HiRez Poll Steely Dan - GAUCHO [DVD-A/SACD]

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Rate the DVD-A/SACD of Steely Dan - GAUCHO


  • Total voters
    211
I voted a 10, years ago and I have zero reservations about that vote. This title is top shelf quality in terms of fidelity and mix. So immersive, loads of tight bass. It simply sounds killer on my system. I remember when I bought it - my buddy had never heard surround and we cracked open a few beers I had brewed and cranked it up. He was absolutely overwhelmed.

By the beer of course... :banana:
 
How is this release #50 on the poll? It is top five in my rotation. Man, I wish they had the multis for Aja!

It's just the number of voters that cause the low numbers. Aja, the original studio recordings, the master tapes, were stolen long ago. a reward still is in effect. That-SUCKS!!!
 
I voted a 10, years ago and I have zero reservations about that vote. This title is top shelf quality in terms of fidelity and mix. So immersive, loads of tight bass. It simply sounds killer on my system. I remember when I bought it - my buddy had never heard surround and we cracked open a few beers I had brewed and cranked it up. He was absolutely overwhelmed.

By the beer of course... :banana:

No! Not the beer!! " The Cuervo Gold" 'the fine Colombian" :smoking

2 voters gave it a 6?? :confused:
 
Voted a “10” on this long ago, but never reviewed it. Here we go:

This is probably Steely Dan’s most divisive album among fans. Having long been a huge fan I waited what seemed like forever back then for this to be finally be released following the amazing and perfect “Aja”. (2-3 years between albums back then was nearly unheard of!). And this was so “laid back”. Where were the big rock guitar solos? The crazy drum breaks? Fagen sounds reluctant to push his vocal. All the soul was gone from the “slick/soul” of “Aja” and all we had was the slick.

Yet what was left was perfection. Every note in the perfect place. Every sound mixed perfectly. This was the new audio-reference album to take us into the 80s.

And the songs grew on me in time. Long before the term “Yacht Rock” had been coined, Steely Dan is cruising on the ultimate yacht off to Barbados just for ride. Jack at the wheel stalking the dread moray eel with his Eurasian bride.

The legends about all the coke snorted during the making of this album must be true. You can almost smell it coming from the speakers listening to the obsession that went into getting the drum feel they wanted for ‘Gaucho’ and getting all the backing vocals perfect as the Babylon Sisters shake it. Rolling in the snow, far from the world they know.

And this 5.1 mix takes this all to the next level. I feel like I’m in the studio listening to the playbacks wondering just how hot the horn parts should be and which guitar take to keep.

And all topped off by one of the best, and understated, Larry Carlton guitar solos ever on ‘Third World Man’. An outtake from “Aja” revived after another song had been accidentally erased, but it fits this album so much better anyway.

Elliott Scheiner shows off just how good he is on this disc. That this is a surround - demo disc goes without saying. THIS is why we aren’t satisfied with just stereo. Nothing gimmicky here. No swirling instruments or bits jumping out at you. Just the perfect blend of discreetness and enveloping sound. For anyone who might say they prefer the stereo? I say check out the mono. That’s probably the true mix for you.

Of course Steely Dan had to break up (or take an extended break) after this album. They couldn’t go any higher for fidelity perfection, or sink any lower into the depths of excess and snark.

That this album is controversial? I get it. It lacks many of the qualities SD became famous for. But, at the same time, probably capsulizes better than any of their albums what they were REALLY all about.
 
Voted a “10” on this long ago, but never reviewed it. Here we go:

This is probably Steely Dan’s most divisive album among fans. Having long been a huge fan I waited what seemed like forever back then for this to be finally be released following the amazing and perfect “Aja”. (2-3 years between albums back then was nearly unheard of!). And this was so “laid back”. Where were the big rock guitar solos? The crazy drum breaks? Fagen sounds reluctant to push his vocal. All the soul was gone from the “slick/soul” of “Aja” and all we had was the slick.

Yet what was left was perfection. Every note in the perfect place. Every sound mixed perfectly. This was the new audio-reference album to take us into the 80s.

And the songs grew on me in time. Long before the term “Yacht Rock” had been coined, Steely Dan is cruising on the ultimate yacht off to Barbados just for ride. Jack at the wheel stalking the dread moray eel with his Eurasian bride.

