Nirvana - In Utero MFSL 24k gold CD vs. regular CD?

[MK]

Has anyone compared the MFSL gold CD with the regular CD? Is the MFSL/MOFI better?

I've got the MFSL Nevermind gold CD and it's kind of disappointing. A hair softer in volume, I think, but not more dynamic. I almost want to say it's just different but I feels a little thin, too.

[Beatlesfan03]

The MoFi gets decent reviews over at sh.tv. It also has the Albini versions of "Heart Shaped Box" and "All Apologies" which the regular CD does not.

[Xenu]

Beatlesfan03, I don't think the MoFi has the Albini HSB and AA. Those tracks recently surfaced on a German vinyl release for the first official time.

[Ess Ay Cee Dee]

nt

[MK]

David's right, the Albini versions of those two songs turned up on the German vinyl (possibly by mistake) and nowhere else.

The MFSL gold seems to match the standard CD release in content. And Pennyroyal Tea is the Albini version, not the Litt mix like the Wal-Mart versions.

[Beatlesfan03]

Beatlesfan03, I don't think the MoFi has the Albini HSB and AA. Those tracks recently surfaced on a German vinyl release for the first official time.

David, thanks for the correction. Something must have got crossed in the wires as I got the German vinyl because I had read somewhere that it used the same tape as mofi. The mofi contends for ridiculous sums on eBay these days.

[Patrick M]

Here is the copy of Nevermind you want.

[Ess Ay Cee Dee]

nt

[lukpac]

"Better Records, in our tireless efforts to bring you the most amazing records in the history of the world, has discovered that there is more than one European import pressing of this title. In fact, there are exactly two as far as we can tell. As you would expect, one of them sounds much better than the other. "

[Rspaight]

In Tom's World, there's Orgasmically Great and Utter Shit, and nothing in between.

Ryan

[Dob]

Has anyone compared the MFSL gold CD with the regular CD? Is the MFSL/MOFI better?

I think it's a tiny bit better, but certainly not worth big bucks. If the MFSL Nevermind didn't thrill you, this one won't either.

[MK]

I've got one more question about the MOFI vs. Geffen CD debate of In Utero:

The regular CD is pretty loud, but Albini produced it so it may be compression built into the mix.

Assuming the MOFI is a flat transfer or at unlikely to compress the music, does the MOFI gold CD sound LESS COMPRESSED (or even SOFTER) than the regular CD, or just different EQ?

Right now I'm contemplating of making my own "special edition" of In Utero: "In Utero" plus the Scott Litt mix of "Pennyroyal Tea," "I Hate Myself and Want To Die," "Sappy," "Gallons...," "MV," and "Marigold."

As for that Nevermind vinyl, all I've got is a shitty Pioneer turntable from 1986. I'll just stick with the cheap CD and pump the bass.

[lukpac]

As for that Nevermind vinyl, all I've got is a shitty Pioneer turntable from 1986.

Mine's a probably even shittier Nikko from 1985. I like the cartridge, though, and I think the results are pretty good...

[krabapple]

"Territorial Pissings"
standard CD
Mofi CD




The vocal 'intro' at the beginning is quieter overall in the Mofi than the in the standard, but for the rest it's more the reverse, and the Mofi has more dynamic variety (more contrasty ups'n'downs'). You could see this easier if it wasn't a crummy jpeg. What's interesting is that it all evens out: it makes them both measure about the same *overall* using typical Cool Edit stats (see below) even though they will probably sound different in a DBT.

overall stats:

Code: Select all

                       standard             mofi
                      Left     Right    Left     Right
Min Sample Value:      -30354  -32022   -28906   -27816
Max Sample Value:       32021  32021     31974    29824
Peak Amplitude(dB):    -.18    -.19     -.21     -.82
Possibly Clipped:       0      0          0        0
DC Offset:             -0.238  -0.079    0.004   -0.001
Minimum RMS Power(dB): -55.78  -62.38   -79.87   -80.33
Maximum RMS Power(dB): -11.25  -11.09   -11.02   -11.07
Average RMS Power(dB): -16.26  -16.38   -16.09   -16.4
Total RMS Power(dB):   -15.85  -15.99   -15.56   -15.92

track lengths are the same


intro only:

Code: Select all

                    Left  Right   Left   Right
Min Sample Value:  -16817  -17063   -11482  -16006
Max Sample Value:   14440   18503   13203   14382
Peak Amplitude:    -5.77   -4.96    -7.9    -6.22 
Possibly Clipped:      0      0     0          0
DC Offset:         -0.133  -0.031    0.002  -0.005
Minimum RMS Power: -61.17  -70.27   -79.22  -80.09 
Maximum RMS Power: -16.51  -14.31   -18.03  -15.41 
Average RMS Power: -23.14  -22.1    -24.87  -23.68 
Total RMS Power:   -22.48  -21.36   -24.2   -22.88 
Actual Bit Depth:  16 Bits 16 Bits  16 Bits 16 Bits