day 47
#GratefulDead
From The Mars Hotel
Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs

MFSL had a big controversy recently, when it came to light that most of their output is sourced from digital transfers of the master tapes versus being an all analog path.

I enjoy the tangible experience of vinyl. I don't know if my ears and gear are good enough to tell the difference in source. What do y'all think.

#GratefulDeadVinyl #vinyl #vinylcommunity #Deadheads #DeadOfTheDay #DeadVinylOfTheDay #mfsl

@tonymasiello Most of their output? They put out many releases before digital sources existed, of course, but even since then, it's my understanding that they only started using digital sources in 2015.

I understand all too well that the appeal of the #vinyl experience (just ask the turntable I got two years ago that seems to have demanded feeding it), and I'm 'forgiving' myself the digitally sourced mofi vinyl releases I got before I knew about them, but digitally sourced releases on analog formats are toys (which, yes, can be fun) - it makes way more sense to get them on more durable media **if available.**

Mofi can pass this test for me because their current process can still produce outstanding results, and their digital media is just SACD these days and I only have a 'regular' CD player, (and yes, I insist on having physical media for anything I like, if it exists), but I have a hard time justifying the cost of their recent vinyl, certainly on the 'secondary market' at least.

@fc my post was not intended as a history lesson. Anyone familiar with the controversy should understand the context. Thanks!
@tonymasiello And mine wasn't intended as a rebuke, just the discussion you called for! Sorry if it came off as harsh. I have some strong feelings on this one and I think that little outburst was there just waiting to be set loose.
@tonymasiello like you, I'm not sure that I could actually tell the difference. That being said, I think the audiophile world is a lot of snake oil, and I don't mind them getting what's coming to them.

@tonymasiello Old enough to remember when everyone threw their vinyl out because CDs sounded so much better.

Rant: Vinyl records are bulky, expensive, and sound a little worse each time you play them. Streaming services can drop an album any time. Amazon and Apple don't sell you music - they sell a revocable license to listen to it. Disc rot is negligible next to hard-drive failure. CDs are the best way to own music.

@Copperdomebodhi Also old enough... I started buying vinyl records when I was ten. A few got given away or 'borrowed', but I still have most of them.

Still have my CDs too for that matter, they've been ripped and stored away in milk crates. Nothing against digital here. I still buy lossless downloads, have a large digital library on my NAS, but I mostly avoid CDs unless it's something I really want and there are no alternatives. But yeah, I totally get what you are saying...

@tonymasiello I have come to the conclusion that a digital step is not a deal-breaker for me. It is something I take into consideration when making purchasing decisions, but I have several of the MFSL releases and whatever they are doing sounds excellent to me. This is not to say that digital is good or bad, just that it can be used to great effect in the right hands. That's just my opinion!