Santana – Abraxas: Is the Mobile Fidelity One Step Really the Best?

Santana’s Abraxas has long been considered one of the crown jewels of the audiophile world—especially the Mobile Fidelity Ultradisc One Step, which has reached astronomical prices on the secondary market. But is it really the best pressing of this legendary album? I had access to a copy for only 24 hours, and I put it up against three other versions: • CBS Half-Speed Master • German ARS pressing • Mobile Fidelity 33 RPM cut This isn’t a full, meticulous shootout—it’s more of a casual but honest listening experiment. Still, I was able to form some impressions and come to a conclusion. If you’ve ever wondered whether the MoFi One Step truly deserves its mythical status, or whether other (more affordable) pressings hold their own, this video is for you. What’s your favorite pressing of Abraxas? Let me know in the comments. Reference System -VPI Scout with Classic Platter Upgrade -JMW Memorial Tonearm -VPI Analog Drive System -Hana ML MC Cartridge -Phasemation PP-500 MC Cartridge -Perpetuum Ebner PE 6060 Turntable -Ortofon Quintet Black MC Cartridge -Miyajima Labs Infinity Mono MC Cartridge -Phasemation EA 350 Phono Preamplifier -ModWright PH 9.0 Tube Phono Preamplifier -Cayin A-50T Integrated Tube Amplifier -System Audio Pandion 30 Loudspeakers -Degritter Ultrasonic Record Cleaner -VPI 16.5 Vacuum Record Cleaner -Sweetvinyl Sugarcube SC-1 Mini -Pioneer RT-707 Reel To Reel Tape Deck -Ramar Record Brush The reference system is wired exclusively with Audio Art cables. #Santana #Abraxas #VinylCommunity #MoFi #OneStep #Audiophile #VinylRecords #RecordCollector #VinylShootout #nowspinning ​⁠ @mobilefidelitysoundlab  00:00 Introduction 02:26 Two One Step Recap Videos 03:30 Accessing This Copy 04:37 The Other Pressings 05:41 The CBS Mastersound 07:54 The Mobile Fidelity 2008 09:45 The German ARS 11:29 The Mofi One Step 13:15 Conclusion