... my!
Mobile Fidelity Announces One-Step Double 45rpm "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Mobile Fidelity just announced the availability for order of its Bridge Over Troubled Water reissue, produced as a limited to 7500 copies "one-step" double 45rpm release.
All previous reissues have sold out quickly and quickly became instant collectibles. So if you want it, get it now. There's something to be said for a clean 1A Columbia pressing cut when the tape was fresh but they are difficult to find and later "original pressings" lost some of the top end luster. This was issued by Mobile Fidelity as a 33 1/3 1/2 speed mastered release (MFSL 1-173) pressed in Japan on JVC "super vinyl" and again reissued by Classic Records on 33 1/3 and on 45rpm on 4 one-sides LPs cut by Bernie Grundman.
Each of these reissues has its outstanding sonic qualities and all are somewhat different with the 45 set having the greatest dynamic "slam" and the original having the most depth and liquidity. Hopefully the tape is still in reasonably good shape and Mobile Fidelity can get the most out of it as a "one-step" release. One thing's for sure: the current mastering team produces the best releases in terms of equalization and the current mastering system is among the world's most transparent. So there's good reason for optimism!
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COMMENTS
I’m in but I wonder.
Submitted by Anton D on Mon, 2018-01-22 21:04
In the last 40-some years this has been out, I’ve heard it on certainly more than a hundred different systems and have never thought of it as a good recording.
I almost always get too much low treble/high midrange emphasis no matter the person’s system or demo room. Celia is a little hard on the ears and Bridge has a glare I haven’t been able to get past. And the flutes in El Condor Pasa - ouch, a little.
I am not disparaging the quality of the music in anyway. Just saying I’ve never experienced it as a hi-fi type of recording. Even on the pressings Michael mentioned. I even have it on Columbia SQ quad. (Secretly OK in stereo.)
So, I’m buying, fingers crossed!
Yes, An Imperfect Recording In The Versions I Have Heard
Submitted by AnalogJ on Tue, 2018-01-23 14:29
I'll have to check my original BOTW, but I recall that my Classic Records 33 sounded better, richer, with more depth. The top end, particularly with Cecelia and the title cut has always been an issue. The strings on the final chords of the title cut have sounded strident and as if it has oversaturated the tape.
Will this new one cure that?
I had been hoping that the MoFi One-Step of The Nightfly would have cured the digital sounding aspects of that recording. It actually might have magnified them instead, while improving certain aspects of the sound at the same time.
I have a pre-order in for BOTW, but we'll see how it compares.
Agree
Submitted by bkinthebk on Thu, 2018-01-25 17:20
But so many of my favorite albums are so-so recordings and i'd STILL love them to get the royal treatment like this. It would be nice to see the one-step series release records that are both (a) well recorded to begin with; AND (b) great albums that aren't well recorded but can sound better than what we have.
Ordered & waiting.
Submitted by Tombby on Mon, 2018-01-22 22:52
I wish the TBA would offer a rough guess. Early 2018? Summer?
Not an option!
Submitted by gMRfk6LMHn on Tue, 2018-01-23 09:12
Unfortunately, by the time this reissues reaches Europe the price will be through the roof, which is really frustrating.
Was browsing through Diverse Vinyl's (UK) website, looking at what new vinyl is out or coming out. I was flabbergasted when I saw this....
Lyn Stanley - The Moonlight Sessions: Volume Two Diverse Vinyl: your one-stop vinyl store, price: £168.
So £168 is roughly €200 + whatever the difference is in the VAT rates and dealer markup, in the US that would roughly be $234!
The same LP on Elusivedisc for $124.99.
£168/€200/$234 for a double LP.
The record companies/reissue labels are at it again, fleecing the 'little' guy!
Sorry if I am spoiling the enthusiasm, but it is a non-runner for me.
James, Dublin, Ireland
Bridge over Troubled Euros
Submitted by Steelhead on Tue, 2018-01-23 15:25
James, I have this in my in-basket at musicdirect. I have decided to pass on it as I have an original pressing and that will suffice for my needs. If you want I could order it and send it to you. I would only charge the actual price of the album and the actual postage. I have a son in law fron Ireland so thats why you getting this offer. If interested pm me
Kind offer and I hope it works
Submitted by bkinthebk on Thu, 2018-01-25 17:31
but you'll technically have to declare the item and it may be subject to inspection once it arrives. this was my experience while living in europe anyway.
A fellow enthusiast
Submitted by Steve Edwards on Wed, 2018-01-24 05:58
James, my email is hifimanor@gmail.com. Please send me yours so that we may discuss this.
