What is a MoFi UltraDisc One Step 45rpm Super Vinyl?

[jmchrislip]

Title says it all. I was looking on ebay and noticed a Dylan "Blood on the Tracks" MoFi UltraDisc One Step 45rpm Super Vinyl

 

[dcmfan]

Title says it all. I was looking on ebay and noticed a Dylan "Blood on the Tracks" MoFi UltraDisc One Step 45rpm Super Vinyl

MoFi Ultradisc One-Step
Instead of utilizing the industry-standard three-step lacquer process, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's new Ultradisc One-Step (UD1S) uses only one step, bypassing two processes of generational loss. While three-step processing is designed for optimum yield and efficiency, UD1S is created for the ultimate in sound quality. Just as Mobile Fidelity pioneered the Ultra High-Quality Record (UHQR) with JVC in the 1980s, UD1S again represents another state-of-the-art advance in the record-manufacturing process. MFSL engineers begin with the original master tapes and meticulously cut a set of lacquers. These lacquers are used to create a very fragile, pristine UD1S stamper called a "convert." Delicate "converts" are then formed into the actual record stampers, producing a final product that literally and figuratively brings you closer to the music. By skipping the additional steps of pulling another positive and an additional negative, as done in the three-step process used in standard pressings, UD1S produces a final LP with the lowest noise floor possible today. The removal of the additional two steps of generational loss in the plating process reveals tremendous amounts of extra musical detail and dynamics, which are otherwise lost due to the standard copying process. The exclusive nature of these very limited pressings guarantees that every UD1S pressing serves as an immaculate replica of the lacquer sourced directly from the original master tape. Every conceivable aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the most perfect record album available today.

Source: https://www.mofi.com/Articles.asp?ID=254

 

[KeninDC]

Expensive. But you knew that. Some sort of LP-making process (see above post) where they stamp the master right onto the pristine vinyl. Or something like that. 45 rpm, if done right, results in more information as your needle passes over it, so, in theory, it should sound better. But you gotta get up more often to flip sides.

MoFi is the old Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MFSL) which did a bunch of audiophile LPs back in the 70s. Some were good (e.g., Some Girls, DSotM) and some were crap (e.g., Sticky Fingers). Most had different EQ choices that the original LPs, FWIW.

These new MoFi titles are truer to the masters, so that's good. And these super-duper MoFis are likely to sound excellent.

My fave copy of Blood on the Tracks is an original UK LP (orange Columbia label).

 

[62vauxhall]

If they had the foresight to put sides 1 & 4 on one disc then 2 & 3 on the other, one could use a changer.

 

[808_state]

Something you can buy and then sell for a lot of money later...champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

 

[kfalls]

Sounds like an order from Starbuck's.

 

[Mitkraft]

If they had the foresight to put sides 1 & 4 on one disc then 2 & 3 on the other, one could use a changer.

I can't imagine risking an expensive record like this by dropping one on top of another. Even if I didn't generally worry about doing it with regular records I wouldn't do it to my better ones like these. I know I wouldn't with any of my MoFi or MFSL.

 

[Jota2]

I have most of the one step releases, sadly not Abraxas.
They all sound from excellent to outstanding. Are they worth the price? Yes I think they are, but depending on your system some will get more enjoyment out of them than others.

 

[static14]

I have two. Blood on The Tracks and What’s Going On. They both sound stellar and are a noticeable improvement over the standard Mofi albums.

 

[mkane]

I quit after 5. Price increase along with pressing number increase plus I don't like Dylan and figured it was a good place to stop.

 

[Bradrock]

I have most of the one step releases, sadly not Abraxas.
They all sound from excellent to outstanding. Are they worth the price? Yes I think they are, but depending on your system some will get more enjoyment out of them than others.

I like Abraxas so I had to go look.
$1,100.00 - $1,300.00 on the bay. That's almost what they call 'Real money' ! I'll have to sleep on that one.

 

[judsonw]

I have the Bill Evans Trio one, and love it. I do not play it that much, but maybe this weekend I will put it on again. I agree that they generally sound really good, though your mileage will vary and if that quality is worth the price also will vary from person to person.

 

[Jota2]

I like Abraxas so I had to go look.
$1,100.00 - $1,300.00 on the bay. That's almost what they call 'Real money' ! I'll have to sleep on that one.

The "budget" price seems to be around 800.00

 

[4-2-7]

I like Abraxas so I had to go look.
$1,100.00 - $1,300.00 on the bay. That's almost what they call 'Real money' ! I'll have to sleep on that one.

But if you bought it new from MFSL it was $90, and 2500 pressed, so it's now out of print and rare.

 

[4-2-7]

 

[Bradrock]

Very Nice 4-2-7 ! That room looks familiar.....................

 

[mkane]

But if you bought it new from MFSL it was $90, and 2500 pressed, so it's now out of print and rare.

And to think I bought 2 and gave one away.

 

[4-2-7]

And to think I bought 2 and gave one away.

And to think you gave it to the wrong person

 

[mkane]

Your arms are too short.

 

[a_retent]

Got a pair of every one of the UltraDiscs BUT Abraxas (wasn't paying attention at the time), one copy for play and the other stays sealed. Between my oldest boy and I we've pretty much got a copy of every one of the original MFSL catalog, including the Beetles and Sinatra box sets, as well as a number of Nautilus, CBS Mastersounds (lotsa EQing probs there, e.g. Meatloaf BooH) and exception to the MFSL UHQRs. 40+ smackers for an album back in the 80's was a bit steep for my pocketbook and now I'm shelling out a buck and a 1/4 for the new UDOS.
In my mind the new UDOSs sound rivals that of the 80s UHQRs, but until I hear an apples/apples test between the 2 formats (e.g. DSotM/DSotM or Crime of the Century/CotC, etc.) I'll still reserve my complete judgement. However, I have compared the first OMR release of Breakfast in America to the newest OMR release and I preferred the sound quality of the newer release.

Say what you will about audiophile pressings but in my listening just about every one I've heard sounded better than any standard pressing of the same album. If you think they are over priced...well...don't buy it, and nobody here should be thinking anything less of you. But unless you own one maybe two or you've sat down and compared one on a properly set up system your opinion is irrelevant.
I have witnessed some who've spent more on one TT, cartridge, phono pre and cables than I did on my 3 Corvettes, and yet spin an $8.00 mass produced piece of plastic and say it sounds just as good as an audiophile pressing....wow, REALLY?!

If the recorded quality of the master tape sucks then typically the reproduction copies will also suffer in sound quality.
Garbage in, garbage out, if your source material sucks then the outputted sound will be too...period.