The legends about all the coke snorted during the making of this album must be true. You can almost smell it coming from the speakers listening to the obsession that went into getting the drum feel they wanted for ‘Gaucho’ and getting all the backing vocals perfect as the Babylon Sisters shake it. Rolling in the snow, far from the world they know.

And this 5.1 mix takes this all to the next level. I feel like I’m in the studio listening to the playbacks wondering just how hot the horn parts should be and which guitar take to keep.

And all topped off by one of the best, and understated, Larry Carlton guitar solos ever on ‘Third World Man’. An outtake from “Aja” revived after another song had been accidentally erased, but it fits this album so much better anyway.

Elliott Scheiner shows off just how good he is on this disc. That this is a surround - demo disc goes without saying. THIS is why we aren’t satisfied with just stereo. Nothing gimmicky here. No swirling instruments or bits jumping out at you. Just the perfect blend of discreetness and enveloping sound. For anyone who might say they prefer the stereo? I say check out the mono. That’s probably the true mix for you.

Of course Steely Dan had to break up (or take an extended break) after this album. They couldn’t go any higher for fidelity perfection, or sink any lower into the depths of excess and snark.

That this album is controversial? I get it. It lacks many of the qualities SD became famous for. But, at the same time, probably capsulizes better than any of their albums what they were REALLY all about.

Loving your reviews, @keywhiz . You're speaking for a lot of people here, and eloquently. Can't wait for your take on Everything Must Go.
 
Loving your reviews, @keywhiz . You're speaking for a lot of people here, and eloquently. Can't wait for your take on Everything Must Go.
Haha. Thanks! I never know if I’m just annoying folks or not when I get too detailed in a review. But I guess that’s what the “scroll” feature is for!
 
Haha. Thanks! I never know if I’m just annoying folks or not when I get too detailed in a review. But I guess that’s what the “scroll” feature is for!
We need more of that “detailed” reviewing from the membership; but then it takes work and thought doesn’t it🧐
 
The first time I heard this album - which by the way, was my first real encounter with The Dan other than what I might have heard on the radio: you know, songs like Haitian Divorce and Rikki Don't Lose That Number - I thought the music was cheesy as hell and, at the risk stereotyping, whiter than white! It just so happens that that first time was in surround thanks to my having picked it up on SACD and because the mix was so good, I thought I'd give it another chance in case the music grew on me... and a few listens later I came to realise the album is pure gold.

Suffice to say it's a 10 from me too :)
 
So just recently picked up the sacd 2003 universal edition...ouch my poor wallet..slowly going broke...but musically rich :)

I find it very smooth...mix is excellent...music 2 /3 its no aja..but i like the content
Fidelity excellent

Despite the content not being musically their best i have to give it 9.5. Which translates to a Ten
 
Just listened to Carly Simon: No Secrets DVD Audio 5.1 love it , But then the Mail came
Steely Dan : Gaucho DVD Audio LPCM 5.1 From the moment Babylon Sisters started I knew this was going to be something special this has to be the best mixed surround disc, clarity , seperation are incredible just finished it. I am spechless this was a sonic orgasm. If I could it would be a 12.
 
Not a tad bright or a bit antiseptic or slightly sterile at all? When compared to other SD albums, you sure? See that is why this will never get a 10 out of me no matter how nicely laid out the surround mix is. And it really is a demo thing to behold.

I had someone over two weekends ago that never heard surround audio. He walked around the room studying each speaker's output like a real listener would and was petty much floored. That was fun to see.
 
Recently changed my power amp in my 2 channel set up. The new amp (Classe CA-101) has a much more lively sound signature than my previous amp - anyway, I decided to give the cd layer of the SACD of Gaucho a spin.
Holy moly, I had to jump on the volume to stop it slapping me in the face. Slipped in the Mobile Fidelity Ultradisc version and there was that warm detailed sound that I remembered. Checked the Dynamic Range database and my suspicions were confirmed - the cd layer of the SACD scores 7 to 11 whereas the multichannel layer scores 14 to 17.

Phew - I thought it was due to my amp.

I agree that the multichannel mix is gorgeous, a good 9.
 
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