By: Tristan Sun

The audiophile world was set ablaze recently when Mike Esposito made an explosive claim: MoFi had been using digital files on their expensive, supposably alog-only, re-issues.

In a YouTube video, the owner of the Phoenix record shop “In” Groove exposed Mobile Fidelity, a record label known for its production of audiophile recordings. In the world of audiophiles, where the goal is to get as close to the sound of an album’s original tape as possible, using digital while claiming not to is scandalous.

There was immediate pushback to Esposito’s video, with many high-profile audiophiles denouncing his claims as illegitimate. MoFi is the undisputed leader in audiophile recordings, their $125.00 each records selling out almost immediately. “I know their process and it’s legit,” wrote Shane Buettner, owner of Intervention Records.

But at MoFi’s headquarters in Sebastopol, California, John Wood knew the truth. The executive vice president of product development could hear the disappointment in Esposito’s voice when he mentioned that some of MoFi’s albums were among his favorites. So, Wood invited him to travel to California and visit the company.

Esposito’s tour resulted in a second video on July 20, in which MoFi engineers confirmed that the company had, indeed, been dishonest about its practices. This follow-up sparked a wave of outrage among audiophiles.

“They were completely deceitful. I never would have ordered a single Mobile Fidelity product if I had known it was sourced from a digital master,” wrote an audiophile on a forum.

The fallout of the MoFi revelation introduces a new concept, that there is a difference between an “audiophile” and an “audiopurist.” The audiophile chases the best-sounding recording, whereas the audiopurist chases the media of a specific origin – whether that is digital or analog.

Randy Braun, a music aficionado and Hoffman message board member, hopes that the MoFi revelation will prove what he’s been saying for years: “These people who claim they have golden ears and can hear the difference between analog and digital, well, it turns out you couldn’t.”

For Esposito, the information has tarnished the brand image: “I just feel a little hoodwinked right now.” But the controversy will likely not affect MoFi’s bottom line; many viewers shared a common sentiment, that they will remain happy customers as long as the records continue to sound better than other versions.