Is MOFI L. Ronstadt Prisoner in Disguise better?

MOFI has always been "hit or miss" in my experience. The worst piece of sonic dreck I have heard lately from MOFI is John Lennon's "Imagine," but that maybe how the damn thing was recorded. Just because it says MOFI doesn't mean it is going to be the best pressing of that recording that you have ever heard. If you are afraid of taking a chance with your $30-$35, wait until others buy it and read some reviews. Sometimes MOFI gets it right, you just can't take it to the bank.

Hi Mark,

Was just listening to the MFSL of Imagine tonight when comparing the Titan i vs. the ZYX Omega Gold lo). . I don't have an original around any more to compare but I wouldn't call the MFSL Imagine dreck. It's far from dreck :) But it's a 70s rock recording and the number of bad sounding releases far outweight the good sounding releases.

Maybe there's some variation in pressing or sometimes I find that one, because these co's don't dehorn, needs to play the LP several times for it to sound its best. Then of course the VTA/SRA needs to be adjusted for these albums-esp. w/todays best cartridges that are exceedingly sensitive to variations in height.

Now, the question of original vs. reissue is a whole different bag of worms :) A zillion variables to consider. But the one thing to remember is that these record co's keep vinyl and turntable sales going and look at what the prices of original releases of these albums are goinkg for. Would you (or most) rather pay say $50 for a Bill Evans Waltz for Debby (45 rpm) or 3-500 for an original. The same goes for Deccas who now command $300 to over $1000 nowadays :( And no matter what, analog release sounds far better than digital!

Myles-I will give it another spin when I finish getting my "new" arm set up on my TNT. I could't make it past the first few songs the first and only time I played it. I believe that part of this album was recorded by Lennon at home with a cassette deck and over dubs were done at the Record Plant recording studio. I hope to have my Fidelity Research FR64s up and running by this weekend.

I have some Metallica reissues on WEA 45 rpm and I think they are total garbage as well - same issues - bass missing in action, flat sound. And they have sterling reviews from some "professionals".

I don't have the original pressing, but my Ronstadt MoFi LP sounds good on my system. I don't hear anything that stands out in a negative way.