Dire Straits MOFIs

[benny]

They are both excellent on first listening.

 

Vinyl is nice and quiet, perhaps a bit more emphasis on vocals than guitars . 
 

just an initial impression..

 

 

[benny]

OK so i did a quick shoot out using telegraph road as a test between the MOFI & Maxicut.

 

My setup is as follows.

Oracle Delphi --> Rega RB301 --> Ortofon HMC30
Groovewatt DIY phono stage (LUNDAHL SUTs, SRPP tubes, 12AX7 NOS mullards in the first stage, Reissue Gold Lion 12AX7's in the second, Dario Miniwatt E180CC in the third)

Yaqin MC10L modified (PIO Caps, ANOD 6N1P-EV's, Gold Lion KT77s)

Pioneer DSS9's (with caps upgraded to Mundorf's)

 

Firstly i cant tell you which i prefer between the two, theyre both fantastic.

 

The Maxicut:

to me sounds a bit more forward overall in its presentation, the guitars are brighter and louder and feel more forwards in the soundstage.

 

The MOFI:

The Eq on the guitar isnt as forward, or bright, but the soundstage feels far wider. Perhaps a bit more emphasis on the percussion and vocals than the instruments.

 

Both are thoroughly enjoyable.

 

Keen to hear other's thoughts, 

 

Ben

Edited December 12, 2019 by benny

[Candyflip]

6 hours ago, benny said:

OK so i did a quick shoot out using telegraph road as a test between the MOFI & Maxicut.

 

My setup is as follows.

Oracle Delphi --> Rega RB301 --> Ortofon HMC30
Groovewatt DIY phono stage (LUNDAHL SUTs, SRPP tubes, 12AX7 NOS mullards in the first stage, Reissue Gold Lion 12AX7's in the second, Dario Miniwatt E180CC in the third)

Yaqin MC10L modified (PIO Caps, ANOD 6N1P-EV's, Gold Lion KT77s)

Pioneer DSS9's (with caps upgraded to Mundorf's)

 

Firstly i cant tell you which i prefer between the two, theyre both fantastic.

 

The Maxicut:

to me sounds a bit more forward overall in its presentation, the guitars are brighter and louder and feel more forwards in the soundstage.

 

The MOFI:

The Eq on the guitar isnt as forward, or bright, but the soundstage feels far wider. Perhaps a bit more emphasis on the percussion and vocals than the instruments.

 

Both are thoroughly enjoyable.

 

Keen to hear other's thoughts, 

 

Ben

Fascinating Ben - thanks for the notes.  

I've been banging on about the Maxicuts for a while now, nay-saying against the S.Hoff Forums who decided the Japanese pressing was superior (of course, THEY had never been lucky enough to hear a Maxicut, so perhaps in that case, Fair Play to them.)

[benny]

23 minutes ago, candyflip said:

Fascinating Ben - thanks for the notes.  

I've been banging on about the Maxicuts for a while now, nay-saying against the S.Hoff Forums who decided the Japanese pressing was superior (of course, THEY had never been lucky enough to hear a Maxicut, so perhaps in that case, Fair Play to them.)

Your damn maxicut sold too fast. I picked up a couple at a record fair!

[giddyup1]

That Maxicut thread had me fascinated. A great read. 

I picked up a 2nd hand Bob Seger album “Nine Tonight” the other day and low and behold a Maxicut. Sounds great !

[Candyflip]

10 minutes ago, benny said:

Your damn maxicut sold too fast. I picked up a couple at a record fair!

They are still an under-rated little secret, and though not exactly 'common' anymore, the Record Fairs are definitely still the best place to find them - which I recommend anyone does if you want a near-MOFI sound at less than 25% of the MOFI price.

[hlov]

9 hours ago, giddyup1 said:

That Maxicut thread had me fascinated. A great read. 

I picked up a 2nd hand Bob Seger album “Nine Tonight” the other day and low and behold a Maxicut. Sounds great !

