MOFI remasters first 4 albums on 45rpm 2LP and SACD

[mschaap]

Several websites announce remasters of the first four Dire Straits albums on SACD and 45rpm 2LP by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. Great news! These guys really know what they're doing and really can make a difference In getting out the very best of a recording soundwise.

[quizzaciously]

Several websites announce remasters of the first four Dire Straits albums on SACD and 45rpm 2LP by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. Great news! These guys really know what they're doing and really can make a difference In getting out the very best of a recording soundwise.

Thank you for some good news! Hopefully we will see more of the news like this commemorating 40th anniversary of DS.

[Hoops McCann]

That's good news. I have the Mofi hybrid SACD of BiA that came out a few years back. While I'm happy that hi-res formats like DSD exist, I'm not much of an advocate, particularly for older recordings like BiA that were recorded with primitive digital equipment. That said, the red book 16/44 section of the SACD is probably the best mastering of the album. It retains all of the dynamic range of the first CD release but at the same time sounds overall much better. Should be interesting to see what they do for the first four, although it will be difficult to best the SHM of the first album. We shall see...

[Jules]

It would be stereo or 5.1 surround?

[mschaap]

It will be stereo, these are remasters not remixes.

Indeed hard to improve on the 2013 SHM-CDs of the self titled and LOG wich were flat transferred from UK master tapes. To my ears they are better than the 2010 SHM-SACDs. But for Communique and Making Movies I think there is still room for improvement, they were made from the Japanese national masters. The MOFI ones will all be mastered from the original master tapes and judging by what they did on BIA I am exited. 

The vinyl remasters for Communique and Making Movies done by Warner in 2010 are very good, but ideally I whish for that quality in the best available digital format. So hopefully the MOFI SACDs will deliver just that or even better...

[Jules]

If you don't have a SACD player, does it worth to buy them?

[herlock]

I know many people will disagree, but once again:
Normal, vanilla Redbook CDs can be made to sound perfect. Early CDs sounded artificial because the mastering process was primitive, hence the false belief that CDs don't sound as warm than vinyl... Blame the mastering, not the medium ! Recent MK CDs mastered at British Glove sound amazing.
SA-CDs, aside for surround mastering when it exists, offer higher horizontal (192khz instead of 44.1) and vertical (24/48/96 bits instead of 16) resolution than CDs. There is strong scientific evidence that the human ear will not make the difference, everything else being equal of course (same master).

[ustas]

Indeed hard to improve on the 2013 SHM-CDs of the self titled and LOG wich were flat transferred from UK master tapes. To my ears they are better than the 2010 SHM-SACDs. But for Communique and Making Movies I think there is still room for improvement, they were made from the Japanese national masters.

Communique was transferred from original master and released as Pt SHM-CD in 2014. Cat Nbr UICY-40084

Recent MK CDs mastered at British Glove sound amazing.

BG does not provide with any mastering. All latest CD mastered by Bob Ludwig.

SA-CDs, aside for surround mastering when it exists, offer higher horizontal (192khz instead of 44.1) and vertical (24/48/96 bits instead of 16) resolution than CDs.

Do you really understand what you have posted here?

[mschaap]

Indeed, the recording, mixing and mastering process are far more improtant than the resolution from 16 bit / 44.1khz upward. So the potential lies in de remastering and not so much in it being released as sacd / 45rpm 180gr vinyl. Therefore it depends on how well they are being remastered technically and the choices made on EQ and dynamics etc. That said, they were all done quite well in the first place, so they need to do a perfect job to make a clear positive difference. Let's just see how it works out.

About Communique, the 2014 SHM-CD is transferred from US master tapes (according to the booklet), not original master tapes and it has been debated on some audiophile forum that's not even true as digital spectral analysis revealed the exact same dynamic range, track lenghts etc as the SHM-SACD which was transferred from the Japan national master in 2010.

[herlock]

Indeed hard to improve on the 2013 SHM-CDs of the self titled and LOG wich were flat transferred from UK master tapes. To my ears they are better than the 2010 SHM-SACDs. But for Communique and Making Movies I think there is still room for improvement, they were made from the Japanese national masters.

Communique was transferred from original master and released as Pt SHM-CD in 2014. Cat Nbr UICY-40084

Recent MK CDs mastered at British Glove sound amazing.

BG does not provide with any mastering. All latest CD mastered by Bob Ludwig.

SA-CDs, aside for surround mastering when it exists, offer higher horizontal (192khz instead of 44.1) and vertical (24/48/96 bits instead of 16) resolution than CDs.

Do you really understand what you have posted here?

Yes I do. What makes you think I wouldn't ?
As for BG mastering, I mean MK (not DS) albums that have been produced in BG..

[herlock]

Indeed, the recording, mixing and mastering process are far more improtant than the resolution from 16 bit / 44.1khz upward. So the potential lies in de remastering and not so much in it being released as sacd / 45rpm 180gr vinyl. Therefore it depends on how well they are being remastered technically and the choices made on EQ and dynamics etc. That said, they were all done quite well in the first place, so they need to do a perfect job to make a clear positive difference. Let's just see how it works out.

100% agree !

[quizzaciously]

That moment when the only thing made a forum active again is the audiophile debate

Mark, seriously, give us some news. Please.

[ustas]

About Communique, the 2014 SHM-CD is transferred from US master tapes (according to the booklet), not original master tapes and it has been debated on some audiophile forum that's not even true as digital spectral analysis revealed the exact same dynamic range, track lenghts etc as the SHM-SACD which was transferred from the Japan national master in 2010.

According the to the booklet - "from US original master tapes". Original means original only. Isn't it?

[ustas]

Yes I do.

I have bad news for you. You absolutely do not understand what you talk about. Sorry.

[TheTimeWasWrong]

Yes I do.

I have bad news for you. You absolutely do not understand what you talk about. Sorry.

Maybe it's better to post some arguments, facts, knowledge, etc. than just saying somebody is wrong. If you know better, please explain and make everybody learn something!