Steely Dan Aja vinyl shootout

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

  1. Trius

    Trius Forum Resident

    Thank you!
     
  2. Trius

    Trius Forum Resident

  3. thxphotog

    thxphotog Camera Nerd Cycling Nerd Guitar Nerd Dietary Nerd

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Found a very nice AB at Amoeba yesterday, popped it on at moderate volume and it's terrific as expected. Didn't have ability to do a close, reference level volume comparison with my AA copy but look forward to doing that in the next couple days. Frustrated now that I forgot to look at the deadwax to see if it's a 'crossed out' AB or whatever, and now I'm at work (on new year's freakin' eve!) and won't be able to look until I get home. That'll bug me all day. :)
     
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  4. Minnesota Willy

    Minnesota Willy Well-Known Member

    Interesting topic. It caused me to look closely at my copy of Aja that I always thought sounded phenomenal. Have owned it since long before I knew anything about codes in the runout. Sure enough, AB. I noticed the stamp that looks like a British Flag and now know thanks to this thread that it is a union jack.

    I had an interesting Steely Dan encounter back in the 80's when I lived in Los Angeles. I worked in a super high end audio store in Santa Monica and one day I was talking to a customer and listening to some records he brought in on various high end systems. My boss waved me aside and said "You do know that's Walter Becker, right?" I had not recognized him with his short hair. I remember that one of his favorite artists that we listened to was Bob Marley. I ran out and bought "Confrontation" after listening to it on our big Soundlab Electrostatics with him. I recently bought several of the 180 gram Bob Marley albums and they sound fantastic. Including confrontation. We ended up doing a crazy high end car stereo installation for Walter and then shipping his Mercedes to Maui, where he lived. I think it was Hana. Nice guy and I will always remember the hours spent with him that day.
     
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  5. steve phillips

    steve phillips Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC
    Mine sounds dull on that track also, in comparison with the other songs. Mine is an AA with scratched out B.
     
  6. steve phillips

    steve phillips Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC
    I bought an interesting hybrid last night. #AA-1006. Side 1 runout has the Terre Haute marking, with the B scratched out, and the A added to the cat. #. Side 2 has the Santa Maria marking with the new AA cat. #. Wonder how that happened?
     
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  7. Echoes Myron

    Echoes Myron Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I think i have a Terre Haute Santa Maria hybrid too
     
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  8. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    It’s not that unusual for two sides to get cut from stampers from different sets of lacquers.
     
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  9. steve phillips

    steve phillips Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC
    From what I've read, It seems like Side 1 is the original mastering, and Side 2 is the later mastering. Both sides sound very good.
     
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  10. Minnesota Willy

    Minnesota Willy Well-Known Member

    I just re-read this thread looking to see if the Holland Import pressing of Aja was mentioned. I just bought one of these on fleabay, even though I could find nothing about it either on this forum, or general googling. You can search for the listing that has this title. Steely Dan - Aja [New Vinyl LP] Holland - Import

    I have not seen a Holland pressing of this anywhere before. I have numerous Holland pressings of other bands like Yello, Dire Straits, Kraftwerk, and James Taylor. They are all excellent sonically. Maybe this is just a UK release of the 180 gram pressing that came out a few years back? But it shows the record company as Universal UK. To make it even more confusing the seller has it listed with two different UPC's and different release dates. I am curious what will show up in the mail on this one. The seller has them for $18.03 with free shipping, so worth a shot.

    Today I pulled out my two NM copies of Gaucho, both RL masters and say it on the album credits as well as the RL in the deadwax. These sound just as dynamic and open as my AB copy of Aja. Absolutely killer. One has the quietest vinyl I have heard on an MCA pressing, and the other, while noisier is mastered a little hotter.

    Then I listened to my later MCA pressings of Pretzel Logic and The Royal Scam and they both sounded completely compressed and boring. Like I was listening to an MP3 almost. These are things we do in Minnesota when we wake up to minus 11 degrees and the high is 1 degree. Last week I saw an actual temp here in Red Wing of minus 33. Great time to run tube amps all day and listen to vinyl.

    Anyone ever see this Holland pressing of Aja?
     
  11. Dr. Funk

    Dr. Funk Vintage Dust

    Location:
    Fort Worth TX
    It's actually down to $17.90 with free shipping.......get_importcds has great prices on many of their products. I've had good luck with them, with fast shipping and sturdy packaging. This looks like the same one that was released in 2010............I think this was the Black To Black series with a download code. Probably cut from a digital file, but I'm not able to comment on the sq as I haven't heard this one.
     
