The MOFI case, which has been on the internet for more than 10 days, shows that the management of master tapes is indeed a real problem today, because these tapes are aging and have been used many times.
This is why, for the preservation of our heritage, we also digitalise the multi-track tapes that were used to make the master. The advantage of these tapes is that they have not been used very often, so they are not very damaged. This is what is done in the DES studio that I visited and which has produced the greatest French artists. These digital versions are used for the creation of new digital editions and also on vinyl.
But, coming back to the MOFI case, one can understand that it is easier to digitalise in DSD 64 or DSD 128 than to copy everything on tape with the displacement of the analogue material (very fragile tape recorder). But when you want to be a perfectionist, you push perfection to the max and try to do full analogue!
But it all came down to the fact that they were going to produce 40,000 copies of Thriller one steps!
MOFI’s problem is not the technical choice they made with DSD, it’s the lack of transparency and the fact that they let people think that they were doing full analog from master to vinyl, without any analog/digital/analog conversion. While the products are sold very expensive! It is a question of transparency, hence the problem of deception on the vinyls which is evoked on youtube or other sites.
MOFI reacted with this statement on its Facebook page:
We at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab are aware of customer complaints regarding use of digital technology in our mastering chain. We apologize for using vague language, allowing false narratives to propagate, and for taking for granted the goodwill and trust our customers place in the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab brand.
We recognize our conduct has resulted in both anger and confusion in the marketplace. Moving forward, we are adopting a policy of 100% transparency regarding the provenance of our audio products. We are immediately working on updating our websites, future printed materials, and packaging — as well as providing our sales and customer service representatives with these details. We will also provide clear, specific definitions when it comes to Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab marketing branding such as Original Master Recording (OMR) and UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S). We will backfill source information on previous releases so Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab customers can feel as confident in owning their products as we are in making them.
We thank you for your past support and hope you allow us to continue to provide you the best-sounding records possible — an aim we’ve achieved and continue to pursue with pride.
Jim Davis
President, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
MOFI has started to provide information, for this you have to look at each album on their website.
Here is a summary of the information available today, not all albums are detailed yet :
| Ref | Album | Source |
| MFSL2-500 | Alan Parsons Project – Eye in the Sky | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL33UD1S-041 | Alan Parsons Project – I Robot (33RPM) | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-040 | Alan Parsons Project – I Robot (45RPM) | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-455 | Alan Parsons Project – I Robot (45RPM) | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-453 | Big Brother and the Holding Company – Cheap Thrills | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-002 | Bill Evans – Sunday at The Village Vanguard | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master |
| MFSL45UD1S-009 | Bill Evans Trio – Portrait in Jazz | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-446 | Bill Withers – Live at Carnegie Hall | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL1-525 | Bill Withers – Still Bill | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-388 | Billy Joel – An Innocent Man | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-385 | Billy Joel – Glass Houses | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-383 | Billy Joel – The Stranger | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL45UD1S-016 | Blood, Sweat & Tears – Blood, Sweat & Tears | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-461 | Bob Dylan – Another Side of Bob Dylan | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-006 | Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-458 | Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-416 | Bob Dylan – Desire | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-422 | Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-464M | Bob Dylan – John Wesley Harding | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-423 | Bob Dylan – John Wesley Harding | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-489 | Bob Dylan – Love and Theft | 1″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-424 | Bob Dylan – Nashville Skyline | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-488 | Bob Dylan – Oh Mercy | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-487 | Bob Dylan – Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-443 | Bob Dylan – Planet Waves | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-460M | Bob Dylan – The Times They are a-Changin’ | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-421 | Bob Dylan – The Times They are a-Changin’ | SIDE ONE: 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 SIDE TWO: 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog copy to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-426 | Bob Dylan and The Band – Before the Flood | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog copy to DSD 64 |
| MFSL45UD1S-022 | Cannonball Adderley – Somethin’ Else | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-414 | Carole King – Tapestry | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL45UD1S-010 | Charles Mingus – Mingus Ah Um | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-401-2 | Count Basie – Live at the Sands (Before Frank) | Digital clone of PCM digital master direct to lathe |
| MFSL45UD1S-021 | Crosby, Stills and Nash – Crosby, Stills and Nash | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-481 | Curtis Mayfield – Super Fly | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog copy direct to lathe |
| MFSL2-496 | David Crosby – If I Could Only Remember My Name | 1/4″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-470 | Derek and the Dominos – Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-441 | Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms | Digital clone of Sony 1630 U-Matic digital master |
| MFSL2-467 | Dire Straits – Communique | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-466 | Dire Straits – Dire Straits | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-469 | Dire Straits – Love Over Gold | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master – Plangent Processed – to DXD |
