The mastering is pretty easy to get (you can see from the notes that there are lots of different pressings that have it), but the Japan-for-US is uncommon. Not really rare, I would say. With a little patience, they eventually turn up here and there. (In fact, I have a copy of that myself that I'm going to sell one of these days.)
I have an old UK cd that is a Steve mastering. I forget if it's #3 or #6. All I can say is...it sounds great! But I have heard several different cd's of this album and none of them are bad but Steve's mastering sounds natural.
I don't what the hell I have!! No barcode...states on the disc that it is Made In Japan for MCA Records. On the disc itself next to the 'compact disc' symbol at the three o'clock position is MCAD-37214 and under it is DIDX 55. Same info next to Donald Fagen on the back of the booklet. The inner ring has this master number.....DIDX-55 21A1 According to my Windows Media player...it runs 39:57 That's it. So what is this???
Just look at the data above. If it has JVC or CINRAM anywhere in the matrix it's mastering 4, otherwise it's mastering 3. The easiest way to find out is to download Exact Audio Copy and check peak levels.
That's mastering number 3. The clear plastic hub has "CSR COMPACT DISC" embossed in it, right? It was manufactured by Sony -- as opposed to the more common JVC-pressed Japan-for-USA disc.
The Best Sounding AJA by Steely Dan on CD What do you think is the best sounding AJA CD reissue? 1984 MCA catalogue number MCAD-37214 1990 MCA 1990 Mobile Fidelity Gold CD 1999 MCA Original Recording Remastered 2000 MCA Import (Japan) 2002 Universal Original recording Remastered (Japan) 2005 Universal/Geffen (import) 2008 Universal Japan 2009 Universal Japan/Zoom Is the one (1984 or 1990?) with "JVC" written on the label close to the center hole, the one to get?
The search engine is your friend: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=191114 http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=70452 http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=158372 http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=175850 http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=86931
This is the first one I bought years ago, when it was new and I still stand by it, all these years later. Chris C (MCAD-37214, DIDX-55, 21A1, Manufactured in Japan)
I have a terrible headache after reading those threads. Even after reading most of them, I still don't have any idea about what the concensus is. The only thing I am sure of is that the 1984 MCA catalogue number MCAD-37214 is the one to get but it still not clear to me how to identify the Hoffman from the Nichols remasters. Do they share the same catalogue number MCAD-37214 ?
The difference between mastering 3, 6 & 7 in the following thread is so minimal that it's useless to discuss which of them is better. If you own one of them you should be fine. http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=158372 Please note that nobody has ever been able to identify a Roger Nichols mastering, so not a single one of these threads will help you telling a Nichols disc from a Hoffman disc. Only the Hoffman mastering was ever identified.
Speaking as someone who got an actual migraine after getting sucked into one of those old 'Aja' threads, let me strongly second that.
I see absolutely no reason to not step up & third that. A few years ago, I was somewhat confident that I had a CD of "Aja" with Steve's mastering. I sent Steve a CD-R of it, & he was nice enough to take the time & listen to it. He told me that it was not his, but still a very nice sounding disc. That was good enough for me, & ended my search for the ultimate "Aja" CD.
