This week I picked up two copies of AJA. One was an original ABC & the other was an RCA music club version. The ABC was noisy but it didnt look like it would be. The RCA was not as noisy but both copies sound a little distorted in parts (mostly on the vocals). Is this my equipment or are these pressings just bad? Should I just toss them and get the Cisco. I have heard others on the Forum say that the original US pressings are nice.
your Cisco copies aree silent or your original pressings? Why is my RCA Music Club version better? Better mastering? It seems unlikely. Maybe someone can shed some light.
I have a yellow colored heavy vinyl edition. But it says it was manufactured and distributed by GRT of Canada. Still abc Records on the label. 9022-1006 I'll listen to it later tonight and let you know if it sounds distorted in vocals. I remember the vinyl being very quiet rather than noisy.
Just had a chance to listen to my Canadian AJA Very quiet vinyl was my first and current impression. Black Cow Usual studio processed vocals that I think can sound a little raspy or distorted on some systems. But sounds fine on my Advent 5002s and Onkyo TX-SV909Pro. Nice punchy bass. Aja Mellow vocals. I suppose vocals could be a little cleaner, but same comment as above. Very clean instruments. Deacon Blues Same comment on vocals as above. The solo is much cleaner than when joined by others.
My original rainbow label ABC pressing of AJA is tonally still "king" - best I've heard of this LP, beat a highly regarded Japanese pressing I once had quite handily. Unfortunately it's only VG+ as I played the hell out of it as a youngster, but it still sounds great. I have the Cisco and it is excellent and dead quiet, but ultimately somehow colder and less inviting. May well be more accurate. Great pressing, don't get me wrong, but I think minty original vinyl (if ya can find it) might still be the best sounding deal for this recording.
Well maybe it's just the stampers but I am going to say my RCA Club pressed copy is the best. I may buy the cisco before it disappears though. Love this album!
When you guys mention the "AA" version is that the MCA rainbow label version mastered by Kevin Gray? With the matrix something like AA-1006-*-*-* and KFG/MCA in the dead wax?
Just found an "AA" pressing. I will give it a spin. It's amazing how many copies of this album I have found this week for a dollar!!
Ok, so a couple of days ago I found a rainbow label MCA cut by Kevin Gray with AA-1006-A-W1 and AA-1006-B-W1 and it's not the "AA" that everyone is referring to, right?
Yeah, it has KFG/MCA scratched in the wax along with a symbol that looks kind of like two squares with a g with a line through it that looks kind of like this: [o]-G-[o]. There's also a 2 on one side and a 3 on the other both about 12 o'clock from the matrix in the dead wax. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if the "AA" that is being referred to is cut by Kevin Gray or not (I guess not, but Bernie Grundman?). I had read elsewhere on the forum that KFG is his signature and that his Steely Dan cuts were pretty good. BTW it sounds good (a lot of bottom end, but a little laid back in the highs), but it's the first copy of the record I've ever purchased, so I don't have much to compare it to except the two record Greatest Hits mastered by Bob Ludwig which has some Aja tracks on it.
