The Rolling Stones MFSL LP Box Set

[Ben]

We've had a lot of discussion on the Beatles version of MOFI's box set treatment. Does anyone have the Stones flavor and can they weigh in with opinions on this particular item....?

Does anyone know the particulars of the compilation...how it was chosen...assembled...mixed...etc...etc.. ..

Worth the money?


Thanks in advance....Ben

[Mike V]

I'd like to know too. Any comments anyone?

[TimB]

I have the box set, but it has been a while since I have listened to it! I will listen to a couple of the records over the next week and report back. I suspect, as with the Beatles MFSL, you will find them better than most, but the original mono's and 1st pressings from England the best.:(

[Sckott]

Don't knock the Abkco Lps on virgin vinyl. They're not that bad, especially concidering a few of the Abkcos seem to use the same masters that London did - From MFSL. The Abkcos' are still cheep ($11.99 RSP)

This does NOT mean all of the Abkco titles are great. A lot of the later titles sound best on DECCAs, believe it or not!

The MFSLs sound a bit bright, but the vinyl is very quiet. Great pieces if you can find em, afford them, and they're not trashed.

[Paul Chang]

How much do you think is the "fair market value" for a set in "mint" condition? Audiophile International has a factory sealed one for $1750. :eek:
http://www.audiophileusa.com/browse.cfm?StartRow=76&go=DB&filter=label&alpha=&genre=&label=Mobile%20Fidelity&performer=&category=

[Dave]

OUCH!!:rolleyes:

[TimB]

I think I only paid about $350 for mine brand new!
But then again, that was many years ago. I think the goin g price for a used mint set is under $500. Check eBay and see what they go for there. If you are going to pay bucks, and play them, save the money and buy a decent open box set.

[Humorem]

Let me rain on your collective parades a bit on the records you're talking about. I had many copies of both.

The Abkco versions are awful. I wouldn't give one to my worst enemy. Lifeless dreck.

The MFSL box is compressed like crazy. I had a beat original London mono of one of the first 3 mono titles from the box and it creamed the MFSL.

The MFSL box is not a good value for the money by a long shot, but what's your alternative? Do you want to hunt for the records for 10 years? That's what it would take to find good sounding copies.

The MOFI Beatles box is a knockout, overall. The Stones and the Sinatra are mediocre and bad, respectively.

Save your money. Bide your time. A title will pop up from time to time, and buying one at a time will allow you to appreciate that album fully. Most of the time the Stones boxes I have come across have virtually never been played. It's a trophy for the mantelpiece. I think people should play their records, not worship them. Buy one for cheap every once in a while on ebay and enjoy it.

And never, ever, buy a sealed MFSL box set. It could have sat in the sun for a week. It probably didn't, buy why take a chance? The inner sleeves can be shredded from years of jostling too.

If you do, make sure to pay by credit card. That way you can get your money back.

[Ben]

Mr. Humorem

(Mr. Port, I presume...)

Thanks for weighing in...to clarify - are you saying that the MOFI Box is more compressed than the individual LP's?

You say that the MOFI Beatles Box is a "knockout overall." Are you also saying then the Box is worth the money because of the years it would take to hunt down all the individual records?

How's that DCC sale going.....? Would love to see someone unearth some more of that good DCC vinyl!

Good luck with it!


Best,

Ben

[Holy Zoo]

Originally posted by Humorem

And never, ever, buy a sealed MFSL box set. It could have sat in the sun for a week. It probably didn't, buy why take a chance? The inner sleeves can be shredded from years of jostling too.

If you do, make sure to pay by credit card. That way you can get your money back.

Excellent advice!

I've bought a few sealed albums on ebay (not MFSL's, nor box sets, just plain old regular releases) that when opened where warped. :(

In all cases when I contacted the seller, they said: "but they were sealed! Must have happened during shipping!"

I can't even begin to imagine the heartbreak at finding your newly purchased, still-sealed $2000 MFSL Beatles box was warped! :eek:

[Patrick M]

Originally posted by Humorem
The MFSL box is compressed like crazy. I had a beat original London mono of one of the first 3 mono titles from the box and it creamed the MFSL.

Domestic (US) pressing? FFRR label or maroon (sans FFRR) or red? More details would be appreciated. I've always heard that the original UK pressings are the ones, but I've only managed to snag one so far. Yep, folks, I bought an original mono UK #2 via ebay, only to have the seller jam it into a box and bend the corner. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Humorem]

Originally posted by Ben:
Mr. Humorem

(Mr. Port, I presume...)
Thanks for weighing in...to clarify - are you saying that the MOFI Box is more compressed than the individual LP's?

Tom:
Pressings are so variable, anything can happen. All I can tell you is that the box sounds lifeless compared to good pressings I've played.

Ben:
You say that the MOFI Beatles Box is a "knockout overall." Are you also saying then the Box is worth the money because of the years it would take to hunt down all the individual records?

Tom:
Yes, all you need is a good White Album and MMT (the German pressings of both can be awesome) and a good Let It Be, tough to find, but they are out there, on import and domestic pressings. The MOFI is too bright! Ugh.

Ben:
How's that DCC sale going.....? Would love to see someone unearth some more of that good DCC vinyl!


Tom:
Vinyl? It's gone, baby. Lots of great sounding aluminum CDs. I'm enjoying them immensely.

