Musical Fidelity Sound Labs CDs

I have a couple of these CDs; some Strauss and Prokofiev (I think). Whatever advantages their recording and mastering methods might have had for LPs were largely lost on CD, in my opinion. Keep in mind that part of MFSL's original claim to superiority was in careful LP pressing -- an advantage negated by CD. I certainly wouldn't recommend spending much money for them. The vinyl, on the other hand, might be worth paying more for.

ejl,

Have you been able to compare those CDs to standard pressings?

I just got thinking because of the differences people report between US and UK CD pressings, for example. Then again, some folks in the US claim the European pressings sound better.

But perhaps this isn't down to *where* they are actually pressed, but who has the better master tape. Presumably, US manufacturers of albums recorded in the States will be given a better master than manufactuerers in Europe, who will receive a second- or third-generation master. (Since a lot of classical music is recorded in Europe, classical lovers may find that European pressings sound better for exactly this reason.)

Under this premise, the MFSL discs should sound better still (no matter where they are pressed), but you may be right in saying that the difference is negligible.

Thomas

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Have you been able to compare those CDs to standard pressings?

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Thomas,
I haven't. Age might be a factor here; the MFSL CD remasters that I have are old and were done in the 80's, I think (I'm not at home so I can't check for sure). It's likely that the D/A conversions and mastering equipment was not nearly as good then as it is now, so I'd believe that more recent CDs could be better. But certainly with the versions I have, the quality is only marginally better than other CDs of the time.

elj,

Thanks.

Phil,

I read a brief comment on google groups (nothing to go by, really), but my hifi dealer says he met someone at a show who bought the name and intends to start something along the same lines.

Also found this website. Information on the 'old' MFSL can be found here (company's parting words, for instance).

Thomas

Phil,

They've been going for a while now and they're going to do vinyl aswell.

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they're going to do vinyl aswell

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count.d is this their existing catalogue or new stuff?

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Originally posted by Thomas K:

Anyone know if these "mastered from original tapes" CDs really are that much better?

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I own two MFSL discs - Duke Ellington's Jazz Party (In Stereo! it proclaims) and John Coltrane's Giant Steps - and both sound incredible; they are much better than most other jazz recordings from that era, or at least those I own or have heard. I got them before the company went under. I would never consider paying $50 and up for them, despite their fine sound.

Incidentally, I have seen MFSL copies of Dark Side of the Moon advertised for as high as $175! Who would pay that much for a single CD?

Steve,

I don't know, sorry.

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Incidentally, I have seen MFSL copies of Dark Side of the Moon advertised for as high as $175! Who would pay that much for a single CD?

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I have replaced my MFSL DSotM with a much more contempory remastered version- made in Holland I believe with far superior (and additional)artwork that shows the MFSL version a very clean set of heels. Likewise the MFSL CD version of Crime of the Century sounds dismally glary as compared to the fairly recent A&M remastering. I also own vinyl copies of these two, and these ARE something special- they were among the very first titles issued and were done with all the right audiophile intentions. When MFSL went mainstream they were under strict orders to goose the top end by up to 10dB even at the protest of the remastering engineers.

Ron
Dum spiro audio
Dum audio vivo

I bought a sealed MFSL vinyl DSOTM 7 months ago and it's the best pressing of this title by far.

It cost me £150. So in answer to the above question, I would.

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count.d is this their existing catalogue or new stuff?

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New stuff. A rather strange collection of titles at first (Patricia Barber, Isaac Hayes and The Kinks for example), but I believe they have acquired the rights to some more Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney and John Lennon stuff.

As to quality, variable is probably the best word for them. For example, their version of Little Feat's Waiting For Columbus (which namechecks Naim 32/250 and active Bariks as monitoring equipment), and Nirvana's Nevermind and In Utero are all very well done, musically their Bob Marley reissues were a hideous, inept yawn and best avoided.

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and Nirvana's Nevermind and In Utero are all very well done

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I have the Nevermind - MFSL vinyl. It cost me a fortune to buy sealed and it's not as good as the German pressing which I already had. It's a little compressed and also has less bass.

You win some, you lose some.

Sorry, I was comparing the Gold CD to Geffen CD in the case of Nevermind. The others were vinyl though.

I also like the Mo-Fi Sticky Fingers. Some people hate it because the EQ that was applied (loadsa bass), but it works on this title to my ears and system.

Universal's German re-issue of Nirvana's MTV Unplugged is superbly cut if noisily pressed. However, Universal's later attempts at vinyl reissue are well cut and well pressed (try JJ Cale's Troubador for a LP reissue that is much better than the CD)