Magnificent. I’ve always taken their word for it, as I’ve never been willing to shell out $150 for a brand new vinyl record. I just assumed they were correct, and it must be worth the money even though I couldn’t afford it….:now, they making excuse after excuse and some videos guys are close to tears over this topic. It’s amazing. I thought the ultimate be all end all when it comes to music is “if it sounds good, it IS good”. For me that holds true. For these psycho purists it has shattered their world to find out what sounds good isn’t necessarily AAA.
For me, pressing quality is far more important than digital vs AAA. MFSL pressings are consistently top notch, with no background noise, no pops/clicks. That's what I'm paying for, personally.
exactly, say a master tape is in bad shape, why play it to death and work on it and damage it further (magnetic oxide sheds off tape over time, hence tapes having to be "baked" to not have a mountain of oxide by the heads), as opposed to getting the absolute highest digital resolution capture of a pass and using that as a starting point for the engineers to work their magic. Also, this whole debacle has really PROVED that this unhealthy mystical magical romanticism people have with "analog" and "tape" being the end all be all and somehow digital is the devil is a bunch of nonsense. Case in point: all you out there that thought your mofis were "AAA" and "you can tell the difference" who have been listening to digital processing (albeit the highest quality processing) claim you can tell the difference between a 24 bit 192k digital transfer and a pristine 1 inch or 1/2" analog stereo master mix on top of the line Studer decks (the A1 rolls royce of professional tape machines, equal to NEVE in console world in terms of respect), it proves that good sound is good sound, analog and digital technologies are just tools. Some analog tools SUCK, some digital tools SUCK and vice versa. Alanis Morrisette won a grammy in the 90's for an album that was tracked on two black face ADAT's. Yes, recorded onto SVHS format. Let go of the past people, dont dwell on the gear, enjoy the music, that's what is most important in my book. Cheers 🍺
@@oldvideos6330 I agree, but there’s a reason MoFi didn’t tell everyone what they were doing. That’s the problem. It doesn’t come off that good now casually saying that what they had represented was all not true. I agree though, it’s not the case of digital vs analogue. There are many nuances and complexities that come in to all of this. The quality of the final product is the most important thing, and of course preserving original tape recordings.
No, you the man. Fremer’s butt is still sore I see. Thanks for the advocacy. I ordered the blonde on blonde from you the day before the digital video and the only reason I didn’t cancel it is because of your advocacy. However it’ll be all analogue productions from here on out.
Honestly, this controversy is soooo dumb. For starters, DSD was created by Sony as in-house archival digital format when they acquired Columbia and its master tapes. Mofi is doing this at 4x DSd sampling rate! I remember buying vinyl as a kid but never got into the vinyl as an adult because of the stupidity of the analog “purists” the speculators of vinyl collectors buying limited edition presses that run well into the hundreds! The whole community to me is like what Ticketmaster is to concert ticket pricing. And the fremers of the Vinyl world branding themselves the Springsteen of the world a “working class heros” but are really insiders who get these pressings for free and “review” 10K+ turntables
You’re right. I’ts a pity to watch how Fremer is busy dissing Mike (“Fanboy”, not qualified for the task etc.) while he himself (and as a journalist…?) has hold back info on the same matter. He’s so full of him self - and keep telling what he’s done in the past in stead of paying respekt to those who dows an effort today… Sad…
Exactly, I really wanted to create another video that pointed out some interesting things that Fremer said, like, “I knew what they were doing”, “I called them out in an article, but then I just let it go.” Then Michael 45rpm asked, “Did you review any of their releases?” And Fremer responds “I didn’t want get involved in all that. I just stayed away from it. So Fremer didn’t let his subscribers/readers know what was happening so they probably kept purchasing MoFi without knowing the truth. And he’s harping on Mike Esposito for not being a journalist?
Funny how this has gone from Mo-Fi deceiving the consumers to now all about hating on Micheal Fremer….Mo-fi is more than happy to let you guys bitch and moan about Fremer instead of keeping your focus on them
New subscriber, thank you so much. I like German Michaels channel but his posting with Fremer was off putting. Mike from the In Groove did just fine , actually more than fine and you summarized it perfectly.
Mike 45 isn’t a vinyl expert and inserts himself in places he shouldn’t As if his train wreck immediate attack on Michael Esposito wasn’t enough. He is interviewing Chad Kassem 5 days after this broke
Yeah, Fremer was a bit hot headed and was missing these answers. I still think full transparency of the past and present mofi catalogue to reveal the full chain, and if it includes a DSD step is needed. I will say though, making a DSD copy of a master and cutting from that probably should not qualify their OMR label. They're making a copy, it's not direct from the master.
I thank you for your videos about the MOFI issue. The MOFI case is a mirror faced in front of the Audiophile community that reveals the replacement of the main goal of a common audiophile which is the desire for a maximum/best sound quality reproduction with a race after the isosteric hard to get more expensive all analogue process. This has occurred without us the community stop to ask ourself or even worse, when a digital step added to an audio process is ruled automatically to be bad for the whole cutting process even it enables a (no doubt about it) superior one step pressing. no one is evaluating the whole chain. the word digital has blocked the thinking process of the total result. The question have to be asked why MOFI who undouble achieved a higher sound quality (as reported for the Abraxas release for example) had to be vague on the fact they are using a digital process in their updated sound reproduction process? is it because they want to hide a fact they are selling a much easy to produce and inferior "CD on Vinyl" product (the statement is just for the sake of discussion) and continue collecting money with higher profit from the audiophile "suckers"? or maybe is it because Audiophiles community, who their moto is judging a product sonic quality with their own ears will be too shocked to hear (Double meaning... 🙂 ) that digital process exists and add an advantage to the sound quality, in conflict with the community conception which automatically detach a "made from original master" when a step of a super high resolution digital copy is involved? If MOFI would have used a 2nd generation analogue copy, done by MOFI from original master, and not a DSD process, would the Vinyl community have accepted this step because the All analogue purity has been maintained? we have to remember that MOFI have replace the "Father + Mother" steps with a 2nd generation copy so there is an important improvement added to the process together with that 2nd generation added step. Why nobody talks about the total results? why focus only on one (important) added step? why nobody evaluate the 2 choice between a DSD vs a 2nd generation Analogue copy which MOFI has gone already for us? So the vinyl community has to first identify if the latest MOFI "one step" process has a total improvement of sound or not, comparing to any process MOFI has presented over the years, and comparing with other companies audiophile releases, of course also with price tag comparison. Last, I present you with the most shocking "Elephant in the room" which no one yet on all the MOFI videos so far has neglected to talk about: In case MOFI "one step" process is found to be actually the best audio quality and efficient way to cut a vinyl from an original master then it means that within the chain of cutting process, The DSD step has the maximum and better sound quality source for the vinyl cut process, better than the vinyl product itself. This has a huge impact on the vinyl industry, because the DSD (or other high res digital file format) can be sold and streamed with even a better quality than that of the best vinyl pressing there is. This means that audiophile vinyl format becomes to be in the third place of the highest audio quality possible (the second place belongs to an exotic, expensive and very limited in quantities direct Reel to Reel studio quality copy of the original master Tape) and 1st audio quality posible to obtain at home would become to be a digital file. This removes the carpet under the whole vinyl industry, or at least the audiophile vinyl industry, and this is in my opinion the real reason for MOFI ambiguity on the cutting process.
