Steely Dan Aja vinyl shootout

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Sam, Aug 12, 2013.

  1. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Some good info here, I have a MoFi and an AA with a "B" scratched out both sides, rather weakly, I might add.. I must sat it sounds marvelous. Has anyone A/B'd an AA vs a AB? Hard to imagine it getting much better. I'm playing the copy I bought sealed back in the day.
     
  2. GibsonExplorer

    GibsonExplorer Forum Resident

    Oh man, not another Aja thread LOL
     
  3. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Ain't it horrible? ............. hey ya' could start your own! I mean, when ya' get tired of trashin' this one.............
     
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  4. GibsonExplorer

    GibsonExplorer Forum Resident


    Not trashing the thread, every record collecting forum I belong to has had this thread. In fact, looking back, I see quite a few here with references to the ABC pressings as being garbage. My point it's one of those threads that's rehashed to death but still fun to read because certain pressings come back into favor

    Perhaps someone will remember this quote from a past thread here

    "This pressing (Cisco) will handily beat the average ABC LP, which is typically an aggressive, grainy piece of junk. That said, there are issues with some of the mastering choices made by Cisco, notably in the range of 250 cycles and below. The "Whomp Factor" here isn't what it should be, a common problem with modern remastered pressings. They consistently lack the weight and power of the best originals"
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2013
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  5. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Glad to hear it, some info here is not new to me, your post came across, well, not well.....maybe the LOL? I am now discovering that the originals are what "move me", more so than the reissues that to my ear have a "tube sound" built in. I like to know which are the earlier ones. Been listening to vinyl my whole life, but the paart about finding the best issue is kinda' new to me and there is a lot of that on this forum, as I see you are new, just not a good way to start out, maybe?
     
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  6. GibsonExplorer

    GibsonExplorer Forum Resident

    Willie, I am a man who speaks directly. Sometimes things come out not like I intended. I certainly meant no offense. I personally cannot stand remastered recordings of any type. I think it takes away from the (or adds unfavorably to) intent of the original recording. Sort of like polishing a rare old coin that should never have been touched
     
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  7. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    I too, at times. I clicked on this thread for knowledge..............you?
     
  8. Muzyck

    Muzyck Pardon my scruffy hospitality

    Location:
    Long Island
    Agreed. I recently found a barely played AB, still in shrink pressed at Keel Mfg. in Hauppauge, NY. Not too good. Pains me to say that because one of the Principals of the company is a family friend and two of my relatives worked there.
     
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  9. GibsonExplorer

    GibsonExplorer Forum Resident


    Judging from the above comment, it would appear that I opened this thread just to banter with you maybe? I stated my position and apologized for any miscommunication but you seem to want to get the last dig in? Ask around, I am one of the good guys Willie. Sounds like you and I have a lot in common

    You may know me as Northwinds on Audio Karma, The Record Collectors Guild, Waxidermy and several other music boards if you belong to them

    I am sure members of those boards who may belong here will vouch for me even though I picked my guitar of choice as a moniker here
     
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  10. bvirts

    bvirts Active Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Both of mine are AA. :shake:
     
  11. Cassius

    Cassius On The Beach

    Location:
    Lafayette, Co
    My preferred copy is an original
    AB 1A/ 1B
    CSM Pressed
    Just like the original promo copies.
    As we follow this thread it's starting to shape up that this is the ONE that used the original master tape.

    Haven't heard the Cisco but if Mikey's source is correct I'm not laying long bread for a nice copy tape, even if it obviously has cleaner surfaces. If I find one at a reasonable price I'll have a taste.

    Tip for those looking through a bunch of copies of this LP, check the spine. The earliest originals have no price code on them. Poke around and you'll find an AB copy or one the early AA crossed out lacquers like James described.

    Lastly to circle back to reiterate a point others have made, saying "I have an ABC orig" doesn't mean ****, and that is especially true when your talking platinum selling popular titles from the 70s. Dudes were trying to have enough product on the shelf, , many cuts, so when comparing sound, specific is terrific as my grade school math teacher who wanted us to show our work would say. In other words post the detailed deadwax, not just the label/ release number.
     
