@dconsmack +1
MoFi controversy
I see this hasn't been mentioned here yet, so I thought I'd put this out here. Let me just say that I haven't yet joined the analog world, so I don't have a dog in this fight.
It was recently revealed that Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs one step LPs are being cut from digital masters (DSD) rather than being straight analog throughout the chain.
Here is one of the many Youtube videos that discusses it
To me, it seems that if MOFI is guilty of anything, it's "deception by omission." That is, they were never open about the process and the use of digital in the chain.
One thing to mention is that hardly anyone is criticizing the sound quality of these LPs, even after this revelation. Me personally, I wouldn't spend over one hundred dollars for any recording regardless of the format.
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Too many of you don’t get it. Why is MoFi’s process a mystery? Why aren’t they transparent about their products? Why is their only interview with a retailer who gets free or discounted products who then in turn serves up softball questions? I hear Fremer asked for an interview and was declined. See question 3 Where is the honesty? Why treat your loyal customer base like disposable trash? Reality - Line up the lawyers while a Class Action lawsuit comes your way. Why, because you earned it!
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MoFi President Jim Davis Addresses the Digital LP-Mastering Controversy - https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/mofi-president-jim-davis-on-the-companys-mastering-process |
I get why some are ticked, and I understand suit has been instituted. What are the financial harms here, are Mofi recordings now worth less? For those individuals who own Mofi recordings, what do you estimate your harms are worth? Is the intention of suit to drive Mofi out of business?
I don't own any Mofi recordings, but I've mostly only heard positives in regard to sound quality. If sound quality hasn't suddenly morphed into lesser sound quality, there is absolutely no qualitative loss. Now, if its the case value of Mofi recordings have suddenly depreciated, which would be due solely to mass perceptive bias of digital inferiority, there would still be no qualitative losses involved. Can one prove analog recordings with digital step involved have less inherent worth than those with no digital step? Not sure this has been proved in case of Mofi, let alone with any vinyl media.
Certainly, there has been some level of misrepresentation by Mofi. I understand there should be some measure of consequence for Mofi, What amount of money, assuming there are settlement monies involved should go to owners of Mofi recordings? In my view there is no loss in regard to this specific issue to individual Mofi recording purchasers. I'd like to see any money settlement go to preservation/restoration of analog masters. |
As @theaudioamp pointed out, some music may sound alright but other music may not; its likely the speakers will be less neutral due to distortion and frequency response variation. Since they are not rolling off correctly per the design of the speaker there will be too much energy in the range above the normal operation of the woofers.
IMO, someone with enough excess time and money is imposing a lawsuit because they can. |
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