Steely Dan UHQR

@jayctoy - not sure what you are talking about with the Gaucho UHQR. It hasn't been released yet. I won't get that one as I have it on an excellent Japanese pressing, and it is my 3rd favorite SD album (after Aja and Royal Scam).

Aja is probably my favorite album (always oscillating with Kind of Blue), so I took the plunge for the UHQR. Wish they would sell it without the useless extra packaging for 1/2 the price, but it's a free country. I take the album out and put it in with the other records so it doesn't take up the valuable space in my favorite album area. I put the packaging on a wall shelf, so at least in my mind I can somewhat justify it as a piece of art which would have been more expensive if I put it on the wall, framed. It is the best sounding album I own, including any of the original UHQRs I have (maybe because it is a 45). Yes, Dark Side and Crime of the Century and even Sgt Pepper- which I thought was previously the best. Finger Paintings is great too. The Aja UHQR is amazing, way better than the original MOFI one.

Also a huge SD fan (seen them 20+ times including Fagen solo tours and the Dukes of September and the NY Rock and Soul Revue - remember that?) If you think SD is elevator music, that is your unfortunate opinion. Maybe you ride in audiophile elevators or don't like well produced music with top musicians playing great songs. I can't name any group other than SD that doesn't have one single song that I would skip when playing an album. One exception - when Becker sang a song on Everything Must Go (RIP Walter - who was a great songwriter/collaborator/band coleader). 

Usually if I have an audiophile pressing of an album, I don't upgrade it, but this is a very rare exception. I'll sell my MFSL copy which has unfortunately dropped in value since the UHQR was released. The only other exception I've made is Rumours where I sold my Nautilus recording and got the 45 release, which sounds better. Interestingly enough, it is sold by the original record label, not an audiophile record company. Somethin' Else is coming on a One Step - that should be an interesting comparison to the other One Steps.

Agree @goodlistening64 - get rid of the extra packaging we don't need and charge $60 like they do for the other 45s on MFSL or Acoustic Sounds. At $150 a pop, these are only going to be bought for my very favorite albums. Acoustic Sounds increases the rip off factor further by charging for shipping for your first UHQR. Also, not sure why they charge $150 for their UHQR vs. $125 for the MFSL Ultra disc one steps (whose packaging I prefer, but they can make them available for the price they charge for Kind of Blue that comes in a box without the extra unnecessary inserts and packaging I think $70). Regardless of Fremer's turntable, his reviews are helpful in that he compares them to other deluxe pressings and influenced me to NOT buy the Pretzel Logic UHQR.

Keep in mind that if you have the patience, at some point all of the Steely Dan UHQRs will be released on 45 for $60 (without the clarity vinyl and unnecessary packaging) as soon as all the UHQRs sell out. If they wait for all of them to sell out, that may be a while as CTE, PL and KL I predict will be slower sellers, a must have only for the "collectors" which I don't consider myself. I am an enjoyer who only sells when I get a better pressing. I don't keep multiple copies of the same album. Why would you do that? Just play the best one....

The only audiophile records I see on Amazon are from Speakers Corner and they are spotty at best. Mofi (Music Direct) and Acoustic Sounds don't sell to them, probably because they discount and are big competition to them.