I collected a lot of original LPs for Rock/Jazz music in the 90s, they are fine and sound very good. I even try the MoFi path, recording some SACD on tape at home with surprising good results (for my classic car audio)...but I am a classical musical lovers and like a lot of amateurs (Japanese also) we collect our favorite recording on SACD and CD when possible. There is a reason for that...it is just the best possible sound on a long term (considering LP cracks..), but it is true at one condition: spent the right amount of money on the digital transport/DAC combo. I have good news for you, a top SACD system is still cheaper than top LP gears. Just time to wake up and say thank you to all vinyl lovers because thank to your passion you probably saved physical medias (including CD and SACD) so no drama !-)
Carlos, thanks for sharing that. I’ve been swamped the past few months so that’s the first time I’ve seen Fremer mop the floor with “The Ingroove”. Lol. - TONE
Great video, this shows what an arrogant man Mr Fremer is, they DID answer the questions, maybe he doesn't hear anymore or he was high listening to this. Such a shame Fremer won't age gracefully.
what the mofi guy says at the beginning about the DSD being 256 times the sample rate of a CD is so absurd, misleading and, simply, wrong, that should invalidate everything he says afterwards. DSD uses delta-sigma modulation, while CDs use PCM modulation. Sample rate plays a completely different role in each case, so they are not comparable at all.
Yea but it’s sampled at 44.1 khz at x 256 which is 11.289.6. that’s why DSD was marketed as “Super Audio CD” aka SACD at DSD64 1x. 64 x 4 = DSD256 But most of that sampling is noise in the inaudible frequencies. That’s why you sample at 4x DSD so the noise is pushed even further away from the audible frequencies with noise shaping
@@joesmith4443 Sorry, but I don't understand if you are trying to respond to what I said. Your comments, even if true, don't make the Mofi's guy argument any less misleading and, in essence, a lie.
@@triciclosonido I’m responding to your inaccurate comment about DSD info provided in this video. It’s accurate what the sound engineers said at MOFI. DSD was first designed by Sony as in-house archival format for its master tapes they acquired when they bought Colombia Records. The masters are brittle and many have been lost in the past so the record labels DO NOT lend them out anymore! The mofi engineers did make analog copies of the master tapes but felt that they sounded better transferred to DSD256. Sony and other major labels DO NOT allow for the masters to leave their vaults and rarely allow transfers. The MOFI engineers DID fly to NYC and were allowed to clone the masters via a studer master analog machine but felt that the Analog to analog clones cause more problems and opted for the digital step on the chain to improve the cut to vinyl. The analog vinyl “purist” beef is with the marketing and limited edition pressings bs that makes these vinyl collection overpriced in the second hand market and nothing to do with sound quality. Bottomline: DSD256 IS 256x sampled speed 44.1 cd quality. The information isn’t “misleading nor wrong” but accurate Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) and DSD uses (PWM) Pulse Width Modulation but the CD (PCM) and DSD (PWM) use the same 44.1 khz Sampling rate. Ok so let’s review if you sample CD 44.1 PCM at 4 times you get 176.4. If you sampled DSD at 256x 44.1 you get the bandwidth of 11.289.6 MHz I hope this helps explain it to you better
Cmon dude. Those mo-fi guys definitely know their shit. They didn’t say anything incorrect as far as I can tell. Not sure what your on about but your wrong. The criticism isn’t with the engineers there but with the dumb fucks running the company and marketing jargon
Thank you for your video. I would like to focus on the old vs the new Mofi cut processes and its impact on vinyl comunity. We all agree that a Mofi "original master recording" is and should be a process where MOFI gets its hands on the original master, not on an unknown copy of that master. The DSD MOFI which is using is an added, new step, within the MOFI cutting process of Original Master Tape system. The DSD copy is then becomes a (ultra hi res digital) second generation source within the Mofi cutting process. should that be the only modification for Mofi cutting process than yes, it would be a degraded Vinyl cut process comparing with MOFI original Legacy cutting system. However, Mofi takes advantage on this added step to actually reduce the total number of degradating copying steps from the whole cutting process as per the following: 1) Original Mofi ( and other companies) AAA Process steps are: Step 1: master tape to lacquer (a 2nd generation analogue mechanical copy of the master is generated into the laquer) Step 2: lacquer to Father stamper (a 3rd Generation analoge mechanical copy is generated ) Step 3: Father Stamper is copied to be Mother mold (a 4th generation analoge copy is generated) Step 4: a Stamper is copied from mother (a 5th Generation mechanical analoge) Step 5: Vinyl Stamping (a 6th generation final analoge copy is pressed on vinyl) to summarize AAA process: A vinyl recording is the 6th analoge generation copy of the original master tape 2) MOFI "1 step process" comprise of the following steps: Step 1: Master Tape to DSD (a 2nd generation Dsd version of original master is created) Step 2: DSD to Lacquer (a 3rd mechanical analoge Generation) Step 3: Lacquer to Stamper (a 4th analoge Generation) Step 4: Vinyl Stamping (a final 5th generation which contains only 4th analoge generations copy of the master ) To summarize: MOFI single step process results in a 5 generation copy of original master recording rwhere 2 analogue mechanical copies of the sound are replaced by a single DSD copy . DSD copy of original master is to my understanding a much closer to original master quality (if not identical) than to any 2nd generation analogue copy alternatives availabe. 1) This is to my opinion a significant over all advantage to the cutting process 2) The Elephant in the room: The DSD step which contains a 2nd generation copy of original master is by definition a supirior version in compare witg the vinyl outcome which is a 5th ( practically 4th) generation copy of the original master tape. This means that the best posible reproduction quality can be obtain by a direct use of the DSD via streaming or a SACD platformd. Thanks and best regards
Fortunately Mike Esposito did not stoop to the level of insults sent his way. He took the high road. He did a tactful interview and got to the bottom of the DSD issue.
I predict that these MoFi are going to drop in price like stones and anyone who has them in their collection is going to be disappointed even if you aren't in it to resell.
Obviously none of the critics with their golden ears noticed this procedure during the last years. I think they simply could not hear any differences and now these guys are feeling blamed.
I spent allot of time & money collecting vinyl records. Most were $50 or $125 some lots more when they were out of print. But I could’ve gotten the SACD for $30 & it’s at least one generation better than the vinyl??? My head is going to explode! My collection in ruins infinite devaluation!!
The SACD is DSD64, Mofi samples the master tapes at DSD256 and uses that to cut the vinyl. So the source for vinyl is 4x the SACD from a digital standpoint.
I’ve been completely forgotten. I want to hear a Blu-Ray version of the digital masters. I’m curious about Blu-Ray audio. Why didn’t Mobile Fidelity release Blu-Ray audio disc from the digital transfers? I’m told that Blu-Ray has an advantage over CD or vinyl.
This old guy Fremer is going senil and deaf. To me. All that matters is that it sounds great. And no one, I mean no one, can deny that they don’t. No matter what they used. Get over it folks. The records sound fantastic.
MoFI invited Mike to do this interview, knowing that he is not a professional journalist/interviewer. Maybe they felt this would give them an edge in the process. Mike is passionate about the subject matter and depends on the end consumer of vinyl to make a living, so no wonder he was able to ask the right questions and give Mofi the space in the interview to have little choice, but to come clean. Mofi done their own digging and Mike exposed it. Fremer on the other hand is less than gracious when it comes to Mike. He claims that Mofi rolled Mike over, when in fact Mike forced Mofi to roll themselves over, by asking the the important questions and getting the answers, that have put the audiophile world in a spin. This clip does Fremer little favours. His comments with regard to Mike's enquiry into Miles Davis and Santana's Abraxas are scandalous and for someone who describes himself as a journalist, insulting to Mike and indeed extremely damaging to his journalistic integrity. For me, Fremer would be best served by going into hiding for a while, because with such comments, he is at risk of doing more damage to his credibility, than Mofi have already done to theirs. Well done Mike. Your passion and respect for the end consumer, were the motivating factors in you getting to the truth, when others such as Fremer in this regard, sat on their ass, clinging onto their Ivory towers, victims to their sense of self importance, a self importance that is clearly in evidence with the vomit that Fremer is spewing here.