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  12. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Not with me, but just to banter, that's cool too. I'm sorry I don't do other forums, all my "Googles" led me here, so here I am. So, while I'm sure your resume is cool, I just can't relate. As far as getting a dig in, sorry you felt that way, I was just wondering what led you to post that way, that's all. All is cool here.......
     
  13. GibsonExplorer

    GibsonExplorer Forum Resident


    It was a poor attempt at humor, nothing more. We're good Willie, I will look for more of your posts. As I said, I think we have a lot in common regarding musical tastes
     
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  14. DPM

    DPM Senior Member

    Location:
    Nevada, USA
    I mistakenly thought both he and Kevin Grey had worked on the Cisco LP. But it was just Kevin. I like Kevin's work, so I'm fine with that.

    I'm still not convinced about this whole master tape discussion going on. Every blurb I read stated that the Cisco LP was the first to use the original non-compressed stereo master tape. In fact, I believe our host stated as much at the time this pressing was available. So I'm going to need more than just the word of Michael Fremer to change my mind on that one. And this thread is the first I've heard of the STEREO master being lost. It's been known for a while some of the multi-tracks are missing, but the stereo master? That's a new one on me.

    In the end I guess we're lucky in that there really isn't a bad sounding version of this album. If only the same could be said about many other classics.
     
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  15. ex_mixer

    ex_mixer Senior Member

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Thanks to the OP for this thread, I haven't listened to this record in years...burnt out on it. After reading all these comments, I searched my collection, no less than 5 vinyl copies. Three were the early AA crossed out versions. Two of them were played to hell, but the third... sonic bliss! :righton:. Now to find an AB 1A/ 1B CSM pressing that Cassius mentioned. :winkgrin:
     
  16. GreatTone

    GreatTone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Falls Church, VA
    The better my turntable setup gets, the more I feel this way about some reissues. Certainly not all. Music Matters etc sound better and better. But a lot of times the originals win out.
     
  17. GreatTone

    GreatTone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Falls Church, VA
    My go-to original AB 1A/1B also has RE-3 on both sides. All handwritten.
     
  18. Synthfreek

    Synthfreek I’m a ray of sunshine & bastion of positivity

    What a way to welcome a new member Slick Willie. :righton:
     
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  19. PhilBiker

    PhilBiker sh.tv member number 666

    Location:
    Northern VA, USA
    Wait till he does a search for "Who's Next".... :)
     
  20. Sam

    Sam Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    Read up above in my original post on this thread. I did compare the AA and AB, and it was a NIGHT and DAY difference between the two. Hands down the AB kills the AA THAT I HAVE. And from what Steve Hoffman stated several years back, (quoted above), it would appear that ONLY the AB matrix pressing used the NON-Eq,d master tape. All others after that utilized a copy that was EQ.
     
  21. Sam

    Sam Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    I believe that you must look at each remastering individually. Some are not as good as the originals, and some are quite superior to the originals. For example, the recent anniversary re-master of Paul Simon's Graceland bests the original in every way. Many of Steve's remasters have also been better than the originals. Look at the 45 rpm Blue notes, for example. I believe you can't make a "blanket" statement that ALL are bad.
     
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  22. attym

    attym Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
  23. izgoblin

    izgoblin Forum Resident

    Yup, I hate to say it, but I started to seriously dislike some Classic Records reissues once I replaced my turntable. That especially made me sad because I expected those to be the last word on the Who and Genesis albums given their prices, but in some cases (not all), to me they are most certainly not.
     
  24. violarules

    violarules Senior Member

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    I'd find it hard to listen to the advice of a supposed vinyl guru if he can't even identify BG's very distinctive handwriting without a "BG" in the deadwax.
     
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  25. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    But how do you like the sound?, I like my no note ABC AA
     
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