Ben:
Good luck with it!

Tom:
Thanks!

[Humorem]

Originally posted by Patrick M


Domestic (US) pressing? FFRR label or maroon (sans FFRR) or red? More details would be appreciated. I've always heard that the original UK pressings are the ones, but I've only managed to snag one so far. Yep, folks, I bought an original mono UK #2 via ebay, only to have the seller jam it into a box and bend the corner. :mad: :mad: :mad:

All of the above. There's only one test and that's to drop the needle. If it sounds bad, turn around and sell it on ebay to someone who doesn't care about sound, which means 99% of the record buying public.

[TommyTunes]

Here's my two cents. I own the box set; a complete set of UK Decca's and the London in mono and stereo.

First - The UK Deccas beat every other version significantly, except for the US London FFRR's which are excellent.

The MFLS issues of Beggars, Let It Bleed and YaYa's are close enough to the UK Deccas that I wouldn't hunt for the UK versions if I owned the MFSL box. Also the box includes Hot Rocks which has the true stereo version of some songs.

IMO MFSL really messed up with this box only because some of the LP's are the UK versions and some are the US, so consistency is not there. By buying the Box you have either the UK collection nor the US.

I would buy the box if it were around $300, however maybe I've been lucky but the UK Decca's seem quite plentiful (assuming that you are not looking for selected Mono titles) and can be gotten in the $20 range.

[Humorem]

Would the first person who actually buys a real Decca Stones record in good shape please post your "find" and your source? Those records are pretty tough to come by IMO. I have yet to find a clean enough Decca original copy of Beggar's to call my own,after 20 years of looking. I've got $20 if anyone has an extra. Shoot, I'll take two at that price!

[Todd Fredericks]

Tommy,

Could you let me know also where you're finding the Decca Stones stuff for $20...

Todd

[TommyTunes]

I found a large number of them at Rock & Roll Heaven (Orlando, FL), The Atlanta Record Shows(they come ever 3 months, and oddly enough the guy that had them was from FL), Records Galore (Atlanta), New Orleans, Princeton Record Exchange. Now keep in mind these were all found in a 2 month span about 1 1/2 years ago.
Now none of the early ones are flip-back sleeves (except the first which I paid $35 for) but all are gloss covers. I had even duplicates of some which I passed to a buddy because they were pretty cheap. The later UK Mono's (ie Beggars, Let it Bleed and Satanic Majesties) are not cheap a Mono LIB set me back $175.
If you want German pressed Decca's there is a store in Morrisville, PA it's the only store in the town (I can't remember the name of the store), had a bunch of them all priced around $15, this was about 10 months ago. I however am not impressed with the later german pressings.
Good Luck

[TommyTunes]

Hey Tom (Humorem)
If by original, you mean unboxed Decca's you are 100% right. I'm talking box logo mid-seventies pressings. I will say that CA is not the hot bed of record finds that I though it would be. Most of what I've found out there especially in the LA area seems to be overpriced.

[Todd Fredericks]

Thanks, Tommy!!

Todd

[Humorem]

Originally posted by TommyTunes
Hey Tom (Humorem)
If by original, you mean unboxed Decca's you are 100% right. I'm talking box logo mid-seventies pressings. I will say that CA is not the hot bed of record finds that I though it would be. Most of what I've found out there especially in the LA area seems to be overpriced.

LA is full of record dealers and they pick the stores clean! I know I do. Too many smart people out here competing for the same prime stuff.

[Dave B]

Tom - Regarding the German MMT LP, do you happen to know the label and catalog number of the version you feel is best? I'd like to look for a copy but don't want to buy 6 different versions to get the correct one. Thanks for your help.

[cvila]

I picked up a Decca "Let it Bleed" about a year ago for $20.00. The front cover is laminated and the lamination extends over the title spine onto the back by about 1/4". The record label is blue with DECCA in a silver box which is boxed again. Underneath that in another silver box it says "ffss full frequency stereophonic sound ffss" I have always wondered when this was issued as I cannot find any websites with Decca labelography. If anyone can shed some light...

[Humorem]

Originally posted by Dave B
Tom - Regarding the German MMT LP, do you happen to know the label and catalog number of the version you feel is best? I'd like to look for a copy but don't want to buy 6 different versions to get the correct one. Thanks for your help.

There are only two versions of the real thing with the odd cover. Last time I played it to compare Steve and I both thought the SHZE stampers were the best. There should be no other numbers in the dead wax except those that follow shze.

Plenty of them on ebay over time. You'll be bidding against me though!

[Humorem]

Originally posted by cvila
I picked up a Decca "Let it Bleed" about a year ago for $20.00. The front cover is laminated and the lamination extends over the title spine onto the back by about 1/4". The record label is blue with DECCA in a silver box which is boxed again. Underneath that in another silver box it says "ffss full frequency stereophonic sound ffss" I have always wondered when this was issued as I cannot find any websites with Decca labelography. If anyone can shed some light...

Can't shed any light other than to say every Decca version I have heard of this album, including the very last one, sounded excellent!

[Patrick M]

Originally posted by TommyTunes
I found a large number of them at Rock & Roll Heaven (Orlando, FL)

ARRRRGGGHHH!

I was in Orlando in July, and found that place in the yellow pages. I left my hotel and drove around looking for it. I finally found it about 10 minutes after close. :(