A sad day for hi-fi lovers was the day Mobile Fidelity closed its doors. (1 Viewer)

[Javier_Huerta]

So, I indulged on music buys this weekend. I bought the 1999 CD remaster of "Sports" by Huey Lewis (terrific album), Bob James "in Hi-Fi" (SACD), and Queen's "The Game" (DVD-A). I also re-wired my speakers with 12Ga Monster Wire.

Anyway, I began playing my new albums. I was happy with the results, and the new cable made the system a lot more girlfriend-friendly. But something was missing. The usual "goosebumps" were conspicuosly absent.

I took a couple of different recordings from my shelf. Alan Parsons' "Tales of Mistery and Imagination" (his debut album with Eric Woolfson), and Queen's "News of the World". But I grabbed them from a special shelf in my collection: the "Ultradisc" shelf.

One spin of each disc reminded me why people are now paying $200 or more for these discs. They simply can't be replaced by anything else. SACD might sound great when done correctly; DVD-A might do the same thing. But I know of no other company (except, perhaps, DCC Compact Classics) that could always, and I mean always deliver the most stunning fidelity possible from any given recording.

As I was listening to "News of the World", the guitars came alive, the drums were snappy, fast and perfectly detailed, and Freddie Mercury's voice was so incredibly rendered, I could not believe it was all coming from a simple CD. Alan Parsons' work was, to put it simply, completely transparent.

Now, with the impending advent (?) of high resolution audio, I find that, more often than not, I end up buying discs that simply don't live up to their claims (I didn't care for Cyndi Lauper's SACD album, for example), or are inferior to their CD counterparts (The Police "Outlandos d' amour" & "Regatta de Blanc").

Back when Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs was in business, I had an excellent alternative.

I know they are now back in business (or at least have heard news about it), but I'm not really sure they are the same company, or that they can get the rights to the music they used to. I hope so... because they, in my book, never did anything wrong when it came to remastering.

 

[Rachael B]

Javier, the present Mobile Fidelity is making hybrid-stereo SACD's quite well. The Kink's LOW BUDJET is my latest title added. It rocks hard and has bonus tracks! I've been delighted with HOT BUTTERED SOUL by Issac Hayes and the 3 Patricia Barber albums I got from them too. If you ask me the new Mobile Fidelity is even better, so far. The SACD's I have all sound way better than CD quality to me. They may never do all the same titles again. Not likely, as the rights issues revolve, evolve...hey, times change. Best wishes!

 

[KeithH]

It was also a sad day when DCC closed shop. Steve Hoffman is still around, mind you, as he is doing hybrid SACDs for Audio Fidelity and Analogue Productions (and vinyl for the latter as well). However, it seems as though he is not turning out as much product as he used to, probably because doing the master for hybrid SACD takes longer than for CD. Anyway, I am deeply saddened by the fact that DCC CDs are no longer in print.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

The new Mobile Fidelity is alive and well and better than the first one in sonics and perhaps performances.

Rejoice!

 

[Javier_Huerta]

Thanks for all your input!

Lee, Rachel, is there a MoFi web site? I have looked for it, yet found nothing. Are they still based in Sebastopol? How did they continue to be in business? I'm sure there's an interesting story to be told there.

I remember asking them about their Toto IV release (supposedly, there was going to be a GAIN II remaster later on). It was a joy to receive an e-mail from them thoroughly explaining how they were happy about having an album released in 3 versions (UltraDisc GAIN, AnaDisq, GAIN II). Sadly, the GAIN II version never appeared.

Keith, I agree with you. Steve Hoffman's remasters are equally good as the MoFi ones. I especially like what he did to "The Cars" and "Elton John" discs.

 

[Matt Butler]

The only disc of theirs I have is the DSOM 24K gold disc. It used to sound incredible untill the SACD came out.

I heard The Wall and it is mind blowing.