Okay. I don't have any skin this game. I kind of blew it off. You pay your money and get an excellent sounding product. Case closed. Well apparently it isn't like that in the audiophile world. Some people chase musical perfection as far as they can. They chase that last point of perfection. I didn't realize some people were spending thousands of dollars on Mofi products. It isn't the quality of records. It is the fact they were scammed. It is the fact they were fooled. You have to figure a person who spends $30,000 on cables doesn't want to know his analog recording isn't and he was fooled. Wouldn't surprise me to see a class action on this one. No defense. It was a lie.
But many audiophiles have claimed over the years they could hear a difference if there was anything digital in the process..... This proves they can't. Some of them should stop by my studio and we'll do some double blind tests, but many won't.... Guess why.
Yeah I agree. It’s very weird to me that audiophiles are less worried about actual sound quality and more about how it was achieved. But I guess at the end of the day yeah they were deceived by Mo-Fi marketing. Still odd that that’s what they’re pissed about. Never mind the company provided them the best possible audio quality, they’re pissed that it was marketed wrongly. I always thought music was about the best possible sound regardless of how it was achieved. The purists disagree evidently
Fremer is right on point, don’t know what you’re talking about. Good for Mike to out there and try to get answers but he was out of his element. Sorry 😎
I've always thought the MOFI LPs didn't sound right these last couple of decades when compared to their 80s / 90s releases. Those releases had an overall warmth and ease in the treble region that has always been beguiling. I took a chance and I purchased "Into The Labyrinth" about 7 years ago and was absolutely gutted; not only did it not sound good, the channels were reversed. I took another chance and purchased "Songs From The Big Chair" and it sounded thin and garish. I haven't purchased a MOFI since. That said, I've heard some really good LPs that were digitally sourced - so it isn't like digital sources are a non-starter for me; of course pure analog is absolutely preferred but, if done right, digital - ok - I'll take it. Especially realizing that from mid-80's onwards, the great majority of content was recorded digitally - so what choice do we [they] have. Another point, I had chalked the sound change up to [perhaps] a change in electronics in their mastering chain - I wonder if that added to the change in sound as well.
What I get from all this situation: - mofi could specify all that dsd thing on their vinyls, but they didn’t. Mainly because they knew ppl that are vinyl lovers no matter what and pure analog freaks wouldn’t buy it. Easy. - all these years, people LOVED Mofi. All one steps has some quality control issues with materials. But all sound amazing. Everyone was sooo impressed and said in all reviews that it’s the best they’ve heard from each title. So now that we know this, it sounds bad now? Come on guys. - I love analog etc. however if technology allows you to get the best of both worlds, the quiet and details of the digital, and the warmth and natural sound of a vinyl played through your Koetsu cartridge and 100k audio system, then what is the problem? If THAT Mofi result is superior to all the previous pressings of any album and sounds best, then who cares? Are we all here to buy digital or analog etc. or are we here to find the best sounding album and have it in our collection? - last, of course Mofi made a huge mistake of not being clear and lie in some videos and interviews in the past. They found a formula that works, but knew that they would lose all the analog vinyl purists etc. these purists care about analog and not how it sounds. That is the problem.
No. They were fooled. A person that can tell the difference between a $20,000 audio and a $35,000 audio cable is going to be real mad when he learns he couldn't hear the digital in the chain and someone got rich by fooling him.
thanks for the video interesting most people misunderstand the point, not the quality is the point but the marketing lie on the cover on the inside leaf about one step that's it a simple sorry and a new name for these titles and less over price would be a nice move...
The customer deserves to know what they’re buying???!!! Really? The only reason MoFi said that is because they were caught. If that was the case where was the transparency 7 years ago?
@@terrykeenan4308 I think he's really trying to steer people's anger away from the engineers and putting it on the executives and the public relations/marketing. So trying to put the blame where it needs to be with the people that carefully thought out the verbiage to be deceptive.
Oh well... caveat emptor.... I feel for Fremer though as MoFi folks did not follow up with him after the Munchen show as they promised. He would have been a very credible interviewer. Bottom line, full transparency would have been wonderful yet if you enjoy the recording, that's all that really matters to me.
So… digital copies of analog master tapes sound great. It means digital doesn’t suck it’s just the domestic playback equipment. Who wants vinyl anyway, it’s a pain in the ass (other than the artwork). I have 1,000’s of the things, expensive cartridges etc. Roll on streaming services that deliver DSD like files of original analog master tapes and hifi people develop better play back equipment ie Linn’s new Organik Klimax is definitely on that path.
These Mofi's mean more to people than Jesus Christ... I can see the 20 step burn pile already! Glad I just buy records at Walmart. I appreciate the audiophile knowledge but the reasons for buying records appear more for the way they were cut than for the music. I never even heard Abraxis or whatever its called. I appreciate Santana. He survived Altamont so thats awesome. And I once heard Oye Como Va on a radio in the barrio during work. It was awseome. The symbiosis or whayever the word is between that song and the barrio is pretty special
Everyone in this world thought that mofi did everything analogue, because of their misleading marketing. That’s the end. Not all collectors are “crazy” to believe that…
If this doesn't prove that audiophiles are only concerned with what they buy than how it sounds then I don't know whatr does. Did Mo-chael Fi-rmer ever say in the past this phonograph sounds digital? Not that I can remembrer.
4:16 even when they have the original master tape they sometimes (usually? always?) transfer it to DSD. He says, "have to". Why do they "have to" transfer to digital? It's not explained but I suppose it's because they've committed to playing the original tape a limited number of times and don't want to hurt their relationship with the tape's owner. I wouldn't be surprised if the record labels are insisting that these tapes be digitized immediately in order to preserve the life of the original tape by limiting plays. I wonder if part of the agreements are that the tape owners get a copy of MoFi's digital transfer for their own use in the future. Bottom line: the guys making the media think DSD is the best way to preserve the masters and the best source medium for making new discs. 4:44 Excellent summary of the issues raised in the interview. Thanks.
You're probably right. It doesn't really matter to me that much. It was more, like Mazzy stated "They were disingenuous". That's what bothers me. Just tell everyone the truth and don't pretend that the process is so elite.
@@AsTheTableTurns yeah I think we can at least have a few decent laughs now at all the audiophile snobs who looked down upon us for having our beloved OG copies of records and our 'rock and roll ears'. im happy with my old $10 used records. I only like to see reissues for rare or hard to get releases not overpriced classic rock that is easily acquired in thrift shops and used bins.
My head hurts so bad. I’ve been focused on carefully curated vinyl and now it’s kaput, a collection rendered worthless or even worse than worthless for an audiophile who has always reviled DSD.
@@AsTheTableTurns Next…I’m waiting for a whistleblower who will expose the megabuck cable/interconnect industry for being the rip-off artists they are.
Honestly, and no offense: but I find this whole drama hilarious, lol. Hey, I get the false advertising for premium price component. For that, everyone has a legitimate ground to be upset and feel betrayed. But let's be serious: for how many decades, now; Audiophiles really believed all these master Analogue tapes were all going to be in good enough condition, to go through the process?🤔🙄 I've been hearing for at least two decades, that at least 99% of all albums / recording releases have been going through the digital domain. Regardless of which physical medium. Then you have so many audiophiles walking and talking such arrogant nonsense, and belittling. Boasting about their pure Analogue systems and diminishing so many people. There's some comical irony, here. Some egos have taken a hit. At the end of the day: if it sounds musically beautiful: that's what matters.
0:33 He's wrong. "Bog standard DSD" is DSD64 i.e. 64 times the sampling rate of a CD, not 256. 4x DSD is DSD256 which is a 11.2896MHz sampling rate and 256 times the sampling rate of a CD.
