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MoFi controversy

I see this hasn't been mentioned here yet, so I thought I'd put this out here.  Let me just say that I haven't yet joined the analog world, so I don't have a dog in this fight.

It was recently revealed that Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs one step LPs are being cut from digital masters (DSD) rather than being straight analog throughout the chain.

Here is one of the many Youtube videos that discusses it

 

To me, it seems that if MOFI is guilty of anything, it's "deception by omission."  That is, they were never open about the process and the use of digital in the chain. 

One thing to mention is that hardly anyone is criticizing the sound quality of these LPs, even after this revelation.  Me personally, I wouldn't spend over one hundred dollars for any recording regardless of the format.

 

ftran999

Showing 2 responses by tylermunns

tylermunns
600 posts
 

If I spend high-dollar value for a specific thing, I feel ripped off if that thing is not what it’s supposed to be.

We buy analog stuff for a reason.

The “stop complaining if it sounds good” argument is nil.

Side-stepping honesty as a company is bad.

tylermunns
600 posts
 

You make some good points. $125 is a lot of money for a 12-inch album sleeve and the cachet of the vinyl experience. I phrase it that way because:

What other features of this product would benefit the consumer should the sound be comparable (or inferior) to a digital copy, since the source is digital from the get-go?

People like what they like, and can spend their money however they see fit.  I’m not sure it is fair to smear MoFi as some dishonest company. Had they explicitly stated their products were purely analog then, sure, this charge would be valid.

It is worth pondering as an audio person the cost/benefit ratio of many vinyl purchases.  Analog is great.  Sometimes we just want an album on vinyl, and may be fine with a $30 vinyl copy that was sourced from digital.  I think it’s fair to say, “my willingness to spend a high premium for a particular album is based on having a purely analog experience.” For me, personally, this is why I pay the big bucks for certain albums because it will be inherently different (and perhaps notably superior) to its digital counterpart.

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