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What's going on with Mobile Fidelity?

I like this label a lot for the generally very high quality reissues and a great catalog that is continually expanding. But what is up with the crazy wait time for their pre-orders? I've had Santana III on pre-order since February, and was told by MoFi reps they expected to have it released by mid-March. Well, it's the end of April and still waiting...

I noticed quite a few of their advertised pre-orders are still in that status after more than half a year of being featured on record retailers' websites. Rickie Lee Jones, several Billy Joel albums, already mentioned Santana, a few Foreigner albums, Miles Davis "Kind of Blue," just to mention a few. I understand creating a buzz around new releases that are in the pipeline as a marketing strategy, but if you can't get it to market in half a year or more, I find it somewhat incompetent and almost tantamount to false advertising. I certainly do not appreciate paying for a product that the company seems to have no firm grip on delivering in a reasonably timely manner. Anyone else frustrated by this?
actusreus
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
5,003 posts
 
With the big resurgence of vinyl and very limited pressing plants, projects have been pushed back.

I agree that the wait has been longer than normal, but MOFI has always done this. The Pretenders album took well over a year to release and that is just one of several.

Who are you pre-ordering from? Music Direct never charges your credit card until it can ship the title. I know some retailers do charge your card...those are the ones I avoid.

Yes, I am frustrated, but what can be done. I would much rather have a great reissue, than one that was forced through due to time constraints and was mediocre.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
5,003 posts
 
I just received notice that the Rickie Lee Jones LP has shipped. So they are catching up a bit...slowly.
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actusreus OP
733 posts
 
Mofimadness,
I usually get my new vinyl from soundstagedirect as they have free shipping if you spend $30 or more, if I recall correctly. I bought a few records when I purchased Santana III, and they charged me upfront for the entire purchase.

I totally concur that I'd rather wait longer for a good quality pressing than have it sooner at the cost of lesser quality. So it's not so much the wait time that annoys me as it is MoFi's habit of listing a particular album in their catalog that they don't have the faintest idea as to when it's going to be available. I don't see any other record companies do it. Just don't list it at all until you know it will be pressed within a month or two. Surely a company with such an extensive experience, renown, and resources as MoFi should be able to have first rate management team that can implement basic project management strategies and tools to know what and when they can deliver. And if they don't, then they should not be listing an album in the first place. It's not rocket science.

As far as the pressing plant, their records are pressed at RTI. It is possible that RTI is backed up with orders given the resurgence of vinyl, but again, either don't list it, or contract with another quality plant to spread the workload. In my opinion as a consumer, a wait for a mass produced product, which records are, for more than 3-4 months after being offered for sale is absurd and simply incompetent. We're not talking extremely rare, limited releases here with the demand exceeding the supply tenfold. It's a commercial product from an established company specializing in that product. Ok, rant over.
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