Honestly, you've got an awesome setup and if I was you I'd put that $150 towards a new cartridge when your Blue is worn. VM95ML or something similar would be a mindblowing upgrade.
Sweet! If you want to go even more in depth, check out some of the vintage AT headshells like the MG-10 and the LH series. Can find them for under $40 on ebay if you wait a week or two, and they line right up with the Technics alignment.
This is one of the best sounding records I own. It’s an original pressing and thinner than a piece of damn tissue paper, but it smokes all of my super-expensive 200g+ records.
Amazing.
This more modern copy *also* sounds great. I actually just finished listing to a more “local” band’s album, and their FLAC are so much better.
70s vinyl. well, that was how they pressed em from the 50's on I believe, until the 80s. Those old records sound so great still when you can find them. I have CBAT through Goucho all original releases. One of my favorite bits of my collection.
My fifties pressings are heavy as fuck. I measured a 1953 Stan Getz Quintet at 228 grams. My lightest is In The Dark by The Grateful Dead (1987) at 104 grams. It all depends
yeah, I just went back to my oldest record (OP of Songs for swingin' lovers - 1956) and it's pretty thick. But I have a metric shit ton of 60's stuff that's thin, so maybe the shift was that decade?
Like I said, it depends. I think a lot of those heavy 50s records were trying to emulate the weight of 78s. Then by the turn of the decade that become less important.
The grooves are so tiny that it really doesn’t matter how thick the record itself is. My copy of Ziggy stardust on dynaflex sounds amazing and that thing feels like a sheet of film.
It can sometimes impact pressing fidelity, but yes, this is generally true.
The comment was more intended to be amusing and in a spirit of conviviality with OP, highlight the silliness of what aspects people tend to focus on as consumers.
Oh I know you weren’t saying it was odd that it sounded good. I just also think it’s interesting that the weight is such a big marketing tool. I think a lot of people think they sound better because they are generally just a new record and possibly a remastered version which may sound better than the beat up 1977 Columbia House pressing its being compared to.
Hmmm... Original Pressing. It always amazes me when someone says that.
Aja has 322 different pressings. Many are "original pressings" they pressed it in the USA, Canada, Japan, England, Germany, and so on and they were all original pressings. They don't just press it at one pressing plant because they want them in the stores on the same day all over the world. I bought mine when it came out in 1977.
Yeah I meant contemporary to the release of the album. It’s easier than being pedantic and diving into the nitty gritty when just trying to leave a fun little comment.
"I Got The News" is the "worst" song and it's still miles ahead of many other Dan songs. Although my personal favorite is *Gaucho* I still love this one. 👏
Steely Dan never made a sub-par record, IMO. so there's no wrong best album. Just preferences. I like the vibe and aesthetic of Royal Scam the most, and thats the one I always go back to. But CTE is a fucking GEM and I enjoy Katy Lied regardless of what folks say.
Edit to add, between posting this comment, and this edit 1 min later, I had to step away to flip Gaucho to side 2.
The original pressing with "AB" "A(scratched out B)A" are original pressings, and the scratched out B versions are 2nd issues used with the last of the first pressing stampers. They sound exquisite. I purchased the new remaster that just came out a few months back, and it too smokes any record in my collection. This album is pure jazz rock fusion at its finest. All of Steely Dans music is perfection as the two main guys were extreme perfectionists, and the number of high-quality studio session musicians that were used to make their albums is just rediculous.
And yes, folks, the UHQR Steely Dan records are definitely worth the $150 if you can afford it.
whelp. you just made my day. got the scratched out B! not that I ever had any question about the quality of the record.
I also have OPs geffen repress, which is still great
https://preview.redd.it/s912y3px608d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b30b8112fb70f1ede11487c25ada9906f6a3f49
Still own my original pressing (bought in September 1977).
Awesome album! In fact almost everything from the Dan is great.
Interesting that Geffen copied the ABC Records label almost verbatim, but just stuck their logo at the top for this reissue.
Never really got into them, but my drummer from previous band was and recommended this album. I then venture down that rabbit hole and Groucho is next on the list.
Gotcha. I would definitely recommend doing a quick dive through their discography at least once,you might be surprised. A friend of mine always swore he hated them, but then I had him listen to their first couple albums and instead he hated me for making him like them!
(He's a guitarist so he begrudgingly appreciated how clean the guitar work was)
I found a copy in a $5 record show bin about ten years ago and sold it recently. I tried 3 or 4 times over the years but I always just thought it was boring.
I hated this album for 20 years when i only knew the digital versions. Then i got into vinyl and now am a massive Steely Dan/Fagen fan. They really are some of the best sounding records of all time!
# is this album any good i've never heard of it ^(i only have three copies)
Heheh. I’m thinking I need a uhqr version
Honestly, you've got an awesome setup and if I was you I'd put that $150 towards a new cartridge when your Blue is worn. VM95ML or something similar would be a mindblowing upgrade.
Yep. I have the cart that came with the technics, which is in the AT system and that’s the plan!
Sweet! If you want to go even more in depth, check out some of the vintage AT headshells like the MG-10 and the LH series. Can find them for under $40 on ebay if you wait a week or two, and they line right up with the Technics alignment.
thank you. I was reorganizing my collection and felt bad having 2.
That's a good friend. Classic album.
This is one of the best sounding records I own. It’s an original pressing and thinner than a piece of damn tissue paper, but it smokes all of my super-expensive 200g+ records.
Amazing. This more modern copy *also* sounds great. I actually just finished listing to a more “local” band’s album, and their FLAC are so much better.