Hi mate,

 

sorry for my dummy question but what is a maxi cut? I do have the Nine Tonight album and it sounds great

[ochremoon]

The Mofis would have to be way better than anything else that is available for me to go out and buy them, as I really hate the interruption to the flow of the album that a 45rpm entails. These reports don't seem to indicate this magnitude of difference. Good, that leaves more money for other music. If Mofi released these at 33rpm I might reconsider.

[metal beat]

8 minutes ago, ochremoon said:

The Mofis would have to be way better than anything else that is available for me to go out and buy them, as I really hate the interruption to the flow of the album that a 45rpm entails. These reports don't seem to indicate this magnitude of difference. Good, that leaves more money for other music. If Mofi released these at 33rpm I might reconsider.

 

+20.   Its the music and flow that really matters.    Otherwise they should start releasing albums on 5 x 12inch slabs with one song on each side.  how schiit would that be.

  

Edited December 12, 2019 by metal beat

[benny]

1 hour ago, ochremoon said:

The Mofis would have to be way better than anything else that is available for me to go out and buy them, as I really hate the interruption to the flow of the album that a 45rpm entails. These reports don't seem to indicate this magnitude of difference. Good, that leaves more money for other music. If Mofi released these at 33rpm I might reconsider.

I think you buy mofi's for the SQ above all else.

 

If you're more concerned with the flow of an album than its sound, then yeah a cheaper pressing is probably money better spent.

[H.E. Pennypacker]

1 minute ago, benny said:

I think you buy mofi's for the SQ above all else.

 

If you're more concerned with the flow of an album than its sound, then yeah a cheaper pressing is probably money better spent.

I just think of it as a 60 second drinks break in the live recording session I’m sitting in on.

[jeromelang]

1 hour ago, ochremoon said:

The Mofis would have to be way better than anything else that is available for me to go out and buy them, as I really hate the interruption to the flow of the album that a 45rpm entails. These reports don't seem to indicate this magnitude of difference. Good, that leaves more money for other music. If Mofi released these at 33rpm I might reconsider.

 

Each song on the LOG album is an epic event all by themselves.

 

A minute of silence afterwards for contemplation would have allowed better appreciation of the pleasure that was at once, most pure, most elevating, and most intense, and beautiful.  

 

Or that was the target, at least.

 

Unfortunately, the Mofi reissue at 45rpm failed to transcend above what was already there on an original uk 33rpm

Edited December 13, 2019 by jeromelang

[benny]

23 minutes ago, jeromelang said:

 

Each song on the LOG album is an epic event all by themselves.

 

A minute of silence afterwards for contemplation would have allowed better appreciation of the pleasure that was at once, most pure, most elevating, and most intense, and beautiful.  

 

Or that was the target, at least.

 

Unfortunately, the Mofi reissue at 45rpm failed to transcend above what was already there on an original uk 33rpm

Considering that you cant buy an original uk pressing brand new anymore (and if u could it would cost a fortune) i think its fantastic that theres a pressing available new that may be even vaguely comparable to it. I think thats almost a credit to mofi - considering how cr@p some of the represses ive bought  have sounded

[jeromelang]

2 hours ago, benny said:

Considering that you cant buy an original uk pressing brand new anymore (and if u could it would cost a fortune) i think its fantastic that theres a pressing available new that may be even vaguely comparable to it. I think thats almost a credit to mofi - considering how cr@p some of the represses ive bought  have sounded

 

The one in the 6-album, Mercury boxset (eu pressing) sounds very very close to the original uk.

 

There is a "back to black" sticker on the cover of the LOG album.

 

You may want to try getting hold of a stand alone LOG "back to black" eu pressing copy that was issued at the same time as the Mercury boxset. 

 

It's a mighty discredit to MOFI if their 2-disc 45rpm doesn't sound as dynamic, and as extended (both bass and highs) as the original 1-disc 33rpm 

 

Edited December 13, 2019 by jeromelang

[benny]

20 minutes ago, jeromelang said:

 

The one in the 6-album, Mercury boxset (eu pressing) sounds very very close to the original uk.