Play on
Steve, CA, USA
No offense to Ireland or the EU
Submitted by bkinthebk on Thu, 2018-01-25 17:29
Ireland is a wonderful country, but it seems that the extraordinarily regressive VAT taxes (23% in Ireland) are fleecing the little guy. I don't know the label's markup in this case so they may be co-fleecers. I lived in the EU for some time and had a stack of LPs sitting at a friend's house in the U.S. waiting for my return because I couldn't justify the import VAT rate while abroad. Sorry you guys have to deal with that. That VAT hits the middle class hard.
US Audiophile Records and Europe
Submitted by Rashers on Tue, 2018-10-02 14:05
There are multiple layers of taxes on audiophile recordings produced in the US if you want to import them into Europe. When currency is taken into account, the price of (already expensive) albums usually doubles. Consequently albums produced by MoFi, Analogue Produceions, Music Matters, Org and others are hard to come by in European record shops and extremely expensive. I don't understand why those companies do not team up with, for example, Simply Vinyl and send the acetates or stampers to Germany, and have them pressed up at Optimal for release in the European market. I suspect there is a very large untapped market for those products within the European Union. I would have loved to have subscribed to the Music Matters 33rpm series, but it was not financially feasible.
Bill Evans
Submitted by volvic on Wed, 2018-01-24 08:16
Still fuming how I missed out on the Bill Evans live at the Village Vanguard, the asking prices on Amazon and eBay are ridiculous. This should be good, pity it is not really my cup of tea.
Over produced?
Submitted by marmaduke on Wed, 2018-01-24 09:28
The title song always seems overproduced to me when I play the album. The Art G acapella live version available on CD recorded just prior to the BOTW album release is a religious experience by comparison.
I would much prefer to have the album 'Bookends' given some audiophile respects as that album while far less commercially successful is a more satisfying album to me.
Completely concur with you .......
Submitted by Steve Edwards on Thu, 2018-01-25 06:13
I think BOOKENDS is their finest work; would rather have that title given the MOFI "Ultra" treatment.
Amen to that....
Submitted by Max on Thu, 2018-01-25 12:35
I agree and would love to see Bookends get the MoFi treatment.
Re: Over produced?
Submitted by cundare on Wed, 2018-01-31 15:50
Garfunkel has stated in interviews that he detests the added orchestration in the last verse. Yet I suspect that the torch-mode arrangement is one of the things that made the single so popular.
If you appreciate the understated a capella version, I highly recommend seeking out the Paul Simon-sung demo recording. Different in so many ways from the final commercial release, and understandably compromised sonically, but every S&G fan *must* hear Paul's original vocal at least once. Art wasn't the only one with an angelic voice. Goosebumps.
Thanks guys
Submitted by gMRfk6LMHn on Fri, 2018-01-26 13:45
Thanks to...
Steelhead
Steve Edwards
I am only seeing the comments now! What a generous offer from both of you. But my experience from buying in the US once you go over a certain amount, you are hammered for VAT.
Got badly stung when I ordered about 5 LPs in the one go, thinking I would save myself some money, only to find out a month later from FedEx that I owed them VAT. Never again!
My faith in the human race has been restored!
James, Dublin, Ireland
VAT and Couriers
Submitted by wyatt72 on Sat, 2018-01-27 10:02
unfortunately apart from paying customs duties and VAT you also have to pay again Fedex for "administrative" custom clearance, moreover postage to EU with them is nearly $60, so in the end VAT, Custom Duties, Postage and custom clearance carried out by Fedex (or another courier) will cost you more than the LP itself...very sad
Not only overseas
Submitted by cundare on Wed, 2018-01-31 16:12
The one thing that prevents me from buying from MD is its *insane* shipping fees to Hawaii. Several times I've almost completed an order and then canceled it after being hit with a $70 minimum shipping fee for a $35 album.
The problem is that the company stupidly refuses to ship via insured USPS Priority Mail -- the only option it offers to HI is 2-day or 1-day delivery with other carriers. When I speak directly to Customer Service there, they whine about USPS "horror stories," but frankly, having received at least hundreds of packages here via PM, including dozens of records, I've never had a problem. Not once. Media Mail, (ugh!), but Priority is at least as reliable as FedEx or UPS for properly packed records and the diffrence in cost is huge -- like $20 v. $70.
