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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

rbertalotto
wolf_garcia
6,620 posts
 

I have my original LP and it still sounds great. Amazingly, the 70s cartridges didn't destroy it, and consequently I have no need for a new $150 version.

zappas's avatar
zappas
164 posts
 

If I would spend $150 on recorded music, of course I would  say I was worth it.

jw944ts's avatar
jw944ts
323 posts
 

never enjoyed Steely Dan -style, just saying....sounds like elevator music to me

dmk_calgary
92 posts
 

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.

rbertalotto OP
137 posts
 

JW944ts..."never enjoyed Steely Dan -style, just saying....sounds like elevator music to me"

 

I keep looking through this thread, but I can't find where anyone asked you for your opinion......As Thumpers mother said..."If you don't have anything good to say, Don't say anything!".....Good advise for internet forum trolls ....

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