Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi), a leading company delivering the foremost audio technology, specializing in high-quality reissues of key albums, is launching an unprecedented series that will present all six of The Eagles’ iconic ‘70s studio albums on the imprint’s UltraDisc One-Step format, the best-sounding vinyl LPs in the world.
Strictly limited to 7,500 copies and pressed at RTI (Record Technology, Inc.) from the original master analog recordings, the band’s first two platinum-selling studio albums, “Eagles” (1972), and “Desperado” (1973), will be reissued through Rhino Entertainment, Warner Music Group’s catalog label, on MoFi SuperVinyl, the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Mobile Fidelity’s ultra-hi-fi UltraDisc One-Step 180-g 45RPM 2 LP collector’s edition pays tribute to the significance of both albums and enhances the experience for generations to come.
“These records are classic for a reason, and they deserve to be presented in the best possible formats,” states Eagles catalogue curator, Richard FW Davis. “The MoFi process, with its purist high-fidelity approach to committing the original tapes to disc, represents a way of going beyond the standard vinyl to bring a truer experience to the listener.”
Featuring premium packaging and gorgeous presentation, the UD1S album pressings befit their extremely select status. Housed in a deluxe box, “Eagles” — available August 15th — and “Desperado”— available September 15th — will feature special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recordings. Made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art—and everything involved with the album, from the iconic photos to the meticulous finishes, the UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artifact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. Playing with reference-setting sonics that elevates an effort forever prized by audiophiles, these spectacular reissues provide a clear, clean, transparent, balanced, and intimate view of the albums that permanently made California-style rock of the 1970s a genre of its own.
Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, MoFi SuperVinyl’s special proprietary compound allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are indistinguishable from the original lacquer and provides the closest approximation of what the label’s engineers hear in the mastering lab. Instead of utilizing the industry-standard, three-step, lacquer process, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab’s UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) uses only one step, bypassing two processes of generational loss, while providing the ultimate in sound quality.
To create UltraDisc One-Step, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab engineers begin with the original master tapes and meticulously cut a set of lacquers. These lacquers are used to create a very fragile, pristine UD1S stamper called a “convert.” Delicate “converts” are then formed into the actual record stampers, producing a final product that literally and figuratively brings you closer to the music, revealing a tremendous amount of extra musical detail and dynamics, which are otherwise lost due to the standard copying process. The exclusive nature of these very limited pressings guarantees that every UD1S pressing serves as an immaculate replica of the lacquer sourced directly from the original master tape.
“We are extremely proud that Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has been chosen to work with the Eagles and Rhino Entertainment to produce the definitive versions of these six albums from one of the world’s most iconic bands,” states Josh Bizar, vice president, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. “Our team has developed technological advances that allow our engineers to get more from the original master tapes, delivering the finest sonic presentations possible to music lovers and audiophiles. While everyone who loves music knows these songs backwards and forwards, listening to these new remasters on our One-Step 45RPM SuperVinyl™ format will be like hearing these albums for the first time.”
Originally released in June 1972, The Eagles’ self-titled debut played a significant role in changing the face of mainstream music while setting up a commercially dominant run that has continued for nearly five decades. Expertly produced by Glyn Johns and featuring three massive hits – the harmony-rich album that changed mainstream music includes “Take It Easy,” “Witchy Woman,” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling” – The Eagles established a thoughtfully refined, Los Angeles-bred, country rock style that swept the nation and positioned the group to become superstars. The group’s sophomore release, “Desperado”, remains a towering influence on country rock and a crucial piece of The Eagles’ development and evolution. Featuring the brilliant title track and “Tequila Sunrise” – compositions that initially triggered Henley-Frey’s collaborative partnership, which endured for more than four decades – the “Desperado” album’s era-spanning longevity mirrors the agelessness of its most famous songs, which remain staples in the band’s concerts to this very day.
The limited, numbered-edition copies of the reissued LPs of “Eagles” and “Desperado” are available for pre-order at mofi.com and at musicdirect.com.
In today’s faddish, fractured, rock landscape, The Eagles retain an appeal that transcends both generation and genre, cementing the band’s role as enduring musical icons. As the best-selling American band of the ’70s, and one of the top-selling acts of all time, the Eagles have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, scored six No. 1 albums and topped the singles charts five times. They have won six GRAMMY Awards, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, in their first year of eligibility, and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2016.
