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What's going on with Mobile Fidelity?

I like this label a lot for the generally very high quality reissues and a great catalog that is continually expanding. But what is up with the crazy wait time for their pre-orders? I've had Santana III on pre-order since February, and was told by MoFi reps they expected to have it released by mid-March. Well, it's the end of April and still waiting...

I noticed quite a few of their advertised pre-orders are still in that status after more than half a year of being featured on record retailers' websites. Rickie Lee Jones, several Billy Joel albums, already mentioned Santana, a few Foreigner albums, Miles Davis "Kind of Blue," just to mention a few. I understand creating a buzz around new releases that are in the pipeline as a marketing strategy, but if you can't get it to market in half a year or more, I find it somewhat incompetent and almost tantamount to false advertising. I certainly do not appreciate paying for a product that the company seems to have no firm grip on delivering in a reasonably timely manner. Anyone else frustrated by this?
actusreus
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,941 posts
 
Goofy...MOFI has released, (or will release) a few mono lps. Granted, not very many, but a few.

There are a couple Frank Sinatra, one Ray Charles, a couple of Miles Davis and I thought I had read that a couple of the upcoming Dylan would be mono.

I agree they could do more, but I'm pretty sure that the master rights are separate for stereo and mono tapes, so MOFI would have to pay for each version. I bet the stereo LPs way outsell the mono reissues. It's probably an economics situation.
goofyfoot
1,330 posts
 
Mofimadness, I agree with what you've said. One can just compare how many mono cartridges are sold to that of stereo to understand the logistics behind the said marketing. I'll be looking forward to the Dylan mono pressings with great anticipation.
janeb
40 posts
 
I agree with Actusreus. The practice of pre-releasing but not committing to a definite release date, or stating a release date and then backing off from that needs to stop, IMO. Several of the Miles Davis LP's have gone this route.
MOFI under Music Direct needs to release a title if and when they know that it can be produced, quit with the 'BS' marketing.
goofyfoot
1,330 posts
 
I'm going to have to recoil from my enthusiasm surrounding the possibility of a Dylan mono vinyl pressing from Mobile Fidelity. I didn't realize that those amazing JVC Mobile Fidelity vinyl remasters were strictly a thing of the past. A friend told me to skip on the newer vinyl MOFI and to stick with the SACD Hybrid's.
rockpig
18 posts
 
I cannot recall the source but I recall reading about Acoustic Sounds having trouble getting their vinyl pressed because the Big Boys (Rhino etc) were hogging the pressing plants. These plants would give the Big Boys preference and I dare say big money would sway the pressing plants to push back the small guys orders and steam ahead with the Big Boys orders.

Acoustic Sounds ended up tooling up and built their own pressing plant "Quality Records" just so they could get their own releases made.

So I would think it reasonable to think that MoFi is also a victim of having their orders being pushed back by the pressing plant. I'd assume MoFi have the masters ready for pressing but cannot get them done and that is most likely the main reason their vinyl is so long on pre-order. Not because it is some kind of marketing strategy.
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