An Unenlightened Q re. MFSL Beatles LPs

Abbey Road seems to be the one that shows up on eBay more often than any other MFSL Beatles LP. Is there something we should know there?... meaning, are there any problems with the pressing or the sound?

 

MoFi simply pressed more Abbey Roads than any other Beatles' title and regarding the sound it has MoFi's infamous ly face EQ. I would suggest looking for a clean UK Apple LP for this title.

 

Abbey Road is actually one of the titles that MoFi got right.

Sean

 

Is your copy a "JH" or "SR"?

 

Hmm. I've got the MSFL Box AR, the solo MFSL release (I'll have to check on the mastering), and a 1st pressing UK (misaligned Apple cover). The UK is amazing, with startling immediacy and fat bass, but I also find the MFSLs surprisingly close--not overly EQd at all.

John K.

 

Yeah, it's one of the good ones...all SR as far as I know.

 

All the SR pressings have the EQ boost. This has been discussed numerous times here. The JH pressings are closer to the UK pressings and still they're not "right".

 

Leppo, yes, all SR masterings have an EQ boost - some more than others. I am aware of the discussions and I believe you are referring to the MFSL of Sgt. Peppers, which has both a JH and SR mastering. The JH Sgt. Peppers is the individual release and is close to the UK in sound. The box set is SR initialed and has the EQ boost. Abbey Road is another story and they all have SR initials (someone please prove me wrong here). The MFSL AR EQ boost is minimal compared to the others.

 

Yes Randy, that's correct and that's why I suggested a UK pressing in my original post to our Ukrainian friend, SVL.

 

While I can't *prove* it, I strongly suspect all the MFSL pressings of "Abbey Road" were mastered by Stan Ricker. I've seen a boatload over the years and have never seen a Hunt version.

I generally prefer the UK pressings I've owned, but like you, don't hear *that* much difference in EQ with the MFSL...not with the copies I've had anyway. It's there, but it's not nearly what some other MFSL titles exhibit. I consider the MFSL "Abbey Road" to be a reasonably good version. It's thick, but they all are to varying degrees.

 

Question while we're on the subject.

We all know that it's darn near impossible to license to release Beatles stuff, especially music. How did MFSL get to?

 

Pre-contract renegotiation. EMI had more freedom to license back then...

 

Thanks for chiming in Arin - I agree with your assesments.

 

I agree. I think it sounds better than my original lp. I get so tired of the smiley face comment when refering to Mofi's. When comparing those lps to the cds it is not even close. I guess we could call those cds a face in a hundred mile an hour wind.

 

Would agree with that.

 

Right. Prior to 1986, EMI basically controlled the catalog and could license it as they wanted to. After the lawsuit which was settled in 1986, the Beatles (ie, Apple) gained control of the catalog, and they have proven to be much more selective in what they will allow to be released.

 

Mine is the Stan Ricker pressing. Sounds good to these ears.

Sean

 

Abbey Road was the first Mo-Fi Beatles album issue back in early 1980, then MMT in 1981 and the White Album in '82.

Seems like Mo-Fi was starting to add the bad top end boost around the time the other titles were being cut (mid-1982) for the Beatles box set when the cheif of engineering (can't remember his name) handed down the bad orders to SH and others.

Not only was the Beatles stuff affected, I Robot cut around the same time suffers as well.

 

Magical Mystery Sounds good to me as well. It's not as nice as the German pressing but it's pretty darn good. I'm assuming all of the LPs after the White Album are

You know I agree with you on I Robot. Hear the HDAD yet? Nice......

Sean

 

No, I haven't heard the HDAD yet. Hopefully soon though

If Mo-Fi would have just used the right tapes for MMT (true streo side 2 and all) I sure it would have a been a lot bigger seller than it was.

 

My Abbey Road Mofi SR sounds thin compared to the UK, and is the only one where the UK beats it. I have two Rubber Soul Mofi's, each by SR, one marked H121, the other H123 (on the A side). The 121 sounds much better, warmer. Did they have a number of masterings within the individual LP's?

 

Were there different masterings of the individual Mofi LP's? I have two Rubber Souls, one marked H121 (first side) and the other marked H123. The 121 is a warmer, nicer pressing. Both marked SR.

The Abbey Road I have, SR, sounds thin to me compared to the UK, out of all the series.

 

Since SR is on here, we should ask him if he EQ'd 'em.

 

Hey, even though it was rechanneled, the MMT had the mono of Baby You're a Rich Man. They only did the piano echo in mono. Rechanneled, but listen from the other room.

For the Rubber Soul MFSL, I have two copies, both by SR, with different matrix numbers. Side one reads H121 on one, H123 on the other. The 121 is warmer and nicer. Were there different masterings of these?

I'm not fond of the MFSL Abbey Road compared to the UK, and that's the only one that stands out strongly. Just sounds thin. The White Album to some extent too.

 

Sorry I didn't realize we were on a second page. I was trying to figure out where the response went. DUH!