Sealed MOFI's on eBay


Where did all the sealed Mobile Fidelity recordings that are on eBay come from? It seems that 2 out of every 3 MoFI's listed for sale are sealed, is this possible? Didn't anyone ever buy these to listen to? Is there any way to know for sure these sealed copies are originals? I saw a sealed copy of Led Zeppelin II listed for $495.00! Are these recording worth what people are paying for them? I buy LP's to listen to, something sealed in a plastic bag doesn't excite me!
rickcomer
Post above should have said it was auctioned for $47 when you can mail order for $34.99.
All of Zep's albums (mostly the early ones) were recorded with overload conditions on the multitrack and mixdown masters to one degree or another, so none of them are worth it. When you do this, it has a certain sound and compression effect that Page wanted, but the 3rd harmonic distortion rises noticeably. It's a real shame Jimmmy insisted on doing this to such great music - it will never sound like it should, it is too late.
If you read some of the ads carefully, they do say that they are alleged to be from Gary Georgi's "personal stash" and are selling for huge $. We all know that lots of stuff sells for way too much on flea-bay. Given the prices, I would not be surprised if someone gets the idea soon to counterfeit them. Caveat emptor, as they say.
With the way that most MFSL reissues sound it is not surprising that no one opened them to listen to them. If they did they would find that the majority of them are sonically inferior to most original pressings. Like the poster above stated, the power of suggestion that they are special makes the uninformed think they are indeed special. I am amazed for the prices they sell for. I have the entire collection and should sell it.
MoFi Led Zeppelin II in my opinion was recorded pretty damn good and for it's day kicked the crap out of the original American release my a mile. When I want to hear Led Zeppelin II even to this day it's the one I grab.
I own over a hundred sealed MOFI's and CBS Masterworks and Natilaus 1/2 speeds as well as over a hundred japanese Blue Notes never played with obi's on them. Because I own the original pressings of these albums counterparts I never played the others when purchased. There are some real sealed ones out there but your right they don't come in a plastic wrap,they come with loose fitting plastic,some with hard plastic sleeves with a sticker that proves its never been open and others with loose fitting celephane Also because record collecting in my day was my life I found open copies of 1/2 speed masters in mint shape for 1/4 of the new price and played those keeping the others sealed. We all have a method to this madness.