Not surprised Mofi lied. After paying mofi’s stupidly ridiculous price for 1 LP and not hearing enough of a difference to feel it was worth the ridiculous price, I forgot about Mofi. Marketing lies to boost their prices, I’m shocked, shocked to hear this.
When I bought the Muddy Waters Onestep of Folk Singer I realized Mofi does Crap these days. Let me make this clear, my Mofi Gold Ultradisc II of the same album sounds more Vinyl than the the Onestep. Beside this, the pressing is worse than cheap DOL stuff. I cannot get people complaining about DOL stuff but because of digital sources but paying 10 times more for Mofi makes sense. Totally insane. I have a cheap pressing from Waxtime that sounds the vers same way. If I listen to AP, Tone Poet stuff or Music Matters I instantly get the best sound. Mofi sux.
It was never about the sound quality that wasn’t in question it was the deliberate cover up. Your being sold a very expensive lie, and I bet you can’t get your money back.
The question is: Why i should buy an lp copy of a DSD file and not direct the dsd file? Why i should pay 75$ for an lp copy against 25$ of the original dsd file.? How can the origina file DSD sound worse ? But are we sure that the original dsd file is sold direct or on Sacd? Or we have always a compress dsd file , a compress pcm file or a compress CD ecc.. So they can't sound better then the LP? At the end what we have in our hand? A real analog copy , the best digital copy or nothin at all? But if it's not possible use many time the original analog master how it's possible the in '60 and '70 we have milion of first copy of lp and not 40.000? Are the original first LP print so good as we think? Milion of copy from copy of copy of copy of the original analog master?? And analog copy, not digital. What are we talking about? But why we are paying a lot for new and old lp of what we don't know nothing??
Would a proper journalist have discused the questions and answers before filming the video on such an important matter, and how can Mofi talk about Trust when they've been lying to people for years and charging over the top for an inferior product, it seems to me theres a lot of people in the vinyl community who are trying to protect the value of their Mofi records
Oh, so the real scandal is Michael Fremer, not MoFi? Nice deflection. MoFi misrepresented their product. Up until last week, everyone believed that they cut the One Steps and everything else they release on vinyl directly from tape unless the original master is digital, because that's what they said. All-analog processing chain. That clearly wasn't true. The quality of the work is not in question - if they say they could create the best vinyl product from a DXD copy, I believe them, but they weren't transparent about this process. They admitted the DXD step reluctantly, and it's costing them business. But Michael Fremer said some things? Who cares? No one is cancelling their MoFi preorders because of Michael Fremer, their doing it because they expected their pricey albums to be cut all-analog, as advertised.
I love how all you audiophiles made total fools of themselves. Engineers and scientists have been telling you for decades what digital could AND DOES do, every day, inexpensively. But no, you had to insist you are right, your ears told you ..... Well I will say it, and I will say it often, and with great satisfaction. WE TOLD YOU SO!
they have always sounded not great to me. A bit too clear and clean, never earthy or goosebumps or jumping out the speakers. DSD sounds amazing but nothing like AAA. This doesnt suprise me at all bc I always heard something and would choose Doug Sax or Kevin Gray or Grundman over a mofi ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. There is way too much implication though regarding AAA on their covers through the years and that is SCUMMY SCUMMY SCUMMY
@@Watcher4111 for example, just compare mofi to Mosaic or Water lily acoustics….. it’s a joke. Those two sound 100% ALIVE …. I always just thought their mastering engineer Wunderlich was no good
I have seen this full interview. I thought Michael asked the right questions and the engineers at MoFi gave straightforward answers. If they can't obtain and use the analog masters, they make their own DSD transfer of it. What is important to remember is this, the DSD is made "From The Original Master Tapes". The MoFi engineers made no attempt to defraud interviewer Mike. They answered all of his questions and they have stated that they will design some way of explaining the steps used in the mastering process of their albums. Be it on the album packaging or on their website. To be 100% honest "From The Original Master Tapes" means From The Original Master Tapes. It does not mean every step in the process is analog. MoFi wants to release well mastered, good sounding albums. Mike from The In Groove was not there to roast and chastise the engineers. He was invited to MoFi to speak with engineers about this issue. The engineers spoke as engineers would. They did not gloss over anything. Mike did not speak with a MoFi lawyer on the subject. He did not speak with anyone in the sales or promotion department. He spoke with the engineers who eat, sleep and drink audio to create the final product. I was quite happy to hear one of the engineers praise Rhino Records for their work. This told me that he is not only a sound engineer but a fan of music too. I was happy again when the other engineer went to the Amoeba Records store in Los Angeles. I have been to Amoeba as well. Again this engineer is a fan of music too. This interview shows that MoFi would be open and address this issue, and not be politicians and cover it up and talk around it.
they have always sounded not great to me. A bit too clear and clean, never earthy or goosebumps or jumping out the speakers. DSD sounds amazing but nothing like AAA. This doesnt suprise me at all bc I always heard something and would choose Doug Sax or Kevin Gray or Grundman over a mofi ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. There is way too much implication though regarding AAA on their covers through the years and that is SCUMMY SCUMMY SCUMMY
The pearl clutching by the analogue snobs is delicious.
Magnificent. I’ve always taken their word for it, as I’ve never been willing to shell out $150 for a brand new vinyl record. I just assumed they were correct, and it must be worth the money even though I couldn’t afford it….:now, they making excuse after excuse and some videos guys are close to tears over this topic. It’s amazing. I thought the ultimate be all end all when it comes to music is “if it sounds good, it IS good”. For me that holds true. For these psycho purists it has shattered their world to find out what sounds good isn’t necessarily AAA.
For me, pressing quality is far more important than digital vs AAA. MFSL pressings are consistently top notch, with no background noise, no pops/clicks. That's what I'm paying for, personally.
exactly, say a master tape is in bad shape, why play it to death and work on it and damage it further (magnetic oxide sheds off tape over time, hence tapes having to be "baked" to not have a mountain of oxide by the heads), as opposed to getting the absolute highest digital resolution capture of a pass and using that as a starting point for the engineers to work their magic. Also, this whole debacle has really PROVED that this unhealthy mystical magical romanticism people have with "analog" and "tape" being the end all be all and somehow digital is the devil is a bunch of nonsense. Case in point: all you out there that thought your mofis were "AAA" and "you can tell the difference" who have been listening to digital processing (albeit the highest quality processing) claim you can tell the difference between a 24 bit 192k digital transfer and a pristine 1 inch or 1/2" analog stereo master mix on top of the line Studer decks (the A1 rolls royce of professional tape machines, equal to NEVE in console world in terms of respect), it proves that good sound is good sound, analog and digital technologies are just tools. Some analog tools SUCK, some digital tools SUCK and vice versa. Alanis Morrisette won a grammy in the 90's for an album that was tracked on two black face ADAT's. Yes, recorded onto SVHS format. Let go of the past people, dont dwell on the gear, enjoy the music, that's what is most important in my book. Cheers 🍺
@@oldvideos6330 I agree, but there’s a reason MoFi didn’t tell everyone what they were doing. That’s the problem. It doesn’t come off that good now casually saying that what they had represented was all not true. I agree though, it’s not the case of digital vs analogue. There are many nuances and complexities that come in to all of this. The quality of the final product is the most important thing, and of course preserving original tape recordings.
You the man!
No, you the man. Fremer’s butt is still sore I see. Thanks for the advocacy. I ordered the blonde on blonde from you the day before the digital video and the only reason I didn’t cancel it is because of your advocacy. However it’ll be all analogue productions from here on out.
I know. 😏
Honestly, this controversy is soooo dumb. For starters, DSD was created by Sony as in-house archival digital format when they acquired Columbia and its master tapes. Mofi is doing this at 4x DSd sampling rate!
