Best Version of Steely Dan's Aja

[kap'n krunch]

the MOFI LP from the late 70s is the one for me!

 

[holland123]

I would have to agree with the kap and Linda, Mofi wins, gold cd or Lp if ya got a top notch table.

 

[humprof]

I've got my original AA-1006 gatefold (which I haven't listened to in ages), along with the '84 US CD issue and the '99 remaster (which I love for the liner notes). I've also, erm, heard a FLAC copy of the Hoffman-mastered CD, which sounds great, though I can't say I've done a careful A-B comparison yet.

Just because I can't let this thread die: one of the SD FB groups reminded me today that back in 2011, jazz writer Marc Myers posted a fascinating story on his Jazz Wax blog about "How Steely Dan Got Wayne Shorter." Definitely worth a read.

 

[bangsezmax]

I've got an AA-1006 that I use as a test record for my turntable repair business. I've played the thing literally hundreds of times on all sorts of turntables. It's covered with scratches from handling, looks like a G+. And it still sounds great.

I have other pristine copies, but they don't have the magic mojo that this one does.

 

[humprof]

Today--23 September 2019--Aja is the answer to Life, The Universe, And Everything. Which is to say: 42.

Here's an interview with Don Breithaupt, leader of the band Monkey House and author of the 33-1/3 series book on Aja, from a couple of years ago:
http://www.friendsofdanmusicpodcast.com/aja-anniversary/

 

[bangsezmax]

I've got an AA-1006 that I use as a test record for my turntable repair business. I've played the thing literally hundreds of times on all sorts of turntables. It's covered with scratches from handling, looks like a G+. And it still sounds great.

I have other pristine copies, but they don't have the magic mojo that this one does.

I realized recently that mine is an AAB, an early AB pressing that was changed to an AA by scratching out the B in the deadwax. And yes, there is a difference sonically. The ABs or the AABs are the ones to look for.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I realized recently that mine is an AAB, an early AB pressing that was changed to an AA by scratching out the B in the deadwax. And yes, there is a difference sonically. The ABs or the AABs are the ones to look for.

One of my fav albums of all time, now this; oh bother - so outrageous!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I realized recently that mine is an AAB, an early AB pressing that was changed to an AA by scratching out the B in the deadwax. And yes, there is a difference sonically. The ABs or the AABs are the ones to look for.

Which AA-1006's specifically?

 

[quicksrt]

I never liked the MFSL LP or CD of this album - I found it edgy and grating where an original US ABC sounds dynamic and transparent. I want to compare the Cisco by KG. Some like it others do not. Canadian Red and Gold vinyl copies are good and quiet.

 

[Beefalo]

I only have MFSL gold CD and the Japanese SACD.
The SACD is louder and in my book that's bad.
Overall I preferred the MSFL it had a fuller "analog"
sound. I'll have to try the vinyl.

 

[HomerJAU]

2007 Cisco HQ-180 LP

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Steely Dan / Aja
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR15 -0.26 dB -17.42 dB 5:09 01-Black Cow
DR14 -0.05 dB -19.06 dB 7:55 02-Aja
DR14 -2.08 dB -18.86 dB 7:34 03-Deacon Blues
DR13 -0.66 dB -17.63 dB 3:56 04-Peg
DR15 -0.30 dB -17.31 dB 5:33 05-Home At Last
DR15 -0.85 dB -18.21 dB 5:05 06-I Got The News
DR14 -1.54 dB -18.48 dB 4:33 07-Josie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 7
Official DR value: DR14

Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 2675 kbps
Codec: FLAC
==============================================================================

 

[humprof]

Well, we all know what the truly "best" version of Aja would be. As of today, we've been waiting for it for 43 years.

Not a significant anniversary, I know. The only thing Google gives me is something from Lot 43 of the auction, earlier this year, of the estate of Karen Stanley, Walter Becker's late girlfriend. It's a photo proof of the Aja album cover.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I'll weigh in, although it's likely many of you will jump all over my s*$t for this.

