“Mofi-gate”

Discussion in 'Vinyl Nutjob World: Turntable and Related Gear' started by recstar24, Aug 1, 2022.

  1. recstar24

    recstar24 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2017
    Likes Received:
    118
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Chicago
    Not sure how many here have been following for the past 2.5 weeks, but the tldr: version is that Mobile Fidelity has basically been cutting virtually all of their vinyl releases from DSD files, including their premier 1-steps. The primary issue at hand with those individuals that are more financially and emotionally engaged with this is that they feel “cheated” and “lied” to, as the feeling was mofi appeared to market and advertise and communicate that their releases were cut directly to lacquer from the original analog tapes (unless otherwise specified).
     
  2. HotRatSalad

    HotRatSalad Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 4, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,684
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NH
    I think they should have definitely been more specific and truthful. I guess from master tapes can mean anything. Omission of truth is different from a lie ?

    In the end I don't really care, everyone goes nuts for the RL moving picture from rush. This album was mixed digitally... Sounds awesome either way, same with brothers in arms. I have original pressings, but even then they are not technically AAA. I have tons of vinyl sourced from hi res. Floyd, the Soundgarden reissues and on and on. They all sound awesome. What do I care, I already new they were FOS.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 2
    • List
  3. recstar24

    recstar24 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2017
    Likes Received:
    118
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Chicago
    “mmmm, how are they cutting 40,000 one steps directly from the master tape for thriller?” Lol. Mofi essentially outed themselves, they are so dumb.

    I’m with you re: digitally sourced vinyl. I love my AAA stuff but I’m far from being a zealot
     
  4. HotRatSalad

    HotRatSalad Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 4, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,684
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NH
    I don't stick to one format and I don't just play records. I'd be spending more on stylus than on music and gear. I also not one to buy these expensive reissues for $100.
    I find the best mastering otherwise, can be a cd, an sacd, 24 bit file or a rekkid.
     
  5. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 11, 2020
    Likes Received:
    2,209
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    open sky
    Turns out dsd isn’t too bad I guess? Truly a archival format as intended. Sucks it was a white lie by mofi. I will have to go out of my way to listen to some sacds by them but I am not a fan of the price. I wonder what it will do to the used market?

    I remember one of my first store experiences was with the president of the audiophile society in my town telling me how expensive the Santana Abraxas was. Wonder if it’s price still holds up after this news. But it seems the die hard vinyl lovers could always hear the difference between the “one step” and a AAA pressing.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 2
    • List
  6. Qildail

    Qildail Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2021
    Likes Received:
    2,285
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Iowa
    On one hand, this will kneecap some scalpers/flippers, which really doesn't hurt my feelings at all, truth be told.

    Now, if indie record stores get stuck holding the bag on inventory from cancelled pre-orders, that's a problem.

    They still make amazing-sounding records, AAA or not. The question remains whether they can sustain $100-$125 per album for the premium releases. I doubt that holds up for very long -- there will be some sort of market correction from this.

    And the thing that's most frustrating is: it's all self-inflicted. Bad optics, bad customer service, bad public relations, bad damage control.
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 1
    • List
  7. recstar24

    recstar24 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2017
    Likes Received:
    118
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Chicago
    I haven’t noticed the used market showing any significant changes, other then a short term flurry of people looking to unload. It’s debatable whether any of this will truly impact mofi long term.

    The biggest hit reputation wise was definitely the abraxas one step. But I think used prices really haven’t adjusted yet to it’s digital progeny. As for whether the hardcore vinylphiles truly could hear the difference between a DSD sourced cut or true AAA cut…debatable as well :)
     
  8. recstar24

    recstar24 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2017
    Likes Received:
    118
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Chicago
  9. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    12,569
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I think this is a step beyond a white lie. They purposefully omitted the DSD step in all their marketing materials and interviews since at least 2008, and actively told customers that their chain was AAA in emails, along with promotional videos. They were well aware that their customers thought their releases were AAA and actively fed that assumption while sometimes outright lying to maintain it. I won’t be buying any new MoFi records from now on and sold several of the ones I do have because I’d prefer to hunt down an OG pressing.
     
    • Like Like x 9
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 3
    • List
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2022
  10. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    4,999
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Sector 8023 of the Third Quadrant
    Is this where the sins of omission (not telling anyone) bother more than the sins of commission (actually using the digital step)?
     
    • Like Like x 8
    • Epic Epic x 3
    • List
  11. Polemarkos

    Polemarkos Facebook Friend

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Likes Received:
    164
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Holland, MI
    They're on the record lying by commission. The YouTube creator PoetryonPlastic put together a compelling record of deceit.
     
  12. winders

    winders boomer

    Banned
    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Martin, CA
    I am not a vinyl guy but I wouldn't care about the DSD step even if I were. Ultimately, I care about sound quality and mastering quality. If vinyl were my thing, I would be looking for the best sounding and best mastered vinyl I could find for a particular album. If that were a MoFi 1 Step, then so be it.

    I have lots of SACDs (that I rip) not because they are DSD but because they have the best mastering and best sound of the particular album. Sometimes that SACD comes from MoFi, sometimes it comes from SHM, and sometimes from the original record label. This "omission lie" by MoFi will not change my buying habits. I don't buy from MoFi because I think they are virtuous...
     
    • Like Like x 5
    • Dislike Dislike x 1
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 1
    • List
  13. edd

    edd Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2015
    Likes Received:
    463
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    california
    Also not a vinyl guy. And agree in principle on simply getting the best sound irrespective of methods, but aside from the deceit, I’d also be bothered by the artificial/manufactured scarcity that drives prices up.
     
  14. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

    Staff Member Pyrate Flathead IEMW
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    6,304
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Clear, clear water
    This is my concern. I actually welcome the use of DSD (just own it and be honest about it.) but I don’t understand the manufactured scarcity. Why have you limited Couldn’t Stand the Weather? Open it up already. Sell it to me. You have a great DSD of it.
     
  15. edd

    edd Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2015
    Likes Received:
    463
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    california
    yep. Now that the jig is up, hopefully, they’ll change their ways. But I won’t hold my breath.
     
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 2
    • List
  16. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 11, 2020
    Likes Received:
    2,209
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    open sky
    I think they will, given the "social media" response of hundreds if not thousands of Vinyl Community members having reaction videos and the views those have received.

    I think it is one of the biggest events in audio. Especially given the size of the community.
     
    • Agreed, ditto, +1 Agreed, ditto, +1 x 1
    • List
  17. winders

    winders boomer

    Banned
    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Martin, CA
    MoFi is already documenting on their web site which vinyl albums had a DSD step in the process....
     
  18. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    12,569
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Spoiler: It’s most of them.
     
  19. MellowVelo

    MellowVelo Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2016
    Likes Received:
    913
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Chicago
    It’s been really interesting to read the new provenance information for each album. I was most surprised to learn that “Love over Gold” by Dire Straits used the Plangent Process. Both the vinyl and SACD are stunning, reference-quality releases. If Mofi had simply been honest from the start, releases like these could easily have demonstrated that digital technology is a helpful tool in the production of vinyl records. If there’s any silver lining in this whole debacle, maybe some folks will see that the analog/digital divide is not as great as it once was.
     
  20. Tom R

    Tom R Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2019
    Likes Received:
    40
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Salida, Colorado
    I hope MoFi comes totally clean and continues to do what they do best - make great sounding records. DSD as a cutting master makes a lot of sense and is technically superior to analog tape.

    People are saying they can hear the digital step. Dunno. More likely they are hearing the absence of modulation noise, wow, flutter, and LF head bumps
     

Share This Page