| MFSL2-468 | Dire Straits – Making Movies | SIDE ONE: 1/4″ / 30 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 SIDE TWO: 1/4″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-025 | Eagles – Desperado | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-024 | Eagles – Eagles | 1/4″ / analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-028 | Eagles – Hotel California | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-026 | Eagles – On The Border | 1/4″ / 15 IPS Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-027 | Eagles – One Of These Nights | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-029 | Eagles – The Long Run | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-015 | Electric Light Orchestra – Eldorado | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSV1-001 | Electric Light Orchestra – Eldorado (180g SuperVinyl LP) | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-475SV | Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach – Painted from Memory | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-017 | Elvis Presley – From Elvis in Memphis | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-429 | Grateful Dead – American Beauty | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL2-483 | Grateful Dead – Blues for Allah | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-482 | Grateful Dead – From the Mars Hotel | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-428 | Grateful Dead – Workingman’s Dead | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL1-413 | Hall and Oates – H2O | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL1-412 | Hall and Oates – Private Eyes | 1/2″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-498 | Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Schmilsson | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-499 | Harry Nilsson – Son of Schmilsson | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-415 | J.Geils Band – The Morning After | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL2-454 | Janis Joplin – Pearl | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-502 | Jeff Beck – Truth | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-456 | Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-457 | Jefferson Airplane – Volunteers | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-430 | Jerry Garcia and David Grisman – Garcia/Grisman | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL2-495 | Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-472 | Linda Ronstadt – Heart Like a Wheel | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-371 | Los Lobos – Kiko | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master |
| MFSL2-402 | Love – Forever Changes | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-505 | Mark Knopfler – Local Hero (Soundtrack) | Digital clone of 3M digital master |
| LMFUD1S042 | Michael Jackson – Thriller | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-440 | Miles Davis – A Tribute to Jack Johnson | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL33UD1S-039 | Miles Davis – Bitches Brew | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-451 | Miles Davis – E.S.P. | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-438 | Miles Davis – Filles de Kilimanjaro | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-377 | Miles Davis – In a Silent Way | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-45-011 | Miles Davis – Kind of Blue | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby SR analog remix master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-437 | Miles Davis – Miles in the Sky | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-486 | Miles Davis – Miles Smiles | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby SR analog remix master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-374 | Miles Davis – Milestones | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL1-431 | Miles Davis – My Funny Valentine | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-436 | Miles Davis – Nefertiti | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-452 | Miles Davis – On the Corner | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-485 | Miles Davis – Porgy and Bess | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-373 | Miles Davis – ‘Round About Midnight | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL45UD1S-038 | Miles Davis – Sketches of Spain | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL1-375 | Miles Davis – Sketches of Spain (180g LP) | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-435 | Miles Davis – Sorcerer | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-023 | Muddy Waters – Folk Singer | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-396 | Patricia Barber – A Distortion of Love | Digital clone of original PCM digital master direct to lathe |
| MFSL2-427 | Patricia Barber – Smash | Original PCM digital master direct to lathe |
| MFSL45UD1S-014 | Paul Simon – Still Crazy After All These Years | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-019 | Paul Simon – There Goes Rhymin’ Simon | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-476 | Richard Thompson – Rumor and Sigh | 1/2″ / 30 IPS / Dolby SR analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-494 | Run DMC – Raising Hell | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-405 | Ry Cooder – Boomer’s Story | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL1-465 | Ry Cooder – Chicken Skin Music | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL1-449 | Ry Cooder – Paradise and Lunch | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master direct to lathe |
| Santana – Abraxas | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 | |
| MFSL2-45-012 | Santana – Santana | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-484 | Simon and Garfunkel – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-005 | Stevie Ray Vaughan – Texas Flood | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL2-490 | T. Rex – Electric Warrior | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog copy to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-442 | The Cars – Heartbeat City | 1/4″ / 30 IPS analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL1-274 | The Cars – The Cars | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master |
| MFSL1-473 | The Knack – Get the Knack | 1/4″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-339 | The Pretenders – Learning to Crawl | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master |
| MFSL1-372 | The Pretenders – Pretenders | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-450 | The Spinners – Spinners | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master direct to lathe |
| MFSL2-503 | The Young Rascals – Groovin’ | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-011 | Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Dream | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-448 | Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle – One from the Heart | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-444 | Train – Drops of Jupiter | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-492 | Twisted Sister – Stay Hungry | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL45UD1S-032 | Van Halen – Van Halen | 1/4″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL2-491 | Vanilla Fudge – Vanilla Fudge | 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog mono master to DSD 256 |
| MFSL1-480 | Weezer – Weezer (Blue Album) | 1/2″ / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 64 |
| MFSL45UD1S-012 | Yes – Fragile | 1/4″ / 15 IPS / Dolby A analog master to DSD 256 |
This information gives the source, but does not specify the mastering processing, it would be necessary to know the type of processing done on this DSD base:
– The tape is digitized in DSD, and the mastering processing is done in analog or
– The tape is digitized in DSD, and the mastering processing is done digitally, which implies a conversion to PCM DXD to perform the processing before reconverting to DSD.
Similarly, the question is also to know what the differences are between SACD mastering and vinyl mastering.
The list will be updated regularly with new information from MOFI.
Magic Vinyl vs Digital 