[Kenneth Patchen]

Haven't paid much attention to new vinyl pressing processes but I do like Abraxas and thought I'd search for a 'new' copy. Is the one-step process a tried-and-true process or is it 'new' and/or so much cosmic staple snake oil? Thoughts?


"Santana's iconic Abraxas, the debut release in Mobile Fidelity's exclusive UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) series, reaches three-dimensional sonic and emotional heights never before attained by analog recordings on this extremely limited 180-gram 45RPM vinyl 2LP box set. Created in finite batches for the ultimate in sound quality, UD1S uses a one-step lacquer process that yields vinyl with the lowest-possible noise floor, exponentially greater details, and significantly enhanced dynamics. Exclusively limited to 2,500 copies, this ultra-hi-fi audiophile edition literally and figuratively brings you closer to the music of this 1970 masterpiece, which spent six weeks atop the charts and spawned the cosmic staple "Black Magic Woman."

[jarcher]

Seems intriguing but gonna be pricey at $80 I think for this title. But if you REALLY love that album and want it on vinyl, guess it makes sense.

[GoldenVibrations]

I have that Abraxas on pre-order from my local HiFi store. I love that album so I couldn't pass it up despite the cost. I have one other "one step" album...Neil Young's Greatest Hits mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering and it sounds fabulous!

[S Clark]

Reading up on it, it sounds like a DMM (direct metal master) with a 45 rpm pressing.  That in itself should be a high quality offering.  Apparently, MFSL remastered  Abraxas several years ago, as the original tapes were apparently noisy to begin with.  I assume engineers today can clean some of that up digitally.