I remember buying vinyl as a kid but never got into the vinyl as an adult because of the stupidity of the analog “purists” the speculators of vinyl collectors buying limited edition presses that run well into the hundreds!
The whole community to me is like what Ticketmaster is to concert ticket pricing. And the fremers of the
Vinyl world branding themselves the Springsteen of the world a “working class heros” but are really insiders who get these pressings for free and “review” 10K+ turntables
So audiophiles can't tell the difference between DIGITAL vs analog? 🤔 tell me more
Can’t tell you much more than that.
Mofi and Fremer both have a whole lot of egg on their face after today. Nice video showcasing that.
As Ricky said to Lucy, "You've got a lot of splainin' to do."
Fremer has has a tough year
How patronising is Fremer? "He's not a journalist, he's not a skilled interviewer, he doesn't know what he's doing" Patronising git.
Agreed
Eh, he’s not wrong though
Nice body language from the trio - w/ the middle guy's folded arms throughout and the Yogi Bera guy keeping the stern poker face going...
I really don't care HOW they get to the best sounding versions, I'm just glad they do.
You’re right. I’ts a pity to watch how Fremer is busy dissing Mike (“Fanboy”, not qualified for the task etc.) while he himself (and as a journalist…?) has hold back info on the same matter.
He’s so full of him self - and keep telling what he’s done in the past in stead of paying respekt to those who dows an effort today… Sad…
Exactly, I really wanted to create another video that pointed out some interesting things that Fremer said, like, “I knew what they were doing”, “I called them out in an article, but then I just let it go.” Then Michael 45rpm asked, “Did you review any of their releases?” And Fremer responds “I didn’t want get involved in all that. I just stayed away from it.
So Fremer didn’t let his subscribers/readers know what was happening so they probably kept purchasing MoFi without knowing the truth. And he’s harping on Mike Esposito for not being a journalist?
Funny how this has gone from Mo-Fi deceiving the consumers to now all about hating on Micheal Fremer….Mo-fi is more than happy to let you guys bitch and moan about Fremer instead of keeping your focus on them
I think he was so jealous of not being invited for the meeting that his old brain could not process the interview.
New subscriber, thank you so much. I like German Michaels channel but his posting with Fremer was off putting. Mike from the In Groove did just fine , actually more than fine and you summarized it perfectly.
Mike 45 isn’t a vinyl expert and inserts himself in places he shouldn’t
As if his train wreck immediate attack on Michael Esposito wasn’t enough. He is interviewing Chad Kassem 5 days after this broke
Yeah, Fremer was a bit hot headed and was missing these answers. I still think full transparency of the past and present mofi catalogue to reveal the full chain, and if it includes a DSD step is needed.
I will say though, making a DSD copy of a master and cutting from that probably should not qualify their OMR label. They're making a copy, it's not direct from the master.
Yes!
Mike Esposito did a phenomenal job of journalism here. Fremer is a reckless fool!
Exactly! Mike did an awesome job. He was humble and kept it civil, but still got answers. Out of his jealousy, Fremer refused to give credit.
Yes, he does.
Proof that vinyl aficionados are audiofools
No way in hell a label is going to let a 1st gen master out of their possession these days.
Agreed .
Also because of the universal studio fire in 2008
@@theayeshaerotica Goddammit, beat me to it.
I thank you for your videos about the MOFI issue.
The MOFI case is a mirror faced in front of the Audiophile community that reveals the replacement of the main goal of a common audiophile which is the desire for a maximum/best sound quality reproduction with a race after the isosteric hard to get more expensive all analogue process. This has occurred without us the community stop to ask ourself or even worse, when a digital step added to an audio process is ruled automatically to be bad for the whole cutting process even it enables a (no doubt about it) superior one step pressing. no one is evaluating the whole chain. the word digital has blocked the thinking process of the total result.
The question have to be asked why MOFI who undouble achieved a higher sound quality (as reported for the Abraxas release for example) had to be vague on the fact they are using a digital process in their updated sound reproduction process?
is it because they want to hide a fact they are selling a much easy to produce and inferior "CD on Vinyl" product (the statement is just for the sake of discussion) and continue collecting money with higher profit from the audiophile "suckers"?
or maybe is it because Audiophiles community, who their moto is judging a product sonic quality with their own ears will be too shocked to hear (Double meaning... 🙂 ) that digital process exists and add an advantage to the sound quality, in conflict with the community conception which automatically detach a "made from original master" when a step of a super high resolution digital copy is involved?
If MOFI would have used a 2nd generation analogue copy, done by MOFI from original master, and not a DSD process, would the Vinyl community have accepted this step because the All analogue purity has been maintained? we have to remember that MOFI have replace the "Father + Mother" steps with a 2nd generation copy so there is an important improvement added to the process together with that 2nd generation added step. Why nobody talks about the total results? why focus only on one (important) added step? why nobody evaluate the 2 choice between a DSD vs a 2nd generation Analogue copy which MOFI has gone already for us?
So the vinyl community has to first identify if the latest MOFI "one step" process has a total improvement of sound or not, comparing to any process MOFI has presented over the years, and comparing with other companies audiophile releases, of course also with price tag comparison.
Last, I present you with the most shocking "Elephant in the room" which no one yet on all the MOFI videos so far has neglected to talk about:
In case MOFI "one step" process is found to be actually the best audio quality and efficient way to cut a vinyl from an original master then it means that within the chain of cutting process, The DSD step has the maximum and better sound quality source for the vinyl cut process, better than the vinyl product itself.
This has a huge impact on the vinyl industry, because the DSD (or other high res digital file format) can be sold and streamed with even a better quality than that of the best vinyl pressing there is.
This means that audiophile vinyl format becomes to be in the third place of the highest audio quality possible (the second place belongs to an exotic, expensive and very limited in quantities direct Reel to Reel studio quality copy of the original master Tape) and 1st audio quality posible to obtain at home would become to be a digital file.
This removes the carpet under the whole vinyl industry, or at least the audiophile vinyl industry, and this is in my opinion the real reason for MOFI ambiguity on the cutting process.
I collected a lot of original LPs for Rock/Jazz music in the 90s, they are fine and sound very good. I even try the MoFi path, recording some SACD on tape at home with surprising good results (for my classic car audio)...but I am a classical musical lovers and like a lot of amateurs (Japanese also) we collect our favorite recording on SACD and CD when possible. There is a reason for that...it is just the best possible sound on a long term (considering LP cracks..), but it is true at one condition: spent the right amount of money on the digital transport/DAC combo. I have good news for you, a top SACD system is still cheaper than top LP gears. Just time to wake up and say thank you to all vinyl lovers because thank to your passion you probably saved physical medias (including CD and SACD) so no drama !-)
CD reverses the order of trebles, mids and bass.
@@Gma7788 and vice versa
And where is the boss of those 3 engineers to make a statement to his customers!
Exactly
Carlos, thanks for sharing that. I’ve been swamped the past few months so that’s the first time I’ve seen Fremer mop the floor with “The Ingroove”. Lol. - TONE
Great video, this shows what an arrogant man Mr Fremer is, they DID answer the questions, maybe he doesn't hear anymore or he was high listening to this. Such a shame Fremer won't age gracefully.
what the mofi guy says at the beginning about the DSD being 256 times the sample rate of a CD is so absurd, misleading and, simply, wrong, that should invalidate everything he says afterwards. DSD uses delta-sigma modulation, while CDs use PCM modulation. Sample rate plays a completely different role in each case, so they are not comparable at all.
Yea but it’s sampled at 44.1 khz at x 256 which is 11.289.6. that’s why DSD was marketed as “Super Audio CD” aka SACD at DSD64 1x.