 

There is a "back to black" sticker on the cover of the LOG album.

 

You may want to try getting hold of a stand alone LOG "back to black" eu pressing copy that was issued at the same time as the Mercury boxset. 

 

It's a mighty discredit to MOFI if their 2-disc 45rpm doesn't sound as dynamic, and as extended (both bass and highs) as the original 1-disc 33rpm 

 

who said it doesnt sound as dynamic?

[jeromelang]

10 minutes ago, benny said:

who said it doesnt sound as dynamic?

Tested the Mofi vs the uk original.

 

The Mofi  2-disc 45rpm does not sound as dynamic, and does not sound as extended as the original uk 1-disc 33rpm

[benny]

1 minute ago, jeromelang said:

Tested the Mofi vs the uk original.

 

The Mofi  2-disc 45rpm does not sound as dynamic, and does not sound as extended as the original uk 1-disc 33rpm

so you tested it?

[jeromelang]

5 minutes ago, benny said:

so you tested it?

6 minutes ago, jeromelang said:

Tested the Mofi vs the uk original.

 

[benny]

6 minutes ago, jeromelang said:

 

That really doesnt answer the question.

 

but anyway assuming it was you that tested it, sad to hear you're not happy with it. The way it presented in my stereo wasnt a lacking in dynamics, just less loudness on the guitar. but a really nice open and dynamic recording.

 

anyhoo, the fascinating part of our hobby is how we hear things differently.

[metal beat]

3 hours ago, benny said:

I think you buy mofi's for the SQ above all else.

 

If you're more concerned with the flow of an album than its sound, then yeah a cheaper pressing is probably money better spent.

LOL

If you believe the mofi advertising, yes.   

 

  Inferring that people who like the flow are not interested in sound quality is laughable. 

If the flow and sound are excellent,  why would one really want to double the number of sides. 

 

  Next you are going to tell me that mofi inner sleeves seen the best 

 

  Don't believe the hype as the mofi releases are not always the best sounding pressings.  

   Nirvana Nevermind is one example where the original US pressing is a lot better sound.

Edited December 13, 2019 by metal beat

[benny]

You said it earlier dude when you said "the music and the flow is most important"

 

I dont buy into any hype im trying to be objective.

 

I also do like the mofi inner sleeves, what would you reccomend as an alternative?

[jeromelang]

15 minutes ago, benny said:

That really doesnt answer the question.

 

but anyway assuming it was you that tested it, sad to hear you're not happy with it. The way it presented in my stereo wasnt a lacking in dynamics, just less loudness on the guitar. but a really nice open and dynamic recording.

 

anyhoo, the fascinating part of our hobby is how we hear things differently.

 

the fascinating part is always how fanboys deal with less than glowing and differing opinions.

 

what did you use for comparison to the mofi 45rpm?

 

 

 

[benny]

6 minutes ago, jeromelang said:

 

the fascinating part is always how fanboys deal with less than glowing and differing opinions.

 

what did you use for comparison to the mofi 45rpm?

 

 

 

Its cute when you start belittling and branding people with labels.

 

Read back about two pages and you will see what i compared it to.

[jeromelang]

7 minutes ago, benny said:

Its cute when you start belittling and branding people with labels.

 

Read back about two pages and you will see what i compared it to.

and the way you curtly dismissed other people's comparative experiences was no less belittling?

Edited December 13, 2019 by jeromelang

[benny]

3 minutes ago, jeromelang said:

and the way you curtly dismissed other people's comparative experiences was no less belittling?

i thinky you misinterpretted my question earlier, i literally was asking who had made the comparison. If you had directly done so, or if it was just an opinion you had read.

 

I ultimately want whichever the best pressing is, if you say the uk is still better, ill try hunting one down too.

 

There was really no intended belittling on my part.

Similarly with Metalbeat - if the 45 sounds to him as good as a 33 but i cant easily procure a 33 that is better, i think the 45 is an ok compromise.

 

I humbly apologise to anyone for any offense