SD is one of my fav bands. I have the MoFi version of Aja that Stan Ricker mastered. Excellent sound. The UHQR version is better - is if worth $150? Depends. I don't think so, but it is definitely better than the MoFi version. Dynamics and quieter. Esp the cymbals at the end of Aja - they are very muddy on the MoFi version and much much cleaner and clearer on this. Dunno what happened on the MoFi version. In any case, if you are a SD fan, then you will like this. I have also preordered Gaucho and Katy Lied. I have the 1/2 speed master of Gaucho by Bob Ludwig.
Steely Dan UHQR
There is a great interview with audio engineer Bernie Grundman on the new UHQR album "Aja". At $150 it better be amazing. He talks about how they had to modify the sound of albums in the past so they would play on crappy turntables and how this album, at 45rpm, is designed for the best turntables and cartridges. He also speaks about how the "Dan" gang wanted to use their own speakers to listen to the master and not Bernie's. (Wish he had called out the speakers) But let me ask you this, can a sound engineer with 80 year old ears (born 16 December 1943), have the hearing to engineering a UHQR album to audiophile standards......I know my hearing is shot due to what I did in my 20's with Rock n Roll sound levels....At 70, no way could my ears be trusted for such a task.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGLFTm6jMrY