I own/have owned these Aja pressings:
1st pressing ABC LP
Yellow Canadian LP
MoFi 1/2 speed LP
JVC Japan CD
MoFi Gold CD
Citizen Steely Dan CD
Japan SHM-SACD

IMHO, the SHM-SACD and JVC CD both were HIGHLY DISAPPOINTING. All the others sounded good to outstanding. For my money, I like the MoFi 1/2 speed LP and Gold CD the best. This is based on my A/B'ing different pressings.

LP's have been played on Ortofon MC 20 & MC20mkII cartridges the most. Early LP pressings also played through Audio Technica AT14sa.
CD's & SACD's were played on a variety of players.

When this happened I set out to test the MoFi Gold against the SH-SACD...and for some reason I never followed up with the results...I even enlisted another person to get their opinion...but that person was Gos and he forgot about it...LMAO...anyway I thought the MoFi Gold was better...but it wasn't a huge difference..IMO...I think I was so enamored with the SHM discs...at that time...that a little placebo effect had taken over...I just thought it was better...I blame this bias on the "green" effect....AJA was the first SHM disc I had purchased and I guess I wanted to justify the $60 price....I never tried any of the LPs...as I don't have a turntable...a great album in any format

 

[humprof]

Okay, I'll try to add some actual value to this thread. Episode 92 of the Heat Rocks podcast, co-hosted by LA music gurus Oliver Wang (a regular NPR music reviewer) and Morgan Rhodes (music supervisor for filmmaker Ava DuVernay, among others). This one features Kier Lehman, who oversaw the music for Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse. His heatrock: Aja.

https://maximumfun.org/episodes/heat-rocks/ep92-kier-lehman-steely-dans-aja-1977/

 

[newslane]

I've got my original AA-1006 gatefold (which I haven't listened to in ages), along with the '84 US CD issue and the '99 remaster (which I love for the liner notes). I've also, erm, heard a FLAC copy of the Hoffman-mastered CD, which sounds great, though I can't say I've done a careful A-B comparison yet.

Just because I can't let this thread die: one of the SD FB groups reminded me today that back in 2011, jazz writer Marc Myers posted a fascinating story on his Jazz Wax blog about "How Steely Dan Got Wayne Shorter." Definitely worth a read.

Thanks for that article! Wonderful story.

 

[jaybird100]

Even more remarkable is the debacle Katy Lied suffered ......... as the DBX snafu unfolded. Even MORE audiophile than Aja? What a shame! And poor storage of the AJA master tapes. Unthinkable.

I have the fine sounding SHM~SACD of AJA and remain satisfied.

Makes you appreciate how some majors [Columbia Records and Warner] took better storage care of their MASTERS than MCA EVER DID!

A lot of the former ABC master tapes were mishandled when Universal bought the assets of ABC Records. So many great recordings that could have, and should have, made it to SACD and/or DVD-A that were in too poor a condition to do it. And then there was the fire...

 

[jhw59]

I have a Nimbus cd remastering which I believe is well regarded. Sounds good to these ears.

 

[Plan9]

I've been mad enough to compare all known digital masterings of this album (and a few analogue too including the vinyl favourites), and to my ears the best is the Hoffman-mastered CD. I don't know how he did it but this one is perfect in my opinion.

 

[marcb]

Just for reference, the AA 1006 matrix pressing is not the first pressing of the LP. The AB Matrix pressing is the first cut by Bernie Grundman - and IMO is the best this album has sounded. He got it just right. The AA matrix is a recut.

Note: There are lots of copies with the AA catalog number, but with the AB matrix (or with the AB crossed out and the AA added). Those are good ones too.

 

[ssully]

Interesting article. I'm not sure I see all the things the author claims to see in those GIFs, though.

I've always thought the sonics of 'Deacon Blues' were slightly inferior to the rest of the album side.