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  12. Dr. Funk

    Dr. Funk Vintage Dust

    Location:
    Fort Worth TX
    I meant Back to Black..........not Black to Black. :doh:
     
  13. Macman007

    Macman007 Sitting mId-way between 2 very large speakers

    Came across Aja in my unplayed pile. I bought this one about 15 years ago but never was in the mood to play it. Having several good CD's of Steely Dan material, I naturally assumed with their penchant and insistence for all releases being the best quality that the digital versions would trump all. Man, was I shocked. Aja on vinyl sound bigger, wider, clearer in many ways, packing massive bottom end punch, tubey warm mids without sacrificing clarity in the high end. The Lp itself has considerable heft when compared to other thin albums made at that time. The cut edge from the stamper is square around the circumference, the surface flat and true. The vinyl itself is deep lustrous black, with well defined grooves and bands that are surprisingly very clean, nearly scratch and scuff free, even on the run-in and deadwax areas.

    Checking the matrix numbers for both sides I was very pleased to find the following: Side A: AB 1006 (RE-3)- A 2 C Union Jack..,..Side B: AB 1006 (RE-3) - A 2 C Union Jack. A quick look on discogs says I have this pressing...,..Steely Dan - Aja .It's not 100% exact but is the only variant shown with the Union Jack emblem pressed into the Deadwax, so I figure I must have a very close variant. If not and someone knows more than shown on Discogs, please by all means post a thread here.

    After a solid deep clean on the VPI 16.5 using Disc Doctor brushes with my homemade cleaning fluid ( London Jazz Collector's Recipe), both sides were clean and deep black showing no signs of wear and ready to go. Within the first few grooves and notes of "Black Cow' I knew I was listening to something special. I have several different cartridges I use, right now I'm using a Sumiko Blackbird that's been re-tipped with under 50 hours on it since it's return. The table in a new Technics SL-1200 with some common upgrades and the new titanium arm. The phono stage I'm using currently is the newest CNC clone sold by Muffsy that I build myself.

    Opinions regarding this album vary with over different presses mentioned in the last 17 pages. Some folks favor the Japanese release, (personally the 70's and early '80's japanese releases are not on my radar, it's well known that digital delay line was used when cutting and at a low bitrate. Michael Fremer mentions this often as he now finds Japanese pressing have a quiet surface but sound thin and lifeless overall, lacking bottom end punch and broader dynamics inherent with primitive 8K digital delay line equipment. I had a few of them and they sound as if the life was sucked out of the music. Others here like the Mofi pressing, as is mentioned by more than a few here this pressing sounds as if the equalizer was set in the "C " configuration, lows and highs accentuated, mids pinched off and nasal. I agree that this is something done on a lot of Mofi releases during their glory days. With better equipment, there are pressings from MoFi I liked a lot, but now come off sounding not so good when listening with better gear overall. Some records respond kindly to MoFi's way of Eq use when mastering. For me it now depends on the material as much as anything. Next up are the AB/AA 1006 pressings, pressed in different plants all over the US, some people seem like the AB scratch outs to AA, but the general consensus seems to feel the AA pressing is not the best Aja can sound. A decent percentage here speak to the particulars of the Cisco version of Aja, and from descriptions I've read here, it seems to sound like it's an excellent pressing, one that may be best suited for playback on high end rigs. Not saying that this one doesn't sound great on mid-fi gear, however costing north of 150$ new when you can find them, it is now out of reach for many of us to buy and hear this version. There is newer version out, this one seems to be an import here in the states. On Amazon it's here: https://www.amazon.com/Aja-Vinyl-ST.../ref=tmm_vnl_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= at the bargain price of 24$ shipped if you are an Amazon Prime subscriber (who isn't among those of us buying records today?). I'd like to hear more about this newer European import version from our resident experts before deciding to pull the trigger.

    The AB 1006 version is the one every one seems to agree is the and most well rounded pressing to own. I'm not sure where my matrix numbers put me in the mother/presser/stamper order, it would help me if someone with more knowledge will chime in. What I can tell you is this, from start to finish the AB1006 pressing I have here is an audio tour-de-force, every track sounds solid, dynamic and alive. Bernie Grundman really put the magic into this pressing. By the end of 'Black Cow' I was on my feet and tweaking my turntable, a little less VTF here, some more VTA there, a touch less Anti-Skate, tweak the Zenith a tad, and pow, Aja locked into a whole new sound. I can see why there are folks who use this pressing for evaluating their system, or when looking at new components. Once you've listened this album as it was intended to be heard, with the tonearm and cart in their respective proper positions, Aja sounds incredible.

