The MoFi turntable approach
MoFi Electronics is the hardware division of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, the American audiophile label, and its turntables are built by people who spend their careers chasing the most faithful playback of a record. Across this lineup you will find a consistent design philosophy: belt drive for quiet, decoupled motor noise, low resonance Delrin based platters, and precision 10 inch tonearms set up with the same core geometry of 18mm overhang and a 22.8 degree offset angle. That shared foundation means every one of these decks is voiced in the same family, and each step up refines the isolation, the platter mass, and the tonearm bearing design.
Specifications compared
| Specification | UltraDeck | PrecisionDeck Fender | MasterDeck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Belt-drive turntable | Limited-edition belt-drive turntable | Reference belt-drive turntable |
| Cartridge | Not included; accepts standard half inch mount cartridges | — | Not included; accepts cartridges from 5 to 14 grams |
| Cartridge Included | — | No | — |
| Cartridge Mount | — | Standard half inch mount | — |
| Drive Motor | Isolated 300 RPM AC synchronous motor | — | — |
| Drive System | — | Belt drive | — |
| Isolation | — | — | Anti-vibration feet co-developed with Harmonic Resolution Systems (HRS) |
| Motor | — | Isolated AC synchronous motor with outboard speed controller | DC synchronous motor with fine speed trim |
| Offset Angle | — | — | 22.8 degrees |
| Overhang | — | — | 18 mm |
| Platter | 1.3 inch Delrin | Delrin | Delrin-coated aluminum |
| Platter Weight | 6.8 lbs | — | 14.35 lb |
| Plinth | MDF and steel with adjustable feet | — | — |
| Range Position | — | Above UltraDeck, below MasterDeck | — |
| Signal to Noise | 74dB | — | — |
| Special Edition | — | Fender American Vintage theme, styling and finish | — |
| Speeds | 33 and 45 RPM | 33 and 45 RPM | 33, 45 and 78 RPM |
| Tonearm | 10 inch straight aluminum, gimbal bearing | 10 inch gimbal-bearing tonearm | 10 inch dual-pivot carbon-fiber (unipivot and gimbal hybrid) |
| Tonearm Geometry | 18mm overhang, 22.8 degree offset | — | — |
| Tonearm Offset Angle | — | 22.8 degrees | — |
| Tonearm Overhang | — | 18mm | — |
| Wow and Flutter | 0.017 to 0.025 percent | — | — |
One important note before you choose. These are turntables, not complete systems. A turntable needs a cartridge and a phono stage to make sound, and none of the decks below ships with a cartridge. All of them accept a standard half inch mount cartridge, so you have freedom to voice the system to your taste. We will cover good matches at the end.
The lineup at a glance
MoFi UltraDeck
The MoFi UltraDeck is the accessible entry into MoFi engineering, and it carries the family traits proudly. It uses an isolated 300 RPM AC synchronous motor for 33 and 45 RPM playback, a substantial 1.3 inch Delrin platter weighing 6.8 lbs, and a 10 inch straight aluminum tonearm on a gimbal bearing. The MDF and steel plinth rides on adjustable feet, and MoFi quotes wow and flutter of 0.017 to 0.025 percent with a 74dB signal to noise figure. The gimbal tonearm is precise and forgiving to set up, which makes the UltraDeck an excellent long term foundation. It does not include a cartridge, so you can pair it to your preference.
MoFi PrecisionDeck Fender
The MoFi PrecisionDeck Fender is a limited edition belt drive turntable with Fender American Vintage themed styling and finish, sitting above the UltraDeck and below the MasterDeck in the range. It pairs an isolated AC synchronous motor with an outboard speed controller, which moves the motor electronics away from the signal path, and it plays 33 and 45 RPM with a Delrin platter and a 10 inch gimbal bearing tonearm using the same 18mm overhang and 22.8 degree offset. The cartridge is not included and it uses a standard half inch mount. This one is as much about character and collectibility as engineering, so it suits the listener who wants a distinctive centerpiece with genuine MoFi performance underneath.
MoFi MasterDeck
The MoFi MasterDeck is the reference statement of the range. It steps up to a DC synchronous motor with fine speed trim, adds 78 RPM to the 33 and 45 speeds, and carries a heavier Delrin coated aluminum platter at 14.35 lb for greater speed stability and stored energy. The big change is the tonearm: a 10 inch dual pivot carbon fiber design that hybridizes unipivot and gimbal behavior, accepting cartridges from 5 to 14 grams. It also rides on anti vibration feet co developed with Harmonic Resolution Systems (HRS). This is the deck for the listener chasing the last measure of resolution and lower noise floor, and it rewards careful setup and a serious cartridge.
How to choose by scenario
You want your first serious MoFi deck
Start with the UltraDeck. Its forgiving gimbal tonearm, isolated motor, and heavy Delrin platter deliver true MoFi character while being easy to live with, and it leaves room in the system to invest in a good cartridge and phono stage.
You want a distinctive statement piece
Choose the PrecisionDeck Fender. The Fender American Vintage styling makes it a conversation piece, the outboard speed controller keeps motor electronics away from the platter, and it slots above the UltraDeck in the range. Ideal if the look matters as much as the listening.
You want the most resolving MoFi turntable
The MasterDeck is the reference. Within the MoFi range, its heavier Delrin coated aluminum platter, DC motor with fine speed trim, dual pivot carbon fiber tonearm, added 78 RPM speed, and HRS co developed isolation legitimately offer more for the listener pushing for the lowest noise and the finest detail. Choose it if you plan to pair a top tier cartridge and phono stage.
You collect 78s or older pressings
Only the MasterDeck adds 78 RPM playback, so it is the natural pick if your collection spans that era.
Matching cartridge and phono stage
Because none of these decks includes a cartridge, plan for a moving magnet like one of the MoFi Tracker cartridges, with the MasterTracker as the top MM choice for a resolving front end. For amplification of the signal, the single input balanced UltraPhono Pro and the reference MasterPhono with its extensive adjustable loading range were both developed with Peter Madnick and pair beautifully in the MoFi family. A good rule of thumb is to keep the cartridge and phono stage in proportion to the deck, so the more capable the turntable, the more it rewards a more capable cartridge and phono stage.
Come listen
AEA is an authorized MoFi Electronics dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Demo units rotate and not every model is always set up, so please contact us to arrange a listen or to help match a MoFi turntable, cartridge, and phono stage to your system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which should I choose if I want your first serious moFi deck?
Start with the UltraDeck. Its forgiving gimbal tonearm, isolated motor, and heavy Delrin platter deliver true MoFi character while being easy to live with, and it leaves room in the system to invest in a good cartridge and phono stage.
Which should I choose if I want a distinctive statement piece?
Choose the PrecisionDeck Fender. The Fender American Vintage styling makes it a conversation piece, the outboard speed controller keeps motor electronics away from the platter, and it slots above the UltraDeck in the range. Ideal if the look matters as much as the listening.
Which should I choose if I want the most resolving moFi turntable?
The MasterDeck is the reference. Within the MoFi range, its heavier Delrin coated aluminum platter, DC motor with fine speed trim, dual pivot carbon fiber tonearm, added 78 RPM speed, and HRS co developed isolation legitimately offer more for the listener pushing for the lowest noise and the finest detail. Choose it if you plan to pair a top tier cartridge and phono stage.
Which should I choose if I collect 78s or older pressings?
Only the MasterDeck adds 78 RPM playback, so it is the natural pick if your collection spans that era.