64 x 4 = DSD256
But most of that sampling is noise in the inaudible frequencies. That’s why you sample at 4x DSD so the noise is pushed even further away from the audible frequencies with noise shaping
All modern DACs use Delta Sigma modulation and DSD is native (in theory) depending on the DAC chip. PCM is converted and the signal is simulated.
@@joesmith4443 Sorry, but I don't understand if you are trying to respond to what I said. Your comments, even if true, don't make the Mofi's guy argument any less misleading and, in essence, a lie.
@@triciclosonido I’m responding to your inaccurate comment about DSD info provided in this video. It’s accurate what the sound engineers said at MOFI.
DSD was first designed by Sony as in-house archival format for its master tapes they acquired when they bought Colombia Records.
The masters are brittle and many have been lost in the past so the record labels DO NOT lend them out anymore! The mofi engineers did make analog copies of the master tapes but felt that they sounded better transferred to DSD256.
Sony and other major labels DO NOT allow for the masters to leave their vaults and rarely allow transfers. The MOFI engineers DID fly to NYC and were allowed to clone the masters via a studer master analog machine but felt that the Analog to analog clones cause more problems and opted for the digital step on the chain to improve the cut to vinyl.
The analog vinyl “purist” beef is with the marketing and limited edition pressings bs that makes these vinyl collection overpriced in the second hand market and nothing to do with sound quality.
Bottomline: DSD256 IS 256x sampled speed 44.1 cd quality. The information isn’t “misleading nor wrong” but accurate
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) and DSD uses (PWM) Pulse Width Modulation but the CD (PCM) and DSD (PWM) use the same 44.1 khz Sampling rate.
Ok so let’s review if you sample CD 44.1 PCM at 4 times you get 176.4. If you sampled DSD at 256x 44.1 you get the bandwidth of 11.289.6 MHz
I hope this helps explain it to you better
Cmon dude. Those mo-fi guys definitely know their shit. They didn’t say anything incorrect as far as I can tell. Not sure what your on about but your wrong. The criticism isn’t with the engineers there but with the dumb fucks running the company and marketing jargon
Fremer is so butt hurt about Esposito rolling over him. Guess it takes one to know one as fremer is clearly an erc fanboy.
I can't wait for the prices to be slashed across the board....And the MoFi Flippers are going crazy!!!! 🤣
My collection in ruins 😭
Ain’t gonna happen.
Thank you for your video. I would like to focus on the old vs the new Mofi cut processes and its impact on vinyl comunity.
We all agree that a Mofi "original master recording" is and should be a process where MOFI gets its hands on the original master, not on an unknown copy of that master. The DSD MOFI which is using is an added, new step, within the MOFI cutting process of Original Master Tape system. The DSD copy is then becomes a (ultra hi res digital) second generation source within the Mofi cutting process. should that be the only modification for Mofi cutting process than yes, it would be a degraded Vinyl cut process comparing with MOFI original Legacy cutting system.
However, Mofi takes advantage on this added step to actually reduce the total number of degradating copying steps from the whole cutting process as per the following:
1) Original Mofi ( and other companies) AAA Process steps are:
Step 1: master tape to lacquer (a 2nd generation analogue mechanical copy of the master is generated into the laquer)
Step 2: lacquer to Father stamper (a 3rd Generation analoge mechanical copy is generated )
Step 3: Father Stamper is copied to be Mother mold (a 4th generation analoge copy is generated)
Step 4: a Stamper is copied from mother (a 5th Generation mechanical analoge)
Step 5: Vinyl Stamping (a 6th generation final analoge copy is pressed on vinyl)
to summarize AAA process: A vinyl recording is the 6th analoge generation copy of the original master tape
2) MOFI "1 step process" comprise of the following steps:
Step 1: Master Tape to DSD (a 2nd generation Dsd version of original master is created)
Step 2: DSD to Lacquer (a 3rd mechanical analoge Generation)
Step 3: Lacquer to Stamper (a 4th analoge Generation)
Step 4: Vinyl Stamping (a final 5th generation which contains only 4th analoge generations copy of the master )
To summarize: MOFI single step process results in a 5 generation copy of original master recording rwhere 2 analogue mechanical copies of the sound are replaced by a single DSD copy . DSD copy of original master is to my understanding a much closer to original master quality (if not identical) than to any 2nd generation analogue copy alternatives availabe.
1) This is to my opinion a significant over all advantage to the cutting process
2) The Elephant in the room: The DSD step which contains a 2nd generation copy of original master is by definition a supirior version in compare witg the vinyl outcome which is a 5th ( practically 4th) generation copy of the original master tape.
This means that the best posible reproduction quality can be obtain by a direct use of the DSD via streaming or a SACD platformd.
Thanks and best regards
Fortunately Mike Esposito did not stoop to the level of insults sent his way.
He took the high road. He did a tactful interview and got to the bottom of the DSD issue.
Not really. I you own a Mofi recording, it’s likely you don’t know what the source was, and were thing it was from a “master recording”.
Do Mo-Fi records sound good or not? That is the question…..
I love this video so much
Good summary today's outcome. Case closed.
To think I have much cheaper AAA LPs that are actually AAA.
Fremer, do the Mofi's "sound digital" to you now? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I predict that these MoFi are going to drop in price like stones and anyone who has them in their collection is going to be disappointed even if you aren't in it to resell.
No
i predict you don'tk know what you are talking about
@@giobattaglia66 Right back at you!!!
Good stuff! i think michael and michael were pretty excited and didn't really listen carefully 😉
Obviously none of the critics with their golden ears noticed this procedure during the last years. I think they simply could not hear any differences and now these guys are feeling blamed.
Vinyl lovers need to wake up and study some basic science lol
Good luck on that one Kazu.
I spent allot of time & money collecting vinyl records. Most were $50 or $125 some lots more when they were out of print. But I could’ve gotten the SACD for $30 & it’s at least one generation better than the vinyl??? My head is going to explode! My collection in ruins infinite devaluation!!
The SACD is DSD64, Mofi samples the master tapes at DSD256 and uses that to cut the vinyl. So the source for vinyl is 4x the SACD from a digital standpoint.
So sorry...
Great editing. Mikey has to live with this
I’ve been completely forgotten. I want to hear a Blu-Ray version of the digital masters. I’m curious about Blu-Ray audio. Why didn’t Mobile Fidelity release Blu-Ray audio disc from the digital transfers? I’m told that Blu-Ray has an advantage over CD or vinyl.
This old guy Fremer is going senil and deaf. To me. All that matters is that it sounds great. And no one, I mean no one, can deny that they don’t. No matter what they used. Get over it folks. The records sound fantastic.
You’re 100% correct, but it’s not the point. If sparkling wine is made in Belgium and they call it Champagne, people would have issue with it
MoFI invited Mike to do this interview, knowing that he is not a professional journalist/interviewer. Maybe they felt this would give them an edge in the process. Mike is passionate about the subject matter and depends on the end consumer of vinyl to make a living, so no wonder he was able to ask the right questions and give Mofi the space in the interview to have little choice, but to come clean. Mofi done their own digging and Mike exposed it. Fremer on the other hand is less than gracious when it comes to Mike. He claims that Mofi rolled Mike over, when in fact Mike forced Mofi to roll themselves over, by asking the the important questions and getting the answers, that have put the audiophile world in a spin. This clip does Fremer little favours. His comments with regard to Mike's enquiry into Miles Davis and Santana's Abraxas are scandalous and for someone who describes himself as a journalist, insulting to Mike and indeed extremely damaging to his journalistic integrity. For me, Fremer would be best served by going into hiding for a while, because with such comments, he is at risk of doing more damage to his credibility, than Mofi have already done to theirs. Well done Mike. Your passion and respect for the end consumer, were the motivating factors in you getting to the truth, when others such as Fremer in this regard, sat on their ass, clinging onto their Ivory towers, victims to their sense of self importance, a self importance that is clearly in evidence with the vomit that Fremer is spewing here.