So MusicDirect has lost thousands of dollars of business from me for this reason. And its policy extends beyond LPs -- I just canceled a $350 cable order that would have incurred a $72 shipping cost and reordered the same item from Crutchfield with free 2-day shipping. I can usually find the MoFi releases I want on eBay at a reasonable shipping cost, and luckily, a relative on the Mainland preordered me a BoTW as a Xmas gift. But given MD's monopoly on the 1Step line, I might otherwise have never heard a 1Step.
And here's the punchline that drives home just how arbitrary and arrogant this policy is: If a HI resident doesn't want to pay $70+ order to MusicDirect for a $40 item, you can place an order to MusicDirect (or another reseller) through Amazon Prime, and get the same items, shipped the same way, with free shipping. (No 1Steps, of course!)
What a way to run an airline.
Not only overseas
Submitted by cundare on Wed, 2018-01-31 16:15
The one thing that prevents me from buying from MD is its *insane* shipping fees to Hawaii. Several times I've almost completed an order and then canceled it after being hit with a $70 minimum shipping fee for a $35 album.
The problem is that the company stupidly refuses to ship via insured USPS Priority Mail -- the only option it offers to HI is 2-day or 1-day delivery with other carriers. When I speak directly to Customer Service there, they whine about USPS "horror stories," but frankly, having received at least hundreds of packages here via PM, including dozens of records, I've never had a problem. Not once. Media Mail, (ugh!), but Priority is at least as reliable as FedEx or UPS for properly packed records and the diffrence in cost is huge -- like $20 v. $70.
So MusicDirect has lost thousands of dollars of business from me for this reason. And its policy extends beyond LPs -- I just canceled a $350 cable order that would have incurred a $72 shipping cost and reordered the same item from Crutchfield with free 2-day shipping. I can usually find the MoFi releases I want on eBay at a reasonable shipping cost, and luckily, a relative on the Mainland preordered me a BoTW as a Xmas gift. But given MD's monopoly on the 1Step line, I might otherwise have never heard a 1Step.
And here's the punchline that drives home just how arbitrary and arrogant this policy is: If a HI resident doesn't want to pay $70+ shipping to MusicDirect for a $40 item, you can place your order to MusicDirect (or another reseller) through Amazon Prime, and get the same items, shipped the same way, BY MUSIC DIRECT, with _free_ shipping. (No 1Steps, of course!)
What a way to run an airline.
Bridge over troubled Euros and VAT
Submitted by Steelhead on Fri, 2018-01-26 20:40
Thanks to the posters that mentioned VAT. I did not even contemplate that.
OK James, THIS is a LONG term plan but will be safer for you if your willing to wait. I can buy it (IF still available - I got the Santana Abraxas one step and man oh man almost missed out after having it PRE-ordered) BUT if it is still selling I can score one. I can hold it.
The next time either my daughter and son-in-law or my wife and I go to Ireland They/I could bring it. We'll call it for the price of the album and a pint (well maybe two) at a Dublin Pub.
Let me know ASAP. No money from you until you have it in your hand.
Peace out, steelhead
Been to Ireland 3 times and can't wait until the fourth visit!
MOFI Packaging
Submitted by stevepb1 on Fri, 2018-03-30 12:36
Has anyone received an UltraDisc or one of the UHQR vinyls that has the inner disc sleeve hat has not burst ? I am a retired packaging technologist who used to work for Burberrys of London. I have just seen the image of the Bridge over Troubled Water 45rpm UltraDisc. The production looks brilliant, matching the quality of the pressing. I contacted MOFI pointing out the packaging issue, I and several friends have had. Everyone has the burst inner sleeve issue. The production of the BOTW album deserves a packaging suitability for mailing test. Has anyone else managed to get by mailed, sealed MOFI boxed album undamaged ? Stevepb1
It seems like only
Submitted by markus46 on Mon, 2018-08-27 21:43
215 days since I preordered this disk. I'd sometimes catch myself staring wistfully off into space wondering if I'd ever see it.
But today it arrived :)
@Stevepb1 Packing was excellent. Contents arrived in perfect condition. No burst anything.
Waiting for Mikey's review. I like it, but does Mike?
Submitted by samman on Thu, 2018-08-30 08:43
Beats my Classic 33 rpm pressing. Soundstage on some cuts is enormous. Best I've heard this title with any format. C'mon Mike, give us your thoughts.
Marvin Gaye Ultradisc Announced
Submitted by Rashers on Tue, 2018-10-02 13:57
Mo-Fi have announced that they are releasing "Let's Get it On" on Ultradisc - 7500 numbered copies at an eyewatering $125 (I paid $99 for Donald Fagen and there were only 5000). Mofi should really throw in a copy of the SACD, and call it a "super deluxe" box set at that price.
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