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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.

 

ftran999
sokogear
1,100 posts
 

@grislybutter -  Forgot to mention gris - I like clean, detailed and dynamic, to me warm means distortion. That's why I like the KEFs.

Also, I think they represent excellent value because they are made in China at a much lower cost (although with what China is doing now, I probably wouldn't buy them). If they were made in Kent, England like the Reference and Blade series', I bet their price would probably by 50-75% higher, so for me to get a noticeable speaker upgrade of my liking, it would probably cost me net (after trade) at least $5-6K, way more than I have ever spent at one time. Plus, I bought Symposium stealth platforms (custom sized) for under the KEFs which made a nice impact, reducing the noise floor beyond the standard spike/disc combo that is included with the speakers.

grislybutter
3,363 posts
 

@sokogear

my ears like warm for vocals and brass instrument. For the rest I am OK with "analytic" which is I think KEF is. Not to mention KEF is probably also "unforgiving" which is the same as precise (not bad, just needs good inputs)

I wish I could afford not to buy expensive stuff from China. But when it means a 1000 dollars less, my morals are hiding in a closet :(

But it's kind of like "I brought Swiss chocolate in Geneva" vs. "I bought it in the corner grocery store" - they are probably the same. If it was swiss watch made in China that may be different

sokogear
1,100 posts
 

@grislybutter  - That is why the source is so important to my system and why I don't tolerate inferior quality records. I think there is good depth to the sound without the fuzziness, and of course high detail and very fast transients.

For my speakers, it would probably have been $2-3K more....

Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,105 posts
 

Hurry, only 10K Lps " left ":

 

R.

sokogear
1,100 posts
 

Hey Raul - where did you get that (only $10K left) from? They’re selling it for almost double retail. It’s sold out on the retailers who carry them straight from Mofi, Acoustic Sounds and Music Direct.
 

You can probably get a better deal from private scalpers on Discogs. That’s the  least expensive of all the Ultra Disc One Steps.

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