This is a joke, right?

MoFi have made a few interesting business decisions recently. I gather some of their new releases aren't even "from the master tapes" anymore.

I paid like $11 for one from China. It actually helps with warps and rumbly LPs. 

I figured the ones I saw on Amazon would be the same. $11 for the metal, $188 for the name.

Hey for just $399.00 you can have the Champion model.

www.mofi.com/product-p/mfeshwch.htm

The copper particulates interfere with the electromagnetic stereo field.  If your system is wired properly, you'll be able to hear the difference.  I recommend using a Bing Crosby record to test this.  With a penny, you'll just get the "blah blah blah"s.  With a certified Takahashi Premium Weight (made with patented Tazmanian steel) you'll hear the full "yakety schmackity" like old Bingo was in the room with you. 

I would be very interested what your source for that is. Unlike shady fly-by-night companies who were operating out of a P.O. Box, MFSL have been very open as to their sources. A case in point. Both MoFi and an unnamed company reissued the Pretenders' S/T album. Instead of furtive censoring, obfuscation and deleting posts, a representative from the reputable company offers up a simple, logical explanation.

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
November 17, 2014

The Truth About The PRETENDERS (First Album) Master Tapes

Hello Everyone...I hope this writing finds all of you well and listening to something you love.

Like, hmm...maybe...one of our latest releases. I'm talking about one of my favorite recent projects: PRETENDERS

I'd like to take an opportunity to clear up some confusion that seems to surround this album in the audiophile world. It doesn't deserve to be cast in a shadow of supposition and misinformation.

As most of you probably already know, the master tapes for most single LPs, those that were released between the dawn of the long-playing phonograph record and the advent of the Compact Disc, exist on two reels of analog tape - one for Side One and one for Side Two. And, although the Pretenders' debut was recorded during this period, the master tapes are not so simply configured.

Here, once and for all, are the FACTS regarding these original master tapes.

"Stop Your Sobbing" was the first song recorded for the album. Recorded at Eden Studios in the UK, the master exists on a little 7-and-a-half-inch reel (recorded at 15 IPS) with no other songs from the LP on it. They continued (switching producers from Nick Lowe to Chris Thomas) at Wessex Sound Studios, also in the UK, with Bill Price engineering. Interestingly, each song recorded and mixed at Wessex exists on a separate reel, with separate calibration tones that are exclusively intended for that song. And, at some point near the end of the Wessex sessions, they went over to AIR Recording Studios, London and captured "Brass In Pocket". That's 12 songs, 12 reels of tape.

At the conclusion of all of these sessions, it was decided to create ANOTHER tape, one they would call the "Album Production Master". This was configured in the usual two-reel Side One/Side Two fashion. While making this tape, they sometimes applied equalization, compression and/or limiting...essentially mastering the album in the process...from which the original UK LP was cut. Luckily, MFSL were given direct access to the individual reels, as well...for each and every song...from which we mastered our releases.

All of the songs are in their finished, final form on these individual reels.....except ONE: "The Phone Call". It appears that at some point, it was decided that telephone sound effects would be added to the track. This was not added to the "Phone Call" reel, however, but added to the "Album Production Master". Therefore, one must use this tape for this one song in order to have the correct, final version. Since no earlier mix of the song contains these sound effects, the song as it exists on this reel is the MASTER.

As with all of our releases, nothing was spared in terms of expense or time in order to present this album to you at the highest possible level of quality, faithfulness and integrity. And, also as with all of our releases, we hope you get to hear and enjoy it.

With great respect and appreciation for your support,

Rob LoVerde
Mastering Engineer
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab

If you look closely at MFSL's releases in the past few years, you'll sometimes see a difference in the top banner on the cover. Usually this will say "Original Master Recording". Sometimes the banner reads "Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab". This lets you - the prospective consumer - know that MoFi could not positively verify that their source was the actual master. So you are advised beforehand. How much more open can you be?

Now if some simp wants to buy MFSL's turntable weight for $200, so be it. But I fail to see the connection with their open policy on their reissues. 

I'm not suggesting they're being duplicitous, rather that they seem to be straying from the "original master recording" principle that made them popular. Unless I'm mistaken, quite a few of their current line-up are not from the master tapes.

At least 3 of their 2019/20 line-up have dropped the "original master recording" label and and the listings do not make mention of tape sources when that is usually front and centre.

www.mofi.com/product-p/udsacd2209.htm
www.mofi.com/product-p/udsacd2196.htm
www.mofi.com/product-p/udsacd2199.htm

There was also a Run DMC release due this year, which if I recall also lacked the "original master recording" label. That one seems to have disappeared from the site altogether, not sure why.

I can't pretend I care much either way, but knowing the sorts who shell out for these SACDs, I can imagine many of them will.