New Donald Fagen - The Nightfly 180g vinyl release

I saw this in the new vinyl racks yesterday. No stickers or anything to clearly identify the reissue, but looking on amazon it appears to be new. Sleeve says Made in U.S.A.

Any info on the source/mastering or pressing/sound quality of this release?

 

I assume that's the new WB remaster overseen by Chris Bellman - use of original tapes.

I've been curious as to whether to pick it up myself - I'm very happy with my original pressing of Masterdisk w/ triangle.

Love to know how it sounds.

j.

 

Chris Bellman is good but considering its an early digital release and teh original vinyl sounds very good anyway I do wonder what the point of this is.

 

According to Elusive Disc -

 

As a digital recording from 1982, would the "original master tapes" still exist? I thought Steve has said that these early digital tapes were fragile. Even if the tapes still existed in the case of The Nightfly, would Bellman have had to use them? Couldn't he have worked with some files?

 

Thanks guys, I have it here now. After 30 years, what the heck! CB initials in deadwax indeed. Packaging/artwork is only average, but the pressing is just incredible (better than my German original). I'll take more wherever this came from.

 

I just listened to my double RL masterdisk lp the other day and just think it is one of the best sounding lps I have ... Glad to see this 1982 classic is getting the premium treatment ...

 

There are possibly people that don't own it on vinyl (can't imagine who!) and don't want to buy a used copy?

 

Any reviews?

Bumping this up a little. Haven't heard anything on this besides the one quick review when this came out recently. Anyone heard this one? I have the Quiex Promo, but would welcome information on the quality of the mastering on this Bellman/Pallas pressing.

 

me too

 

I have it on order so should receive in next few days. Will report on SQ then.

 

Awesome, looking forward to it!

 

So it's a Pallas pressing - no wonder I was impressed. And although the sleeve says Printed in U.S.A., the label has Made in the E.U. and there's an additional Pallas matrix number indeed.

Compared to my old Masterdisk/RL Alsdorf pressing, the new one is slightly more dynamic and has a bit more bass I think - not night and day different of course. I can put up a comparison clip if anyone is interested.

 

Would love to hear a clip. thanks!

 

I gave this a spin last weekend and thought it sounded terrific. One of the best vinyl releases I have purchased in the last year, or so. The family was away so I cracked open a couple Stellas, cranked the volume and my PSB towers were singing. Vinyl was quiet and the music was crisp and rich. Really a great music listening experience. (My deck is a vintage Harman T-45 with an AT 120E cartridge.)

 

I've put it in Needledrops. No high-end setup here, but hopefully it will give an idea of the differences. RMS levels are matched (rudimentarily) for easy comparison, straight transfers otherwise. The pop @56s appears to be on the master tape as it is present in both clips. I don't think I'd be able to tell them apart blind to be honest.

 

I have the Japanese WB pressing on LP which sounds great. Wondering if a cd remaster by our host is every likely? Also does anyone have the Blu spec version and can tell me how that sounds in comparison?

 

There are plenty of comparisons of digital Nightfly releases in the forum archives.

 

Got this album on vinyl (or any other format) for the first time last week off a seller on Discogs, actually the first time I heard anything on it, apart from New Frontiers when I was a kid, was when I checked it out on Spotify before buying it a few weeks ago and I love this record! Mine is a German pressing from 1982 (92.396-1) and it sounds absolutely fantastic, can't believe the new pressing could sound any better, at least on my modest system anyway, the other great thing is it only cost me £1.50 plus postage to Ireland. AJA on vinyl, which I got from another Discog seller will be arriving on Monday so hopefully its a good pressing (if anyone knows, its ABCL 5225 ?) , I'm only getting into the Steely Dan/Fagen stuff recently as when I was growing up as I was a real indie/electronica kid, so hope to buy some of their other stuff on vinyl soon too.

 

I can't comment on the reissue as I've not heard it. As for the original issue, the entire pressing run (including at least some record club copies, because I've seen them) are on the very-dark-translucent-red Quiex II vinyl, not just the promos.

 

Got the new one today for a friend, just compared it to my original German pressing which I bought second hand about a month ago and I have to say original is better, the new one is fine but a bit too bright for my taste also there is a bit of sibilance on the new one. I'd give original 10/10 and the new one 7/10.

 

Remastering is an art and not an exact science. These new remastering engineers should learn the trade from Doug Sax and our host.

 

The Donald Fagen LP was mastered by Chris Bellman - and he is highly regarded. He has been a mastering engineer for many many years.

For the record.. I have the new Donald Fagan 180 cut of Nightfly and I heard no sibilance the few times I played it so far.

 

I have a bunch of LPs mastered by Chris Bellman that are way too bright. A lot of the Classic Records Who reissues, and the Van Halen reissues. He really likes things on the bright side and it is not to my taste.

The Who LPs in particular actually have sibilance issues due to the aggressive treble. Check out 'Blue Red and Grey' on Who By Numbers, it's a mess. I have an original pressing that plays fine.