MoFi Comes Clean

One thing's for sure...those DSD masters won't wear out over time.

I have a bunch of Blu Ray Audio discs and don't find them to be of any higher audio quality than some of the old DVD-A discs. Both allow for 192/24 PCM tracks in stereo and surround if they are available. The source is still what determines the quality of the end product. Music with height channels may change things though.

Mainly two channel with 5.1 music only once in a while. Atmos or Auro 3D adds to the immersive surround experience. I agree some 5.1 music is annoying/distracting but on the other end is The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots which is like an art form in itself that can only be experienced with surround audio.

Whatever the source, I'm willing to pay if the quality of sound is there. Not a buy as an investment goal for music.

Seems to me like $$$ would be better spent buying DSD files and a high end DAC than spending on rare limited pressings...I've been moving in that direction for years now and I don't regret it.

This may be old news. but I just saw it today.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mofi-records-settlement/?fbclid=IwAR2fp04qGVt6WyvTiDYOORZD7qwVpHpGchTMSzPY5vVn6TTsyJt_6aon3I0

H9

heiney9 wrote: »

This may be old news. but I just saw it today.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mofi-records-settlement/?fbclid=IwAR2fp04qGVt6WyvTiDYOORZD7qwVpHpGchTMSzPY5vVn6TTsyJt_6aon3I0

H9

“Original recording tapes age, so only a limited number of analog recordings can be produced,” the complaint explained. “When defendant began using a digital mastering process in its records as opposed to purely analog, it inherently produced less valuable records – because the records were no longer of limited quantity and were not as close to the studio recording – yet still charged the higher price.”

Well said.

I just sold my ADAA's (or DAA's) outright.
I thought the punishment met the crime.

Maybe MoFi will resell the returns at a discount...and with disclosure.

F1nut wrote: »

That's going to upset a lot of folks.

On the other hand, DSD enthusiasts, such as myself, will see this as a spectacular endorsement of DSD technology.

jdjohn wrote: »

I wonder how many people will actually utilize the refunds/credits.

I looked through my small record collection, which includes only sixteen audiophile LPs. Only two of those are MoFi reissues: Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" 45 RPM limited edition box set (purchased in 2015 for $44.99) and Marvin Gaye's limited edition reissue of "Let's Get It On" (purchased in 2009 for $29.99). Both LPs were recorded with MoFi's "Gain 2 Ultra Analog System". I converted both LPs to single-rate DSD and stored them on my music server.

To my ears, on my system, the DSD conversions of the LPs sound better than the LPs. I'm sure a two-ton $500,000 vinyl playback system would leapfrog over my all digital system, but I wouldn't go back to the inconvenience of records even if I were gifted a $1,000,000 vinyl playback system.

I have no desire to send the LPs back for full refund (at my expense?) because I like the packaging and extra materials. I don't want the store credit because there is nothing in MoFi's current catalog that interests me that I don't already have. The 5% cash refund if I keep the records is not worth the effort of going to the mailbox, and then going to the bank to cash the small check of a few dollars. However, if I were an outraged analog purist with thousands of dollars invested in these recordings, I might consider one of the settlement options.

jdjohn wrote: »

@DarqueKnight Those don't qualify anyway. It is only the 'Ultradisc One-Step' that qualify and/or were considered false advertising. The One-Steps originally sold for $100+ each.

A copy of the lawsuit can be read and/or downloaded from here:
https://www.classaction.org/news/mobile-fidelity-sound-lab-vinyl-records-not-as-analog-as-advertised-class-action-alleges#embedded-document

Here is a screenshot of part of the first page of the lawsuit. Compare the statement below to the pictures of the front covers of my albums shown in my previous post.



Below is a screenshot from page 3 of the lawsuit. Compare the statement below to the pictures of the rear covers of my albums.

Back in the late 70s, they used digital sources...

The holy grail of Mile's Davis' "Kind of Blue" is Classic Records 45 RPM single-sided set. I picked up a copy for $370 in 2016. The $45 45 RPM double-sided MoFi pressing is a close second to the Classic Records edition in terms of detail, clarity, and holography. The Classic Records pressing produced heavier images, particularly at the sides and rear of the sound stage. MoFi did an excellent job with their pressing.




The last record I bought, in 2017, before putting my turntable in storage (after converting all records to DSD64) was John Coltrane's luscious sounding "Blue Train" on 45 RPM 200 gram single-sided vinyl.

This except came from a Nelson Pass interview. This is Nelson Pass discussing his work for MoFi in the early 90's

So, shortly after founding Pass Labs in 1991 I did some work for Mobile Fidelity, replacing the Ortophon electronics driving their cutter-head. This was a particularly challenging project, as the original electronics were very complex, with tons of ancient op amps in the circuit. The goal was to create a better-sounding system by simplifying the active circuitry as much as possible.

The functions included balanced inputs, reverse RIAA equalization (full and half speed), additional equalization, feedback, feedback equalization, and balanced outputs. The outputs went to balanced Class A power amplifiers which drove the cutter-head, and feedback from the cutter-head came back to the control unit.

Because cutter-heads are very delicate and expensive to repair, there were numerous delicately adjusted protection circuits. The cutter-head drive coils were cooled by helium and monitored for temperature by running a very small amount of DC current through them. A circuit sensed the DC voltage across the coils and interpreted this as temperature. The protection needed to respond quickly, so the filters were quite sharp to avoid being triggered by the AC drive signal.

To accomplish all this, I first measured all the characteristics of the electronics and the cutter-head as precisely as possible and created a model of the system that I gave to a simulator (an early version of MicroCap). Then I began simplifying the active electronics by consolidating as many functions as possible into a few active stages. In the end I was able to get all the gain, equalization, and feedback folded into one active stage which still delivered the same “objective” performance.

The power amplifiers were cousins of the A75 design and predecessors of the later Adcom MOSFET designs. The project was successful, paid well, and broadened my experience in vinyl production and circuit simulation, but it was a tremendous amount of work over a couple years.

H9

So basically the lawyers got rich right?