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Great information and interview. I’m going to try and make this event. Thanks David!

Driving in from Houston for the Show!

Would be great to compare the AP against the new deluxe edition vinyl from the box set. Great video!

I went last year, my first audio show, and look forward to going again. Great news about having more large rooms. I made the unintentional mistake of going into one of the large rooms first (the Stenheim/Infigo room) and it was by far my favorite all day, which I’m sure had a lot to do with the nice spacious room they had.

I think the hours for 2026 are a huge positive!! This year will be great but I think that’s a good move for 2026

Interesting video David, one of these days, I'd like to make it down for the SW show. The Pacific show is on the list for 2025 if there is one in Seattle...cheers ✌️

Great, highly informative video as always, David! Thank you.

13:50 very solid and intelligent way of comparing the different versions. tq

why not just stick to the japanese or US OG?

I tought he was goiing to do a wave comparison with audacity or something like that in order to be pretty objective

so it's clear that halfspeed mastered is a scam and for the same reazon it was too bright

i buy the cd

greetings David, and well done on the comparisons, appreciated as always. I'm still waiting on my Atl75th to arrive up here, but did get the Rhino 2016. I agree with you, it does sound pretty good. I'm going to have to pull out my 1step now for comparison...cheers T ✌️

unsubscribed.

Love the price point comparison, probably the key point if you only like an album as opposed to adore it.

David tks for taking in consideration the suggestion of rating the dynamics. It’s awesome!! I love this album. I have a pitman pressing and it’s one of the best records I have in sound quality. As much as I increase the volume, the best it sounds. Stay safe! Congratulations!

Seven years later MoFi learns that you can avoid seam splitting by packing better. Progress!

Yep. We are like minds! Glad you talked about CSM. I realized the advantages back in the late-60's. The characteristics you brought up about half-speed mastering is what many people have been complaining about for years. I don't know if you are aware, but when the CD format was new, they didn't realize that they had to master differently for CD's than you would for records. So, the mistake they made was that they used the regular album master tapes. Plus, to consider, just what generation of master tape did they use? It took them a little while to figure it out. The original CD's were AAD but then changed to ADD. Digital recording was growing and so, especially with Classical CD's, DDD came around. What I noticed with those early CD's was that I could hear tape hiss. Yes, my hearing was that good back then, but it ain't anymore. I think that Bill Inglot, who was behind the compilations and re-issues at Rhino Records. He called me on day and we discussed quite a bit. He was really concerned with the generation of his sources. When available, he would sometimes have to go back as far as the session tapes if the mixdown masters were damaged or weren't available. The singles masters were often the closest to the session masters because they often released the singles first. I chided him for using mono when a stereo version was available. An example he brought up was the all-stereo Warner Special Products CD "The Ultimate Rascals" and Rhino's "Anthology 1965-1972" CD set, which was a mix of mono and stereo. He felt that the stereo versions were too hissy but the mono versions he used had better dynamic range. He asked me if I would prefer a better sounding mono version or a lesser sounding stereo version. If you remember, from day-one, Atlantic was a singles record label and that was their main interest. They forced their album artists to be singles artists, against their wishes(think Led Zeppelin and Yes). Usually Atlantic just did it and edited songs down to single length. For Michael Jackson's "Off The Wall", try the CD/DVD combo from 2016, 88875124472 . You might like it.

I have always preferred this album to Thriller. I have an orig pressing so won't be considering the MOFI. If one just goes by your rating, .50 difference in quality is minimal to be spending $125 and have to deal with it being 45 RPM. BTW, both Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman say that the One Step is a scam and a gimmick respectively. Also, Kevin is not a fan of 45 RPM, prefers 33 and they have both said 45 doesn't add improvements to the sound, only louder. I own one One Step, Donald Fagen's The Nightfly and I can attest it does sound better than an original RL pressing but that is due to Krieg W's mastering and cutting.

Thanks!

What differences did you find with get on the floor?

Thanks for a great review and a bonus.

Glad you are well and thanks for the review. Is there a reason you haven't done Dynamic Range?

Hi David, good to hear you are feeling better. 🙏🏻 I have the UK Plum and am desperately trying to follow a new “1 copy” policy moving forward but VERY tempted.

Nice review. Thanks for your work. Detailed and complete.

Uncle, did you try the 1984 Japan Master Sound pressing LP? This one is my favourite one!

