Best Version of Steely Dan's Aja

[humprof]

S. Victor Aaron, co-founder of the Something Else! website (where he has a regular feature called "Steely Dan Sundays"), weighs in with a track-by-track appreciation:
https://somethingelsereviews.com/2022/09/23/steely-dan-aja-album/
I would never say so among the Dandom faithful, for fear of being pilloried as a heretic, but I'm ready to follow Aaron into his breakaway church when he writes that for a bunch of reasons, "['Deacon Blues' is] a song I should probably like more than I do. Yet, I find [it] a tad plodding. Even if it’s presented as a sarcastic take on the sentimental torch song, it still comes off like a torch song." Amen.

Totally unrelated observation: if demixing technology has gotten good enough for Revolver, how long before it's good enough for "Black Cow" and "Aja"?

 

[JoshM]

Hello, everyone! I’m Josh Mound, the guy who writes “The Best Version Of…” columns over at Audiophile Style. Thank you all so much for the thoughtful discussion. For Aja, the MQA-CD has become my favorite version (not because I like MQA, but just because it’s a good transfer and master). I’m now very curious to see how the new Grundman mastering will sound. I just wrote a short comparison of the newly released Grundman mastering of Can’t Buy a Thrill versus the previous digital versions. The new Grundman mastering is easily the best. (Of course, there were only two previous masterings of Can’t Buy a Thrill. When it comes to albums like Aja, there’ll me more competition.)

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Hello, everyone! I’m Josh Mound, the guy who writes “The Best Version Of…” columns over at Audiophile Style. Thank you all so much for the thoughtful discussion. For Aja, the MQA-CD has become my favorite version (not because I like MQA, but just because it’s a good transfer and master). I’m now very curious to see how the new Grundman mastering will sound. I just wrote a short comparison of the newly released Grundman mastering of Can’t Buy a Thrill versus the previous digital versions. The new Grundman mastering is easily the best. (Of course, there were only two previous masterings of Can’t Buy a Thrill. When it comes to albums like Aja, there’ll me more competition.)

welcome to the forum

 

[humprof]

Hello, everyone! I’m Josh Mound, the guy who writes “The Best Version Of…” columns over at Audiophile Style. Thank you all so much for the thoughtful discussion. For Aja, the MQA-CD has become my favorite version (not because I like MQA, but just because it’s a good transfer and master). I’m now very curious to see how the new Grundman mastering will sound. I just wrote a short comparison of the newly released Grundman mastering of Can’t Buy a Thrill versus the previous digital versions. The new Grundman mastering is easily the best. (Of course, there were only two previous masterings of Can’t Buy a Thrill. When it comes to albums like Aja, there’ll me more competition.)

Welcome, Josh! It's a thrill (no pun intended) to see you here. Really appreciate your thoughtful, painstaking analysis and your fine writing--it's rare to find someone who can discuss both the technical and aesthetic aspects of recorded music so readably. Looking forward to your new CBAT piece and your take on AP's Steely Dan program generally. (Also looking forward to the completion of your Steely Dan book!)

 

[mandrix]

Does the 2022 24/192 download reflect the Grundman mastering?
EDIT: Don't hear as good as I used to but the download I have sounds pretty sweet.

 

[Plan9]

Does the 2022 24/192 download reflect the Grundman mastering?
EDIT: Don't hear as good as I used to but the download I have sounds pretty sweet.

The 2022 Hi-Res download is the Grundman mastering.

 

[mandrix]

The 2022 Hi-Res download is the Grundman mastering.

Thanks!

 

[stoopid]

When I went into full-on deep dive mode with SD I researched for half a day on the best way to approach getting their albums. The conclusion of that search landed me on their Citizen Dan boxed set that was still available new on Amazon. IIRC the masters used for the set were the same used for some of the boutique releases many of you are referencing in the past 6 pages of posts.

https://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Steely-Dan-1972-1980/dp/B000002ORE
It's not available new anymore(?).

Because I had limited experiencing prior to the boxed set I can't offer an album by album format comparison but the mixes objectively sound phenomenal in my car, home theater, and on my home recording studio monitors. For all I know any of the releases would sound good, as they're considered some of the best produced rock albums of all time.

Just offering my thoughts. The boxed set got me into the SD universe for a cheap $45-ish as I remember. I could have spent that on one album alone based on some of the pricing for those sacd/special import releases.

 

[JoshM]

When I went into full-on deep dive mode with SD I researched for half a day on the best way to approach getting their albums. The conclusion of that search landed me on their Citizen Dan boxed set that was still available new on Amazon. IIRC the masters used for the set were the same used for some of the boutique releases many of you are referencing in the past 6 pages of posts.

https://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Steely-Dan-1972-1980/dp/B000002ORE
It's not available new anymore(?).

Because I had limited experiencing prior to the boxed set I can't offer an album by album format comparison but the mixes objectively sound phenomenal in my car, home theater, and on my home recording studio monitors. For all I know any of the releases would sound good, as they're considered some of the best produced rock albums of all time.

Just offering my thoughts. The boxed set got me into the SD universe for a cheap $45-ish as I remember. I could have spent that on one album alone based on some of the pricing for those sacd/special import releases.

The box is a really solid way to get their whole output. For the individual albums, there usually are better options, which vary between the ‘80s CDs, MFSL CDs, and Japanese SACD/MQACDs per album (and there’s lots debate, of course). But the Citizen box has lots of non-album tracks that are hard to get elsewhere, and it’s certainly not like the Citizen masterings are bad.

 

[mandrix]

I have to say the CBAT 24-192 download sounds pretty sweet. Sounds like the cymbals got a little extra work, seem to stand out clearer to me..

 

[cbmmm3]

I have to say the CBAT 24-192 download sounds pretty sweet. Sounds like the cymbals got a little extra work, seem to stand out clearer to me..

so., it looks like we CAN buy a thrill

 

[mandrix]

so., it looks like we CAN buy a thrill

You betcha!

 

[humprof]

Aja's birthday today (as well as John Coltrane's--who knew?). I figure UMe has till midnight to spring a surprise Atmos mix on us.

 

[HomerJAU]

I figure UMe has till midnight to spring a surprise Atmos mix on us.

Finger crossed!

 

[marpow]

Available today via HDTracks stereo. $24.98 for the 192Khz.

Aja Steely Dan 192kHz • 24bit 96kHz • 24bit 7 TRACKS 39 MINUTES

Widely considered one of the greatest audiophile bands of all time, Steely Dan's famously meticulous recording process led to the most technically superior Hi-Res recordings ever produced. 1977's Aja was a landmark release for the group, winning a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording, plus nominations for Album Of The Year and more. Aja has been meticulously remastered by Bernie Grundman from an analog, non-EQ’d, tape copy and the process was overseen by founding member Donald Fagen. Stunning sonic depth, powerful dynamics, never-before-heard details, crystal clear vocals. This is one of the most important audiophile albums of all time.

 

[fredblue]

the new remaster is now up on Apple Music, if you want to sample it before buying

 

[marpow]

the new remaster is now up on Apple Music, if you want to sample it before buying

Not in the good OL USA yet my Freddie boy, and most importantly as you are the resident expert, what do you think?

 

[fredblue]

Not in the good OL USA yet my Freddie boy, and most importantly as you are the resident expert, what do you think?

i gave it a cursory flick through on the AirPod Pro's first thing this morning and thought it sounded rather nice, i'll report back when i'm home and sat near some speakers!

 

[stoopid]

Aja has always sounded like trash, a much needed improvement on lightening my wallet.

 

[jhw59]

First play of the 24/192 was favorable but need another few listens.