    I've heard these songs hundreds of times between FM radio, cassette, CD's and finally on vinyl. I never listened to this album, not the vinyl copy. As I said, my goto Steely Dan media was digital up to now. It turns out I've been short changing myself 15+ years since I bought it in vinyl. Those saxes, the backing vocals, Michael McDonald, the Policeman's whistle in Aja, Steve Gadd's drumming, the solid bass punch and 'thwack' of the snare, and crystal clear
    cymbal work, it's a whole different sound. I'm alone in the house, able to crank it up as this music demands you to do. I'm blown away by how great this sounds. 20WPC into my big XRT line arrays, the soundstage is huge, voice and instrument placing as if you are in the studio while they are recording. So much texture between all the instruments, no one trying to outdo another, the perfect recording. Big sound simply pours over me, from above, behind, beyond the edge of the speakers. The speakers and the gear all disappear when you close your eyes and simply listen.

    Simply goes great with the Lava lamp and a favorite adult beverage or smokable libation...ya know what I mean?

    I've used different albums for testing and evaluating, up till now my go to was always Eagles 'Hell Freezes Over' when evaluating a turntable, arm, cart or phono stage, as well as the rest of the system. After 2 decades, the 1977 recording of Steely Dan's 'Aja" has taken it's place. When looked over the album the store sticker was still on the jacket since I bought it used. The price was 4.99$. That was in 2003 sometime when I was buying 10-20 albums a week. What is a mint minus opencopy Aja go for 20 bucks, 4 times what I paid for it.. at 20$ it's still a bargain. The only thing wrong with this album is it's over too soon.,..you get wrapped up into the music then it's gone. Oh well, time to go digging for some other Steely Dan Lp's,... Many thanks to this thread's contributors. Posts like these make purchasing the best pressing much easier. Now, I need to be off and look for Katy Lied or Can't buy A Thrill, and others as well..
     
  14. Echoes Myron

    Echoes Myron Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    The Union Jack makes it a pressing from Keel in New York. I have this one (along with many other ABs).

    AB-1006 is indeed a very special album on vinyl. Those first bass notes to Black Cow let you know you're in for something good.
     
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  15. jacksonwalker

    jacksonwalker Forum Resident

    Yes, I agree. One of my copies is a Keel with the Union Jack flag as well (with the same Deadwax info that Macman007 has on his copy).
     
  16. markdam

    markdam Forum Resident

    Location:
    Orange Ca USA
  17. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Anyone noticed some cover art differences?

    I have 2 AB pressings, both union jack pressings, one is ABC Records, the other ABC Dunhill.
    The Dunhill labeled one seems to have a more zoomed in photo of the front cover. Also, either the poser is a different person or the hair is just in the way, but the nose is different looking on the 2.

    The jackets are also slightly different. The Dunhill zommed in one is thicker overall and has white bottom and top edges while the other is thinner with black edges. The inner lyrics are also bolder on the Dunhill.
    2 different sleeve makers Im sure, but I still wonder about the image being different.
     
  18. Paul P.

    Paul P. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle, WA, USA
    Discogs lists the ABC/Dunhill edition here: Steely Dan - Aja

    There are photos of the release accompanying the database entry.

    In comparison to a non-Dunhill edition, I'm not seeing a ton of difference: Steely Dan - Aja

    Cheers,
    Paul
     
  19. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Yes I know, I have checked it, but I cant really see a difference when checking other covers of other releases. Maybe the pictures are just bad, would be best if someone else had multiple copies to check with.
     
  20. You should get a taker here. I currently have 11 copies according to my discogs but no union cuts. Are you able to post images @Leonthepro ?
     
  21. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    Sure I can. The Union cut was just a tidbit, Im sure there are other pressings which have slightly different covers too. I just want to know whats up with that. Different sleeve makers get different pictures or something? Ill post soon
     
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  22. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  23. Looks like the same image enlarged slightly
     
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  24. Leonthepro

    Leonthepro Skeptically Optimistic

    Location:
    Sweden
    It is enlarged too, but notice how you see more of the posers face on the left image than the right. It has to either be 2 different photos or one which is edited, perhaps with more contrast as well.
     
  25. Hard to see the subtleties on a phone. Will try to view on a bigger screen.
     

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