I'm curious and would like to hear your opinions, recommendations and experiences... Which out-of-print Mobile Fidelity and MoFi UHQR vinyl sets are the most desireable and valuable? Is there a list somewhere that answers these questions, including what someone might expect to pay for the items sealed and unsealed? I can see eBay ads, but most are "Buy It Now" pricing not auctions, so it's hard to tell if the prices are realistic or not....whatever that means among Audiophools in this economy!!
Back in the late 1970s and through the 80s buying Mobil Fidelity Lps was what most knowledgeable audiophiles did....
Times change so as systems, most of what I had is now gone, sold or traded for other things to people that were elated over getting popular long out of print MoFi.
I don't know if it was MoFi's half speed process or other techniques but I can tell you as my listening abilities and taste matured I got rid of them.
Mike Lavigne Don't kid yourself, no playback system or any amount of VTA adjustment will make these lifeless screwed up Lps sound any better... You want something new to blow your mind Mike?, find the UK 4 Lp box set of Pink Floyd's Pulse.
This limited edition recording alone is worth every single Rock release MoFi have ever done and then some, I had most of them.
I bought a lot of MoFi's back in the day. The only UHQR I ever bought was "Tea For the Tillerman" by Cat Stevens. Sounded great, but sold it because I didn't really like the album that much. Two of my favorite MoFi's were "Night and Day" by Joe Jackson and "Abandoned Luncheonette" by Hall and Oates.
I have several of the original MoFi releases from the 70s-80s. My experience is that they can be very good, but some not so great. My "Tea for the Tillerman" is a bit too forward and hot,but it does have it's moments."Dark Side of the Moon" is nothing special other than very quiet during the heart beats."The Doors" is simply dreadful.The "Aqualung" is good,but so is the original.CSNY "Deja Vu" is markedly better than the original. The vinyl in these old ones was very good but not extra heavy. No 180g back then.I am not sure it matters. Personally I have found that if you can find a original it is ALWAYS better than a reissue.This may not be wholly true with some of the old Mercurys where the Golden Jubilees are better than the Living Presence originals.That said, I will confess that I have not heard the 'speakers corner" reissues which are lauded by some as wonderful.I know that if Proprius,Harmonia Mundi and Lyrita were to reissue I would have to jump on them for the music if nothing else. Perhaps since vinyl is really the only medium in the music biz that is showing growth the big labels might jump back into the fray,which would drive the prices down some. With the resurgence of vinyl I fear that the old pressing engineers are all gone and it may take some time for the new guys to learn their trade. I also fear that the prices that these new 180g-200g reissues are fetching will turn anyone that is not loaded (money)will be left out of the magic and charm of analog.We shall see. For us old farts with all our vintage LPs it is no so much a problem,but for the generations that follow it could kill the whole deal. sorry for going off topic
Hi Yogiboy and All, I followed this thread for a while and the Steely Dan 'Aja' comments and G. L. 'Sundown' etc. I have both LP's BUT not from MoFi, so... how I wonder can the stock Reprise LP by G.L. sound any much better from MoFi then it is in the first place? It sounds *VERY* good in stock, so why bother?! For a thicker slap of vinyl? Maybe, but I can't see it. As to Aja, mine is mastered by Kevin Grey and Robert Pincus at AcousTech Mastering, Camarillo, CA from 'Cisco' limited edition S/N 4786 and it sound very good. This makes me wonder what went wrong with the MoFi item ---- and who actually has THE master tape? Everyone works from 'original' masters... how MANY can there be I ask??
Lastly, I have a number of these "Gold" MoFi CDs and I'm not sure any/many of them made a positive difference --- some sounded with more bass 'pumped up' and with some - I'm not sure there's any positive difference at all. Bob Marley's "Exodus" sounds pretty much over the top in bass as I recall, not any 'improvement' as I would see it.
It IS worth the inquiry before spending the extra $$$ to have an idea of their BETTER efforts, I think. Best, Axel
I may be wrong but from what I remembered MoFi did not put out hardly any UHQR DISKS. Yes many pressings were made from Mo Fi,But I think only 8 or 9 disks were made using UHQR. At one time I had them all including Dark Side Of The Moon Sealed. My best one was Sgt Peppers by The Beatles This was incredible sounding. I think I had pressing number 121 out of the 3000 limited edition made. The early UHQR'S were all limited edition in box sets with paper work included verifying its authenticity. Earl Klugs pressing was great as well. Supertramp okay I guess. I never did hear the Pink Floyd sold it sealed to Chad for $200.00 many years ago . Now going for 1k SEALED i THINK dON c.
In the end its great to have a record to sound fantastic. But be it a Origenal, mfsl, uhqr, or a reissue its the music that counts. I have a fair sized collection and play them all because I love the music and if the production and sound are part of the lp I'm All the happier. Mike
The best "Katy Lied" I have heard is the 2000 yen Jap pressing. Yes,Tom Port is right on this one. I must have 10 or more copies and lables of this records. It will never be perfect. I do love the music this record.
The Mobile Fidelity thing, like any other records, are fueled by taste and rarity. Usually they are not better than the originals, but sometimes the originals really sucked or are so rare that they essentially don't exist.
A good example of that latter is Close to the Edge by Yes, finding the original British on that is really hard!!
The other problem is the titles. Katy Lied is a good example- a great reissue of a record that was awful, uninspired and overplayed when it came out. Of course, there are those that disagree- like I said its a taste thing. In their later years MoFi did the same thing with other titles- titles they could afford- like reissues of Manhattan Transfer. Why in the heck would anyone spend $30 on a reissue of a record when the original was still available sealed for $2.00 in the cutout bins (IOW as common as an old shoe)? No-one bought the reissue, and MoFi folded (again).
So IMO/IME, don't buy a record simply because it is a MoFi. Only get it if you will play it, if it is clearly better than the original and/or the original is impossible to find.
I simply avoid all the MFSLs. IMHO, you're much better off with a good original pressing 99% of the time, both musically and sonically. And, no I haven't heard them all - but then again I believe my sampling over the years of half-speeds, "super-discs" and the rest has been sufficient to come to some personal consensus. The usual disclaimers apply.
I had the 200 gm version of Getz Gilberto on the table the other day. It is pretty amazing IMHO. I also really like the 200gm Muddy Waters Folk Singer as well, trouble is I play it too often.
Viridian, you may want to look for an earlier pressing of Katy Lied. I've heard plenty that sound as you described but I now have one that sounds very good.
as feelings run so strongly on MoFi's one way of the other (and i own most all of them) i will avoid any recs.
the only point i will make is that VTA and system bass performance are significant considerations in judging various pressings. i have gone from 'ho-hum' to 'thumbs up' quite a few times with small VTA adjustments on MFSL pressings, particularly the earlier japanese pressings. complaints about tipped up top end or bass that is too heavy might be as much comments on set-up and system character as a pressing issue.
it could also be just that MoFi's pressings vary to a good degree and you need to find the good ones.
Thanks for the info so far guys. I read some of the other threads where people were weighing-in on the relative quality of the various pressings you have mentioned above. Nothing like multiple versions to add some confusion to the mix!!
Couldn't agree more on Aja and John Klemmer....I was going to list my Aja lp and decided whoever bought it would give me negative feedback for as bad as it sounds! Touch is a keeper, that's for sure.
Use popsike http://www.popsike.com/ to see what they've sold for in completed auctions-as opposed to any 'price guide', this will provide a real monetary value, i.e. what someone has actually paid.
You can also see completed auctions at ebay ('Advanced Search') though popsike lists those at their site.
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