There was an article on one company, i forget where I read it but they do a limited run where each LP is serialized and the manufacturing process is really very good (classic records?)
The original Classic Records company is no longer, but Chad at Acoustic Sounds bought up their licence rights and is now producing (at least) RCA Living Stereo classical LPs out of his QRP plant. I only have one of the new series (The Rhapsody in Blue that I picked up from Chad's table at the Brooklyn show last fall) and i have to say that it is outstanding. He is also reissuing a few of the Mercury Living Presence line as well.
As for MoFi, keep in mind that the MoFi of today is not the same company as the MoFi of the 80s. In November 1999 MFSL was forced to close up shop after it was unable to collect a large sum of money and product upon the bankruptcy of one of its biggest distributors. In 2001 the company's assets were acquired by Music Direct, who now owns rights to the technology used in the proprietary mastering chain and all intellectual property owned by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. I have not purchased any of the LPs put out by the "new" MoFi, but Music Direct did put out the 180g LP version of Glenn Frey's last album and I was very impressed with that. They did recently come out with another line of MoFi LPs called the silver series which is supposed to be a somewhat lesser quality LP for a lower price than the full MoFi albums. I picked one of these up at PREX and I have to say I was very unimpressed. Since it was only one album I cannot really say if it was the fault of the pressing or just not a very well recorded album for the beginning, but either was I would tread carefully with this series.
Other than Classic and MoFi there are still a number of other labels putting out high quality reissues. At the top of that list would be Chads original Analogue Productions label. I have quit a few of these and cannot say I ever got a bad one (although there are some who would disagree, but maybe I just got lucky). In addition to Classical reissues Chad has also been doing a lot of golden age jazz (Blue Note ET al) as well as some blues and popular records in both 33 and 45 RPM versions (although not both speeds for everything). Here are a few other labels of note:
FIM (First Impressions Music) -0 200g flat profile;e UHQR type LPs. A bit pricey, but very well done.
Reference Recordings: Some of Keith Johnson's albums are again being released on vinyl. I recently picked up a 45 rpm 2 LP version of Mephisto and Co. (which also was pressed at QRP) and found it to be outstanding.
Speakers Corner, Music Matters and Four Men with Beards also all have good reputations.
I have never been a big fan of the Columbia Half Speed Mastered series. But this should not be a big surprise to anyone as I have never been a big fan of Columbia records, period. I usually find their arrangements to be much too over produced. And because of the artists that Columbia had in their stable, their HSM albums send to carry a higher price tag than most for an LP whose sound is only marginally better than the original issue from a SQ .for the most part not worth the asking prices IMO. However, if I found one in the dollar bin or at a garage sale I certainly would not walk away from it.
These are just a few thoughts off the top of my head. If anyone else has some other audiophile record company pics or pans, by all mean, jump on in.