CAN you have too much bass, though?? That's of course a personal preference - and - It's Chris Squire!! Beyond that, while this site provides excellent reviews overall, the MOFI Fragile does sound amazing IMO, and has been lauded by many other sites- but it's not hard to imagine (I haven't heard it yet), given the quality of the AP Atlantic 75s released so far, that that would be the best overall listen.

A very detailed and extensive review of such a great record. Thanks so much David, glad you’re recovering nicely.

Like the science you applied to this. I have never heard a CBS Half Speed Mastered LP that really sounded stellar.

I had the "white label promo" of "Off the Wall" and it was one of the albums I would pull out to show others what a great and "poppin" vinyl album could sound like. Too bad you couldn't wait until the new SACD was released as I have that pre-ordered and would luv to know how it compares to the MOFI "One Step". The CBS "Half Speed Masters" regardless of the title, were always a crap shoot as far as their overall sound (thin, treble happy, etc.) but they were pretty quiet in comparison to their original vinyl counterparts.

All bullshit the OG is the best

You do great record reviews but I don’t get why compact disc need to be in a vinyl review.

Would love to have the Mofi SACD included in these also. I don't have any but would love to know if i should be looking at them but as Im righting this you said don't ask so Im not asking.

You are crushing it sir. Really enjoy the thoroughness of your critique.

The SACD is hybrid :)

happy your doing better David..

Do you use your bass and treble on your amp or do you zero it out??

Thanks for this thoughtful, detailed review & comparison. How does the new Mofi Off The Wall compare to the Mofi Thriller released about 2 years ago? I felt Mofi’s Thriller was great for analytical listening but lacked the punch that makes you wanna get up and dance. I regretted the purchase. I don’t want to spend $125 on this if it’s like the 2022 Mofi Thriller. Thanks for any comments.

I gave my copy a first listen yesterday. I don’t have another copy to compare it to but I’m pretty happy with it.

I’d just like to know how much of an audio difference between your rating of a 9 to a 9.5?? Is it close enough that you don’t really need to buy the MoFI if you have the OG??? Is that half point difference worth the money????

Theres also his album Bad

David thank you so much for reviewing this its on my list to acquire. Steve Hoffman was just on Steve Westman's show and has no regard for half speed mastering i don't believe that Grundman ever supported it either 👍

I want to point out a correction. Michael and Quincy worked together on the MOVIE version of The Wiz, not the Broadway stage version. Great review. Thanks.

Surprising how strong the Mo-Fi is relative to your last shootout with Yes Fragile. I guess it just goes to show how on any given day the same process doesn't always produce the same result. Thank you again for a great review David!

First David, my prayers are with you with the health issues you mentioned. We (as men especially) joke around about these situations because that is how we handle things. But scary stuff to go through (I worked in the cathlab) and thankful that you got on top of the situation. Never wait or second guess chest pain. Alright enough of that. I am glad you are doing better! Your shootouts are getting more detailed👍🏻 One aspect I would like to see listed is tonality/realism. For instance the bass on this album should sound like Chris’s distinct bass not a blob like the Mofi. When listening to the KG’s vs the Plum which version do the guitars, vocals and especially the drums sound more like real instruments whether due to the choices made in mastering or the freshness of the tapes? If the instrumentation sounds more realistic on one vs the other I would be willing sacrifice a bit of soundstaging. To hear one aspect of eq clearer is only good imo if it sounds like the instrument is suppose to sound and the multifaceted characteristics (tom trails, concise timbre of the cymbals, a particular bass sound to that group, the harmonics of the guitars, do the vocals match the headspace of what they sound like live, which one sounds more like a real persons voice etc) are present. To me if there is a difference of .5 then which sounds more real (not necc. impressive) will be the determiner ultimately for me. Adding this to the score might be interesting to see. Just a thought. Thanks for the efforts and time you put into these, much appreciated. Be safe and well🎸✌🏻

Glad you are feeling fine. IMHO Steven Wilson vinyl edition is a must item to include in this shootout comparative analysis

Do any of these reissues sound any better than the original?

Good job listening to your body sir! So glad you are recovering...sounded/looked great on Surface Noise last pm. You are one of the best of the VC for me!

Hi David, So glad you are feeling better. I love your scorecard breakdown of this. Great job, thanks for doing it, and for mentioning our collaboration and my review. Hopefully we can reconvene for Close To The Edge, as planned. Take care!

Great review I wish good health