Okay. I don't have any skin this game. I kind of blew it off. You pay your money and get an excellent sounding product. Case closed. Well apparently it isn't like that in the audiophile world. Some people chase musical perfection as far as they can. They chase that last point of perfection. I didn't realize some people were spending thousands of dollars on Mofi products. It isn't the quality of records. It is the fact they were scammed. It is the fact they were fooled. You have to figure a person who spends $30,000 on cables doesn't want to know his analog recording isn't and he was fooled. Wouldn't surprise me to see a class action on this one. No defense. It was a lie.
But many audiophiles have claimed over the years they could hear a difference if there was anything digital in the process..... This proves they can't. Some of them should stop by my studio and we'll do some double blind tests, but many won't.... Guess why.
Yeah I agree. It’s very weird to me that audiophiles are less worried about actual sound quality and more about how it was achieved. But I guess at the end of the day yeah they were deceived by Mo-Fi marketing. Still odd that that’s what they’re pissed about. Never mind the company provided them the best possible audio quality, they’re pissed that it was marketed wrongly. I always thought music was about the best possible sound regardless of how it was achieved. The purists disagree evidently
If it wasn’t for the M.J release I doubt MoLie would have ever admitted to their cover up.
Fremer has lost his way. I shake my head.
Fremer is right on point, don’t know what you’re talking about. Good for Mike to out there
and try to get answers but he was out of his element. Sorry 😎
Fremer is spot on.
@@1999zrx1100 @Rock And Roll
Fremer is the one stating that it was never answered. It's very clearly answered as shown in this video...
@@1999zrx1100 Mike did fine.
@@rabarebra he could not hear the difference though.
Nicely cut.
These MoFi guys are so evasive, and so full of crap. They give no direct answers. Even worse, they give zero apologies to consumers.
I've always thought the MOFI LPs didn't sound right these last couple of decades when compared to their 80s / 90s releases. Those releases had an overall warmth and ease in the treble region that has always been beguiling. I took a chance and I purchased "Into The Labyrinth" about 7 years ago and was absolutely gutted; not only did it not sound good, the channels were reversed. I took another chance and purchased "Songs From The Big Chair" and it sounded thin and garish. I haven't purchased a MOFI since. That said, I've heard some really good LPs that were digitally sourced - so it isn't like digital sources are a non-starter for me; of course pure analog is absolutely preferred but, if done right, digital - ok - I'll take it. Especially realizing that from mid-80's onwards, the great majority of content was recorded digitally - so what choice do we [they] have. Another point, I had chalked the sound change up to [perhaps] a change in electronics in their mastering chain - I wonder if that added to the change in sound as well.
What I get from all this situation:
- mofi could specify all that dsd thing on their vinyls, but they didn’t. Mainly because they knew ppl that are vinyl lovers no matter what and pure analog freaks wouldn’t buy it. Easy.
- all these years, people LOVED Mofi. All one steps has some quality control issues with materials. But all sound amazing. Everyone was sooo impressed and said in all reviews that it’s the best they’ve heard from each title. So now that we know this, it sounds bad now? Come on guys.
- I love analog etc. however if technology allows you to get the best of both worlds, the quiet and details of the digital, and the warmth and natural sound of a vinyl played through your Koetsu cartridge and 100k audio system, then what is the problem? If THAT Mofi result is superior to all the previous pressings of any album and sounds best, then who cares? Are we all here to buy digital or analog etc. or are we here to find the best sounding album and have it in our collection?
- last, of course Mofi made a huge mistake of not being clear and lie in some videos and interviews in the past. They found a formula that works, but knew that they would lose all the analog vinyl purists etc. these purists care about analog and not how it sounds. That is the problem.
Agree with ever word you said,
Who is going to trust them now? Who is going to feel their premium price is worth it.
Not all of them sound awesome
Hit or miss
Many releases have a Hifi sheen added to the processing
Nobody is complaining about the sound, they're pissed because of how expensive Mofi pressings were. They were conned and misled.
No. They were fooled. A person that can tell the difference between a $20,000 audio and a $35,000 audio cable is going to be real mad when he learns he couldn't hear the digital in the chain and someone got rich by fooling him.
Reference point video. Good shit.
thanks for the video interesting most people misunderstand the point, not the quality is the point but the marketing lie on the cover on the inside leaf about one step that's it a simple sorry and a new name for these titles and less over price would be a nice move...
The customer deserves to know what they’re buying???!!! Really? The only reason MoFi said that is because they were caught. If that was the case where was the transparency 7 years ago?
Totally! They got caught and then they made their engineers defend their deceitfulness
@@AsTheTableTurns it’s funny, if you watch Mike from InGroove latest video, it’s almost like he is trying to defend them. Not sure why. 🤷🏻♂️
@@terrykeenan4308 I think he's really trying to steer people's anger away from the engineers and putting it on the executives and the public relations/marketing. So trying to put the blame where it needs to be with the people that carefully thought out the verbiage to be deceptive.
@@terrykeenan4308 yes because he sells a lot of mofi !
Oh well... caveat emptor.... I feel for Fremer though as MoFi folks did not follow up with him after the Munchen show as they promised. He would have been a very credible interviewer. Bottom line, full transparency would have been wonderful yet if you enjoy the recording, that's all that really matters to me.
So… digital copies of analog master tapes sound great. It means digital doesn’t suck it’s just the domestic playback equipment. Who wants vinyl anyway, it’s a pain in the ass (other than the artwork). I have 1,000’s of the things, expensive cartridges etc. Roll on streaming services that deliver DSD like files of original analog master tapes and hifi people develop better play back equipment ie Linn’s new Organik Klimax is definitely on that path.
These Mofi's mean more to people than Jesus Christ... I can see the 20 step burn pile already! Glad I just buy records at Walmart. I appreciate the audiophile knowledge but the reasons for buying records appear more for the way they were cut than for the music. I never even heard Abraxis or whatever its called. I appreciate Santana. He survived Altamont so thats awesome. And I once heard Oye Como Va on a radio in the barrio during work. It was awseome. The symbiosis or whayever the word is between that song and the barrio is pretty special
And what happns when you build a RUclips identity fawning over MoFi? Time to rebrand for Analog Productions.
Brilliant! 👍🏻👍🏻
Everyone in this world thought that mofi did everything analogue, because of their misleading marketing. That’s the end. Not all collectors are “crazy” to believe that…
If this doesn't prove that audiophiles are only concerned with what they buy than how it sounds then I don't know whatr does. Did Mo-chael Fi-rmer ever say in the past this phonograph sounds digital? Not that I can remembrer.
Wake up record companies have been using Digital since the 80’s.
How come Record Anonymous a group in Brooklyn knew.?
We enjoy all music formats!
4:16 even when they have the original master tape they sometimes (usually? always?) transfer it to DSD. He says, "have to". Why do they "have to" transfer to digital? It's not explained but I suppose it's because they've committed to playing the original tape a limited number of times and don't want to hurt their relationship with the tape's owner. I wouldn't be surprised if the record labels are insisting that these tapes be digitized immediately in order to preserve the life of the original tape by limiting plays. I wonder if part of the agreements are that the tape owners get a copy of MoFi's digital transfer for their own use in the future.
Bottom line: the guys making the media think DSD is the best way to preserve the masters and the best source medium for making new discs. 4:44
Excellent summary of the issues raised in the interview. Thanks.
Hahaha. Mofi selling snake oil and overhyping vinyl prices in the process. Looks like digital is the future
You're probably right. It doesn't really matter to me that much. It was more, like Mazzy stated "They were disingenuous". That's what bothers me. Just tell everyone the truth and don't pretend that the process is so elite.
