Needle Time

  Curtis Mayfield - Super Fly [ROGV-167 USA 2022 2LP 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Rhino's boutique label, The Run Out Groove gave the original Super Fly master tapes to Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio for this expanded 50th Anniversary vinyl edition and pressed it at Record Industry in The Netherlands.  You may have your own opinions, but I believe Gray's mastering is truer to the original 1972 recording, It is tighter, sharper and less heavy on the bass, sounding much more of its time than the MFSL version. I like both but for differing reasons.  The bonus album of singles, demos and out-takes is well worth your attention, however all these extra tracks were digitally sourced. There was much more information to be extracted from the 45rpm records which accounts for the higher MFSL bit rates and the dynamic response numbers for the original album vary only slightly.  DR         Peak         RMS        ...

  Curtis Mayfield - Super Fly [MFSL 2-481 USA 2019 2x45RPM 24-bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Mastered from a quarter inch 15 IPS Dolby A tape copy and cut all analogue to two 45rpm platters, here is my rip of the limited 4000 copy MFSL release of Curtis Mayfield's original soundtrack to Super Fly . MFSL seem to be compensating for a post-MoFaux drop in sales by increasing their release schedule and repressing many long out-of-print releases. It is unlikely this will see a repress for now as Rhino Records had other plans (more about that next). So how does this sound? Pretty damn good, much fatter at the bottom end and a wider soundstage than the originals which is likely a consequence of the wider 45rpm grooves, plus also MFSL's  'unique' analogue to lacquer mastering technique. Here are some stats: DR         Peak         RMS             Duration Track ---------------------------------------------------...