturally in my collection. I have Tug of War that sounds fantastic and they said most other copies are 'just plain awful'.
The value of these special/numbered releases is appealing and makes one feel good. The reality is that most of us will never sell them, it just beefs up our collection value on discogs. This is my hobby and my passion. I have been out on dates for a mediocre dinner that cost $150. I walked away disappointed and a bit frustrated. At the end of the day, $125 for a record that makes me smile every time I drop the needle for the remainder of my life is worth every penny! Looking at them on my display shelf is pretty cool too : ) |
Better Records Is providing a service - reviewing many records and choosing the best of the lot. The time spent plus having to dispose of the rest of the vinyl one would expect a substantial higher price to cover these costs plus time and effort.
For some, the uptick in sonics is worth the price, others maybe not so much. But it’s better to have options than not.
|
Better Records are reviewing records and picking the best sounding...but here’s a couple of ??’s...The records that they pick are best sounding to them based on their criteria, does that mean it will be the best based on the consumer’s criteria? Do we know what gear they are using to do the determination? Does that gear allow them to truly hear what is the best sounding pressing? |
I think what is most important is knowing the pressing plant, the engineer, 1st press etc. It makes big difference. But I tend to agree with the fact that many reissues and even Japanese pressings may not sound very good. Unless you know what you are looking for, many japanese pressings can sound very thin, almost anemic. Many reissues are remastered and sound completely different than they did on the first pressing probably mainly because of tape deterioration or no useable master tape. |
The records that they pick are best sounding to them based on their criteria, does that mean it will be the best based on the consumer’s criteria? No. But here's a question for you: can you think of anything where that would be the case? No. So same as usual. Do we know what gear they are using to do the determination? Yes. They play records on a turntable, listening through speakers. Does that gear allow them to truly hear what is the best sounding pressing? It's not the gear that allows anyone to hear Daveyf. It's our own ears and listening skills. All it's ever been, all it ever will be. |
Unless you know what you are looking for, many japanese pressings can sound very thin, almost anemic Even the pressings from the 70's and early 80's? |
It depends. You have to know what you are looking for. Yes, even the pressings from 70’s and 80’s. Even reissue US pressings can sound thin as well.
Many from this period were not pressed on virgin vinyl so they can have some surface noise but they still can sound very good. |
Thanks, I'm about to purchase a few from Japan and I don't have a real comparison point for many
|
@millercarbon Nope, the gear makes all the difference! If you think one can judge records by listening to a Crosley all in one, then yes, you would be right! After all, the Crosley is a turntable and has speakers...;0)
You can use your ears and apply your listening skills all you like, the Crosley is the Crosley....... |
