Another Steely Dan Aja CD test thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by bob2935, Jan 19, 2006.

  1. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    I don't want to sound like a broken record...maybe I do...

    All AJA clips from unremastered discs that I have ever testes fell in two categories:
    1. My MCD 01745 Made In Germany disc. This category includes Mal's UK disc, all Japanese MCA discs, and some US MCA discs.
    2. The US JVC disc which is brighter. The difference is easily audible, no null test necessary.
     
  2. ACK!

    ACK! Senior Member

    Location:
    New Hampshire
    I just picked up one that has DIDX-000055 on the center ring. With the catalog number DIDY55 MCAD-37214. Very warm sounding, with great bass. Total running time 39:56. Any clue as to which this one might be??
     
  3. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    IIRC that's Rogers mastering, sold my copies except for Steve's. It is good as Steve has said in the past, just not his.
     
  4. ACK!

    ACK! Senior Member

    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Allow me to clarify, the center ring actually says DIDX-000055 3. Probably is the Nichols mastering. Sounds great in any event.
     
  5. bob2935

    bob2935 Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Oakville, Canada
    "FYI, I did an identical 40-second clip from my disc, and it sounds (and looks) identical to this one.
    __________________
    "
    Sorry, I don't understand. Which disc is identical to mine?
    Bob.
     
  6. LaserKen

    LaserKen Senior Member

    Location:
    Avon, Indiana
    I found what appears to be an odd variation of MCAD-37214 DIDY 55 yesterday. The inner wring literally has numbers x'd over and there's a handwritten CI-5650-1

    It is a CRC (Columbia Record Club) issue, made in US, with complete original liner notes and no bar code on back. It sounds great. I had the original pressing, sold it when the remasters came out (doh!) and was thrilled to find this. In the interim I had picked up the MoFi which does not sound quite as good as this latest purchase, at least to my ears.
     
  7. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    I have this same variation. I agree with you; it sounds great. It doesn't really matter to me who mastered it ... It just has a very pleasing sound. I used to be a fan of the '99 remaster (for shame!), but this disc has changed my mind.
     
  8. LaserKen

    LaserKen Senior Member

    Location:
    Avon, Indiana
    I just examined the copy of "Aja" I'd be replacing. It's also MCAD-37214 DIDX 000055 but instead of writing in the spindle it has a bar code and the printed # DIDX-000055 4 . The version I mentioned above is obviously older (given the handwritten etching in the spindle) and, I'm guessing, preferred.

    Any feedback would be appreciated. I think I'm on my fifth "buy" of this disc... shoulda just held on to the first one I bought in 1984 or 5!
     
  9. TomHandle

    TomHandle New Member

    Location:
    USA
    A mon a vis, the difference between the two versions, only dogs can hear.
     
  10. scottabs

    scottabs Senior Member

    Trying to figure out if my copy of Aja is a "Steve" version. Looks just like the pic in post 18, says "Manufactured in Japan for MCA on the CD, and the stamp is MCAD-37214-T5E21.
     
  11. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    I bought this same version today. I have only played it in the car so far. Gadd's fills on the title track were so present... it sounded great, at least in the car. Haven't listened to it on my system yet though.
     
  12. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    I just got a copy of Aja from Japan, with the following details:
    - "Manufactured in Japan for MCA Records, Inc."
    - catalog number 32XD-112 MCAD-37214
    - inner ring: 32XD-112 11
    - © 1977, 1984 MCA Records, Inc.
    - total playing time 39:58

    Does anyone know which version this could be, Steve's or Roger's?
     
  13. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Bump
     
  14. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    J.A.W.,

    just from matrix numbers, you can't conclude what mastering your CD has.
     
  15. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Thanks for the info. The CD sounds good anyway, but it would have been nice to know who mastered it.
     
  16. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    :shake: The difference was not subtle to me. The hole that's now filled is a lot bigger than I originally thought it might be before purchasing it.
     
  17. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    I would love to hear a sample clip from the Nichols version. Every clip posted so far on this forums was either Steve's mastering (the one on Mal's UK disc) or the US JVC disc variant with its boosted top end.

    EAC peak levels for Steve's version (strangely, we have three different data):
    90.8 --- 91.7 --- 90.6 --- 88.7 --- 96.3 --- 86.2 --- 97.6
    90.7 --- 91.7 --- 90.8 --- 88.9 --- 96.3 --- 86.1 --- 97.5
    90.7 --- 91.7 --- 90.8 --- 88.9 --- 96.3 --- 86.2 --- 97.5

    Details of some CDs that have Steve's mastering:
    MCLD 19145, Made In England [Mal, Dave, beckenham]
    MCAD-37214 Japan CSR [tone deb fred]
    MCAD 37214 DIDX-55, JVC, Made In Japan [Leppo]
    MCD 01745 BMG Ariola (inner ring: Sonopress I-5626/MCD 01745/A1) [Andreas]


    EAC peak levels for the US JVC (DIDX-55) disc with boosted top end, which is definitely not Steve's:
    81.4 --- 100.0 --- 100.0 --- 97.4 --- 99.8 --- 100.0 --- 90.4
     
  18. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Sorry, can't help you because I immediately sold it when I got Steve's. [​IMG]
     
  19. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Dave, can you report the EAC peak levels of your Steve-mastered CD? I assume it is the MCLD 19145 CD?
     
  20. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Sure, 90.7, 91.7, 90.8, 88.9, 96.3, 86.1, 97.5. Yes, that's my catalog #.

    Here's a picture of the wave.
     
  21. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Dave,

    the CD you say was mastered by Nichols was a MCAD 37124/DIDX-55 (manufactured in Japan), correct? The confusing thing is, tone deb fred and Leppo have Japanese MCAD 37214/DIDX-55 CDs that have Steve's mastering.
     
  22. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    Hmm. This is the version I have:

    I just ran it through EAC, and my peak levels correspond exactly to the top line here:

    Does this mean it's possible that I have Steve's version? I hadn't thought so (I didn't believe I'd get that lucky on my first shot at buying this), but ... ?? Based on the sound, which is great, I guess I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be Steve's.
     
  23. CardinalFang

    CardinalFang New Member

    Location:
    ....
    Yup, same with my copy.

    This disc sounds incredible. Whether it's him or not, I'm happy. :)
     
  24. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    :agree: Same here.
     
  25. bangsezmax

    bangsezmax Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, NC, USA
    Mine (manufactured in USA for MCA, inner ring MCAD-37214-IT with 21 stamped in)
    is 90.8, 91.7, 90.6, 88.7, 96.3, 86.2, 97.6, exactly the same as the first in the above list.

    Time is 39:57.65

    Either there are a lot of Steve's out there or a lot of Roger's out there. I tend to believe the 0.1-2 deltas may just be a product of EAC reacting to different soundcards, but who knows. If they truly are different, it's suprising that EAC would report them that close in terms of peak level. Setting the levels is a judgment call on the part of the engineer (as we all know by now) and those are really, really close across the board.

    But once again, it's all good. This copy (whoever did it) sounds great.
     

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