Anyone want a DSOM Ultradisc? I thought about unloading it. Email me.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

The original Mo Fi of Blind Faith knocks the socks off the remaster, even with all the extra tracks on it.

Ditto, IMO, for Who Are You.

 

[Karl_Luph]

I've got a number records made by them from the 70's and 80's. I too thought I had seen where the company started up again after being closed down. They always made quality material IMO.

 

[Rachael B]

Javier, maybe the new Mobile Fidelity doesn't have a site yet? At a joint like this somebody would know the address if it existed. They may be on a tight start-up budjet. They've only got about a dozen titles so far. The Kinks' EVERYBODY'S IN SHOW BUSINESS came out this week. Another Kink-y album is due soon, one of the 60's one, I think...? Best wishes!

 

[KeithH]

Lee said:

The new Mobile Fidelity is alive and well and better than the first one in sonics and perhaps performances.

I'm not nearly as excited about the new MFSL as I was about the old one, even though the new one is doing SACDs. The current MFSL has not yet shown the breadth of titles that the old one did. I question whether the new MFSL ever will. Second, while many labels are selling hybrid SACDs for under $20, MFSL hybrids still go for $25-30. Finally, the MFSL hybrid discs are very difficult to find. While the old MFSL discs used to be available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Borders, etc., the MFSL hybrids are not. I've seen the MFSL hybrids at Tower and a local store for $27 a pop. :rolleyes

 

[KeithH]

Javier said:

I remember asking them about their Toto IV release (supposedly, there was going to be a GAIN II remaster later on). It was a joy to receive an e-mail from them thoroughly explaining how they were happy about having an album released in 3 versions (UltraDisc GAIN, AnaDisq, GAIN II). Sadly, the GAIN II version never appeared.

If you read through posts on Steve Hoffman's forum, you will see many opinions stating that the original MFSL CDs sound better than the Ultradisc II and Gain 2 discs. I've seen many people express that opinion.

 

[Rich Malloy]

The Patricia Barbers and Isaac Hayes are among the best SACDs I own, and I can't wait for their release of Aimee Mann's "Lost in Space" this summer! Looking forward to that Miles Davis Quintet disc, too ("Steamin").

Here's the webpage (not much of a "site" really): http://www.mofi.com/

 

[Javier_Huerta]

Thanks all for your opinions! Rachael, let's hope the MoFi people put up a web site worthy of their brand name soon.

Keith, I've seen Steve Hoffman's forums mentioned here a couple of times. I'll have to dig up all related threads. As I said before, I think he's the only one who could give the old MFSL records a run for their money. I never listened to an original MoFi CD - I just got as far as listening to their early Ultradiscs, which are still a delight. And I do agree with you - they need to secure the rights to some good recordings if they are still going to price their products a bit higher.

 

[Michael_T]

There is a Mobile Fidelity web-site - but it is very little.

Actually the site lists very little information, but when you click on the picture of current and past releases you are taken directly to Music Direct (the company to currently owns the Mobile Fidelity label).

Here is the current Mobile Fidelity website:

www.mofi.com

addition to original post:

I just went to the Mobile Fidelity site and they had a counter on the site indicating that there were - 3 days, 10hours+ "Remaining until the launch of the NEW Moblie Fidelity Sound Lab Website!"

So this might mean something "good" with regard to the fact that currently you get very little.

Mike

 

[Javier_Huerta]

They are launching a new web site!!!

 

[John Garcia]

mmmmm Patricia Barber's discs are among the best I've heard as well

 

[Frank_S]

One spin of each disc reminded me why people are now paying $200 or more for these discs. They simply can't be replaced by anything else.

I hate to bring up the vinyl medium but as an example, I own an original MOFI UD1 DSOTM CD, a MOFI vinyl pressing, and an original UK Harvest 1st pressing(vinyl of course)
They all sound different but the UK vinyl is the best, IMO. Many people agree that the vinyl has a more realistic presentation. Old technology done right is fantastic.