The Definitive Version of the 1982 Album
Includes “(Oh) Pretty Woman,” “Dancing in the Street,” and “Where Have All the Good Times Gone!”
Strictly Limited to 7,500 Numbered Copies
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MoFi/MFSL) UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP Box Set
1/4" / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 to analog console to lathe
Van Halen's winning track record with cover songs can be traced back to its 1978 diamond-platinum debut. The ambitious approach, which shows off the band’s diversity, creativity, flair, and fun, takes precedence like never before on Diver Down. Featuring five covers, three of which became radio staples, the album sprung from the band’s desire to remain relevant while taking a breather after four massively successful records and their respective tours. More than four million copies later, suffice it to say Diver Down achieved its goal.
Sourced from the original analog tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and strictly limited to 7,500 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP box set presents the 1982 album in definitive sound. All the traits you associate with hallmark Van Halen — dynamic energy, distinctive tonalities, vivid detail, sensory-invigorating immediacy, rhythmic attack, tongue-in-cheek playfulness, midrange punch, throttling intensity — emerge with involving presence and uncanny realism.
Recorded with producer Ted Templeman in just 12 days in California, Diver Down can here be experienced with unparalleled transparency, balance, definition, and, if you so choose with your volume settings, concert-like solidity, scope, and decibel levels. Provided your system is up to the challenge, you can crank this version as high as you want without risking noise-floor interference or shrillness. Even if you listen at lower levels, the advanced degrees of separation, imaging, soundstaging, and fullness will grant you a fresh perspective on a record that began under the auspices of a one-off single.
The premium packaging of this UD1S pressing befits its collectible status. Housed in a deluxe slipcase, it features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording. Aurally and visually, this UD1S reissue is made for discerning listeners who desire to immerse themselves in everything involved with the album, from the naval-inspired cover art to the interior photos, which range from a spirited collage to a panoramic shot of Van Halen thrilling a crowd of tens of thousands in Florida.
More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab’s UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) technique bypasses generational losses inherent to the traditional three-step plating process by removing two steps: the production of father and mother plates, which are created to yield numerous stampers from each lacquer that is cut. For UD1S plating, stampers (also called “converts”) are made directly from the lacquers. Since each lacquer yields only one stamper, multiple lacquers need to be cut. Mobile Fidelity's UD1S process produces a final LP with the lowest-possible noise floor. The removal of two steps of the plating process also reveals musical details and dynamics that would otherwise be lost due to the standard multi-step process. With UD1S, every aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the best-sounding vinyl album available today.
Why Isn’t This UD1S Pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl?
Diver Down is one of the few Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UltraDisc One-Step releases since the advent of MoFi SuperVinyl that is pressed on 180g black vinyl rather than MoFi SuperVinyl. Why? Quite simply, it sounds better on 180g black vinyl. After closely auditioning Diver Down on several different vinyl profiles — a time-consuming and expensive endeavor no other label pursues — MoFi’s expert engineers determined the music on this 1982 album translates with superior definition, clarity, presence, dynamics, and balance on this format. The opening of MoFi’s sister plant, Fidelity Record Pressing — and its peerless ability to press dead-quiet 180g black vinyl — means the label’s engineers now have more options when it comes to high-quality vinyl. All of which benefits the original artists and their intent, and you, the listener.
UPC: 821797203623