@@AsTheTableTurns yeah I think we can at least have a few decent laughs now at all the audiophile snobs who looked down upon us for having our beloved OG copies of records and our 'rock and roll ears'. im happy with my old $10 used records. I only like to see reissues for rare or hard to get releases not overpriced classic rock that is easily acquired in thrift shops and used bins.
The jig is up. ALL records start with an original master recording somewhere down the line.
My head hurts so bad. I’ve been focused on carefully curated vinyl and now it’s kaput, a collection rendered worthless or even worse than worthless for an audiophile who has always reviled DSD.
@@AsTheTableTurns Next…I’m waiting for a whistleblower who will expose the megabuck cable/interconnect industry for being the rip-off artists they are.
Honestly, and no offense: but I find this whole drama hilarious, lol.
Hey, I get the false advertising for premium price component. For that, everyone has a legitimate ground to be upset and feel betrayed.
But let's be serious: for how many decades, now; Audiophiles really believed all these master Analogue tapes were all going to be in good enough condition, to go through the process?🤔🙄
I've been hearing for at least two decades, that at least 99% of all albums / recording releases have been going through the digital domain. Regardless of which physical medium.
Then you have so many audiophiles walking and talking such arrogant nonsense, and belittling.
Boasting about their pure Analogue systems and diminishing so many people.
There's some comical irony, here. Some egos have taken a hit.
At the end of the day: if it sounds musically beautiful: that's what matters.
Very interesting!
0:33 He's wrong. "Bog standard DSD" is DSD64 i.e. 64 times the sampling rate of a CD, not 256. 4x DSD is DSD256 which is a 11.2896MHz sampling rate and 256 times the sampling rate of a CD.
Not surprised Mofi lied. After paying mofi’s stupidly ridiculous price for 1 LP and not hearing enough of a difference to feel it was worth the ridiculous price, I forgot about Mofi. Marketing lies to boost their prices, I’m shocked, shocked to hear this.
Embrace the music not the format🤘
When I bought the Muddy Waters Onestep of Folk Singer I realized Mofi does Crap these days. Let me make this clear, my Mofi Gold Ultradisc II of the same album sounds more Vinyl than the the Onestep. Beside this, the pressing is worse than cheap DOL stuff. I cannot get people complaining about DOL stuff but because of digital sources but paying 10 times more for Mofi makes sense. Totally insane. I have a cheap pressing from Waxtime that sounds the vers same way. If I listen to AP, Tone Poet stuff or Music Matters I instantly get the best sound. Mofi sux.
Pretty sure one of those men (with the hat) is Paul from PS Audi in disguise. haha
Snake oil. MOFIA.
Shut up Fremer. Why would a record label send out a master copy of a album that is absolutely priceless ?
It was never about the sound quality that wasn’t in question it was the deliberate cover up. Your being sold a very expensive lie, and I bet you can’t get your money back.
The question is: Why i should buy an lp copy of a DSD file and not direct the dsd file? Why i should pay 75$ for an lp copy against 25$ of the original dsd file.? How can the origina file DSD sound worse ? But are we sure that the original dsd file is sold direct or on Sacd? Or we have always a compress dsd file , a compress pcm file or a compress CD ecc.. So they can't sound better then the LP? At the end what we have in our hand? A real analog copy , the best digital copy or nothin at all? But if it's not possible use many time the original analog master how it's possible the in '60 and '70 we have milion of first copy of lp and not 40.000? Are the original first LP print so good as we think? Milion of copy from copy of copy of copy of the original analog master?? And analog copy, not digital. What are we talking about? But why we are paying a lot for new and old lp of what we don't know nothing??
Why buy LP copy of dsd? You are getting pops, cracks, vinyl noise and poor dynamics for 125 usd. Dsd doesnt have that lol
Would a proper journalist have discused the questions and answers before filming the video on such an important matter, and how can Mofi talk about Trust when they've been lying to people for years and charging over the top for an inferior product, it seems to me theres a lot of people in the vinyl community who are trying to protect the value of their Mofi records
Spot on
And suddenly the mofi vinyl all sound bad... :D :D :D ;)
Oh, so the real scandal is Michael Fremer, not MoFi? Nice deflection. MoFi misrepresented their product. Up until last week, everyone believed that they cut the One Steps and everything else they release on vinyl directly from tape unless the original master is digital, because that's what they said. All-analog processing chain. That clearly wasn't true. The quality of the work is not in question - if they say they could create the best vinyl product from a DXD copy, I believe them, but they weren't transparent about this process. They admitted the DXD step reluctantly, and it's costing them business. But Michael Fremer said some things? Who cares? No one is cancelling their MoFi preorders because of Michael Fremer, their doing it because they expected their pricey albums to be cut all-analog, as advertised.
You need to watch the whole video. Failing that, skip to the caption at 5:04.
Upside of this whole issue is that a lot of cretinous blowhards have been taken down quite a bit, and that's always fun to see.
Just wait for all of the videos where everyone tries to point out how they negatively reviewed One Steps.
Mike did a fine job. The whining audiophile nerds, who know nothing about recording, need better problems in life.
Lol awesome
I love how all you audiophiles made total fools of themselves. Engineers and scientists have been telling you for decades what digital could AND DOES do, every day, inexpensively. But no, you had to insist you are right, your ears told you ..... Well I will say it, and I will say it often, and with great satisfaction. WE TOLD YOU SO!
they have always sounded not great to me. A bit too clear and clean, never earthy or goosebumps or jumping out the speakers. DSD sounds amazing but nothing like AAA. This doesnt suprise me at all bc I always heard something and would choose Doug Sax or Kevin Gray or Grundman over a mofi ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. There is way too much implication though regarding AAA on their covers through the years and that is SCUMMY SCUMMY SCUMMY
Haha someone said that now there will be comments "yeah i knew these mofi were digital". Sure! Now You know. When You heard these mofi were digital
@@Watcher4111 for example, just compare mofi to Mosaic or Water lily acoustics….. it’s a joke. Those two sound 100% ALIVE …. I always just thought their mastering engineer Wunderlich was no good
This is great
MoFi = NoBuy.
I have seen this full interview. I thought Michael asked the right questions and the engineers at MoFi gave straightforward answers. If they can't obtain and use the analog masters, they make their own DSD transfer of it. What is important to remember is this, the DSD is made "From The Original Master Tapes". The MoFi engineers made no attempt to defraud interviewer Mike. They answered all of his questions and they have stated that they will design some way of explaining the steps used in the mastering process of their albums. Be it on the album packaging or on their website. To be 100% honest "From The Original Master Tapes" means From The Original Master Tapes. It does not mean every step in the process is analog. MoFi wants to release well mastered, good sounding albums. Mike from The In Groove was not there to roast and chastise the engineers. He was invited to MoFi to speak with engineers about this issue. The engineers spoke as engineers would. They did not gloss over anything. Mike did not speak with a MoFi lawyer on the subject. He did not speak with anyone in the sales or promotion department. He spoke with the engineers who eat, sleep and drink audio to create the final product. I was quite happy to hear one of the engineers praise Rhino Records for their work. This told me that he is not only a sound engineer but a fan of music too. I was happy again when the other engineer went to the Amoeba Records store in Los Angeles. I have been to Amoeba as well. Again this engineer is a fan of music too. This interview shows that MoFi would be open and address this issue, and not be politicians and cover it up and talk around it.
they have always sounded not great to me. A bit too clear and clean, never earthy or goosebumps or jumping out the speakers. DSD sounds amazing but nothing like AAA. This doesnt suprise me at all bc I always heard something and would choose Doug Sax or Kevin Gray or Grundman over a mofi ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. There is way too much implication though regarding AAA on their covers through the years and that is SCUMMY SCUMMY SCUMMY