We are very fortunate that there are several companies making high level audiophile records these days from $38 for Blue Note Tone Poet series to AP UHQRs at $150. Comparisons between MOFI (I assume you are referring to the One Steps from Music Direct) and UHQR (now AP, previous MOFI in the early 80s) is moot because there are NO titles where they compete directly.
The closest one is Kind of Blue, but MOFI's is NOT a One Step, it is a "regular" MOFI on 45, which by the way is excellent, it's just the the 45 of the UHQR is tied for the best sounding record I own, and surpasses the MOFI by a noticeable amount. It is tied with Aja which is phenomenal. I do wish they offered the records in the regular 45 packaging and save $50-$75. I am counting a little extra for the better vinyl they use.
I have been very happy with the One Steps I have, all are tremendous, especially Hotel California, Still Crazy and Somethin' Else. I don't care if they are similar to a HiRez download since I only listen to vinyl. Also wish the packaging was made like their 45's and cut the cost.
The older MOFIs typically play at a lower volume so you have to turn them up a bit, but if you have a very good amp, that should not be an issue and many are excellent. The old MOFI UHQRs are fantastic, especially Sgt Pepper (which is a good step up from the one in the Beatles Collection). Dark Side, Finger Paintings Crime of the Century and I Robot are all in my top 10 best sounding records. Sgt Pepper is the only record I will ever keep 2 copies of since I would never break up the Collection. I wonder how much better the old UHQRs would sound if they were made in the 45 format. In all cases, a 45 will improve the sound, and I can use the exercise getting up twice as often to flip the record.
I would be surprised if there are many people like Mike Lavigne who go all out on analogue and digital, I would think most have a preference. I have to think the analogue would sound different, even if the had a digital step in there. Maybe not if both formats are super high end. I'm not there even in my analogue set up. BUT, I can appreciate the different mastering and pressing qualities of all the different options.
Lets avoid generalizations in comparisons....tubes/solid state, belt drive/direct, gimbal/unipivot (although I hate the unipivot bounciness) analogue/digital, it depends on the specific options you are looking at. The only one that I think is universally accepted is that Moving Coil is better than Moving Magnet, although I bet the best MM is better than the worst MC, so forget that one too.
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