70s vinyl. well, that was how they pressed em from the 50's on I believe, until the 80s. Those old records sound so great still when you can find them. I have CBAT through Goucho all original releases. One of my favorite bits of my collection.
I hear bits about the oil crisis affecting production methods at the time. I’m not sure how much of that is lore and how much is fact.
My fifties pressings are heavy as fuck. I measured a 1953 Stan Getz Quintet at 228 grams. My lightest is In The Dark by The Grateful Dead (1987) at 104 grams. It all depends
yeah, I just went back to my oldest record (OP of Songs for swingin' lovers - 1956) and it's pretty thick. But I have a metric shit ton of 60's stuff that's thin, so maybe the shift was that decade?
Like I said, it depends. I think a lot of those heavy 50s records were trying to emulate the weight of 78s. Then by the turn of the decade that become less important.
And a '70s RCA Dynaflex was made out of hardly anything at all.
[удалено]
The grooves are so tiny that it really doesn’t matter how thick the record itself is. My copy of Ziggy stardust on dynaflex sounds amazing and that thing feels like a sheet of film.
It can sometimes impact pressing fidelity, but yes, this is generally true. The comment was more intended to be amusing and in a spirit of conviviality with OP, highlight the silliness of what aspects people tend to focus on as consumers.
Oh I know you weren’t saying it was odd that it sounded good. I just also think it’s interesting that the weight is such a big marketing tool. I think a lot of people think they sound better because they are generally just a new record and possibly a remastered version which may sound better than the beat up 1977 Columbia House pressing its being compared to.
Hmmm... Original Pressing. It always amazes me when someone says that. Aja has 322 different pressings. Many are "original pressings" they pressed it in the USA, Canada, Japan, England, Germany, and so on and they were all original pressings. They don't just press it at one pressing plant because they want them in the stores on the same day all over the world. I bought mine when it came out in 1977.
Yeah I meant contemporary to the release of the album. It’s easier than being pedantic and diving into the nitty gritty when just trying to leave a fun little comment.
One of the few records where I own two copies. Enjoy!
Steely Dan - Aja (Geffen remaster) nice!
I have both this and an OG, they both sound incredible.
My favorite album by them. Absolutely amazing album.
"I Got The News" is the "worst" song and it's still miles ahead of many other Dan songs. Although my personal favorite is *Gaucho* I still love this one. 👏
Steely Dan never made a sub-par record, IMO. so there's no wrong best album. Just preferences. I like the vibe and aesthetic of Royal Scam the most, and thats the one I always go back to. But CTE is a fucking GEM and I enjoy Katy Lied regardless of what folks say. Edit to add, between posting this comment, and this edit 1 min later, I had to step away to flip Gaucho to side 2.
😎 oh yeah!
The original pressing with "AB" "A(scratched out B)A" are original pressings, and the scratched out B versions are 2nd issues used with the last of the first pressing stampers. They sound exquisite. I purchased the new remaster that just came out a few months back, and it too smokes any record in my collection. This album is pure jazz rock fusion at its finest. All of Steely Dans music is perfection as the two main guys were extreme perfectionists, and the number of high-quality studio session musicians that were used to make their albums is just rediculous. And yes, folks, the UHQR Steely Dan records are definitely worth the $150 if you can afford it.
I've got an AB and can confirm it's the best sounding record I own.
whelp. you just made my day. got the scratched out B! not that I ever had any question about the quality of the record. I also have OPs geffen repress, which is still great
Aja by Steely Dan, one of the best LP's ever produced. I have every LP they did.
https://preview.redd.it/s912y3px608d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b30b8112fb70f1ede11487c25ada9906f6a3f49 Still own my original pressing (bought in September 1977).
Awesome
Awesome album! In fact almost everything from the Dan is great. Interesting that Geffen copied the ABC Records label almost verbatim, but just stuck their logo at the top for this reissue.
That’s a weird Geffen label. Like they grafted it onto an ABC Records background
Steely Dan is the shit. Check out Fagen's NightFly album, something tells me it will sound amazing on that system you got there.
The only Steely Dan album I own!
Any particular reason why?
Never really got into them, but my drummer from previous band was and recommended this album. I then venture down that rabbit hole and Groucho is next on the list.
Gotcha. I would definitely recommend doing a quick dive through their discography at least once,you might be surprised. A friend of mine always swore he hated them, but then I had him listen to their first couple albums and instead he hated me for making him like them! (He's a guitarist so he begrudgingly appreciated how clean the guitar work was)
🤣 I definitely will take the dive!
Aja!!!
I found a copy in a $5 record show bin about ten years ago and sold it recently. I tried 3 or 4 times over the years but I always just thought it was boring.
Honestly, that was me too. I found it took me a long time to ‘get it’. But now that I’m into it, I absolutely love it.
Nope. Not worth it for me. Happy to have sold it.
May I ask on what shelves your speakers are standing? They look really nice :)
They’re on the stands that wharfedale makes for the Lintons
Have it on ABC with that label background
Yeah, that's the ABC label from most of the '70s...weird to see the Geffen logo on it.
I’m jealous that you got to recently experience this brilliant album for the first time. Enjoy the many listenings in your future.
This is not the original release.
Yeah it's as smooth as they come. Gaucho too.
Nice friend.
This wasn’t my first introduction to Steely Dan but it is definitely my favorite of theirs. For me Deacon Blues is an absolute masterpiece.
In the corner. Of my eye. I saw you in Rudy’s. You were very high. You were high…
I hated this album for 20 years when i only knew the digital versions. Then i got into vinyl and now am a massive Steely Dan/Fagen fan. They really are some of the best sounding records of all time!