First Impression: UHQR Steely Dan: Aja

[@HarmonyinChaos-ul3fk]

michael. you are making me wish i had millions in the bank. your reviews are so wonderful. you’re the only reviewer i listen to. your genuine reviews are unparalleled.

[@andrewlim7751]

You need at least 2 millions in the bank mate. 😁😁

[@mikekeysboe9755]

I agree so much with your thoughts on Aja. I am still picking my jaw up off the floor after the first listen!

[@styles8007]

I am patiently awaiting my copy from analog productions. Thank you for sharing this classic album.

[@casperdowlen625]

This album came out when I was 11. I did not listen to the typical teen music. It didn't interest me. I bought this on 8 track along with Rumours, Destroyer,Hotel California, albums by ELO, and others. Through the years I have owned Aja consistently and never tired of it. I recieved my copy 2 weeks ago. I m not yet ready to give it a listen; too much chaos going on in the life right now. Timing is everything. I have quite a few items stacking up to listen to! I like many were concerned that the magic of this album would be lost in translation. Glad it is not lost but maybe better. Thanks for all you do for others on this channel. I have learned more here than on ANY other channel or vinyl site. Made quite a few purchases based on recommendations you have made. This is coming from someone who has been a collector and audiophile for 35+ years. Thank you.

[@spencehayashi2772]

Hi Michael, thank you for your astute and superlative impressions of the UHQR Aja. It is in my opinion the best lp version of this classic masterpiece. The clarity and separation of the instruments and vocals blew my mind on first listen. I have been listening and comparing the versions of this lp in my collection and Chad & Bernie knocked this out of the ballpark.

[@carlhanstke4287]

Amazing. Can’t wait for mine to arrive. Thank you for the review Michael.

[@ptownmusicroom580]

Aja UHQR sounds amazing. My best sounding album in my collection! 🎉🎉

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

I have an early pressing. the record was beautifully played and recorded in the first instance. I'd imagine that enhancing the audio quality is only improving on what was near perfection to start with 🙂

[@michelraffin7006]

Hi Michael. Can’t wait for the one I ordered you months ago…thanks for the review

[@Daniel-hk3ru]

This is getting some great reviews, and that it is in the running for the "Audiophile Reissue of The Year" says a lot and considering 30,000 this is now on my radar. Michael, your expert reviews are a great guide in determining the best direction for new records. Excellent Joe, my thought a G&T 😎

[@gerry1970may3]

Hi @kappundkuttt I saw your question during the video, about the ranking, imo and on the UHQR that I have I’ll give the Hendrix Axis Bold As Love as the best followed by Can’t But a Thrill and then Kind Of Blue followed by Aja, but then still missing some amazing ones in this series, I know the “If” do not exist but what “if” Led Zep I, II, III, IV, or Dark Side, or The Wall, or Wish You Were 😃😃😃

[@matevigh8418]

Hi Michael, I am happy for your purchase. I did not manage to bond with Steely Dan’s music but no doubt that it sounds awesome.

[@davidlg0478]

No purchase, he gets them free

[@JohnS-fl4cm]

you love another UHQR release from Analogue productions? Such a surprise. You guys will love anything they put out. I've not heard a single quality record from them. It's a shame so many of you mistake analytical and quiet for being a good record.

[@ianmelville452]

I have only streamed Steely Dan on Qobuz and I have tried several times now to enjoy Aja. Even on Qobuz it does sound really great, but I just don't enjoy it. I am sure the UHQR will bring great joy to those who love the music.

[@gonzol46]

Hi Michael 😊 Im looking forward to my dr John and Phil Collins 🤗👍 Have a Nice day -Thomas

[@johnnyalegreworkplace8065]

The instrumentation really sounds beyond outstanding. I am still ambivalent about the vocals.

[@HarmonyinChaos-ul3fk]

and per your reviews of the atlantic 75 releases, i decided to get the stone temple pilots reissues. i can’t wait for your review on those if you are able to get to them!! i try to be cost efficient and have a shiit mani preamp and nagaoka no-110 with wide boston acoustic speakers from a friend. i try to save money for my child. take care my friend. and again thank you

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Amen to that.. STP is the thing I'm interested in the most!

[@ShadyLittleBoz]

Hi Michael, thanks for your review. Is this on public release right now? I'm interested in getting a copy but all the websites advertising it are for pre-order only. And also I haven't used any of them before nor do I recognised any of them. Can you advise as to a good reputable company to order from?

[@Michael45RPM]

we have it in stock and ship it right now :-)

[@ShadyLittleBoz]

@@Michael45RPM Fantastic.

[@ShadyLittleBoz]

@@Michael45RPM Sincere apologies. I've been watching your reviews for a while and I have come to rely on your opinion. I didn't realise you sold music too, sorry. I'm just getting back into vinyl and I'm having my system set up soon (Audiolab 9000a + 9000n + Q Acoustics 5040). Thanks.

[@ShadyLittleBoz]

@@Michael45RPM hi Michael, ordered. Unfortunately I didn’t add the storage sleeves 😩

[@patricknicolucci5073]

i love my MSFL ultra disc master recording CD of Aja.

[@tonynewman1694]

Michael , great job on the video loving the uhqr sets they are amazing . The Atlantic 75 series is great for me , I never buy these records to make money I love music . Do you know which is the next uhqr ?

[@anthonybernard3689]

Is this version worth buying only if you have a system as good as yours?

[@haydenwalton2766]

Aja UHQR $350 Oz !! is it better than my old AB1006 ? I'll never know

[@noelbarnes]

When will pre order be available for Genesis the Lamb? Thanks

[@Michael45RPM]

it will happen early next week

[@noelbarnes]

@@Michael45RPM thanks for the note, excited about that one even though I might have to sell a kidney

[@mr.george7687]

I've always avoided overpriced stereophile records. Made an exception this one time. Yes it sounds better than my OG. Most notable is the lack of surface noise, dead quiet. Not one pop or click. I doubt I will buy another UHQR for $150 . If they got rid of all the useless packaging & sold it for $75, then I would buy another UHQR.

[@rc2257]

Regarding rankings: Of the UHQRs I have, Aja sounds the best. But, to me, what matters is how much SQ improvement I get when I spend $150 vs buying the best-sounding affordable alternative. By that metric, the Exodus UHQR is the winner for me, because the alternative to the Exodus UHQR doesn't sound very good, so spending the UHQR money buys you a HUGE SQ improvement relative to the alternative. And by that metric, the Aja UHQR isn't as impressive, because for much less money you can get an absolutely brilliant sounding 33rpm version. Yes, the UHQR is better, but the SQ improvement over the best affordable alternative is much less. The Love Supreme UHQR sounds sublime. But the $40 Acoustic Sounds AP/QRP version sounds stunningly good. Not as good as the UHQR. But very, very good, and for far less money. I can't afford to buy many UHQRs, so I'm going to try to buy the ones that give me the biggest SQ improvement over what I already have, or relative to a more affordable alternative. So I'm not sure the UHQR Aja was the best use of my funds. Still, I love it and of course I'll listen to it a lot. But I love my older pressing nearly as much. If you disagree, that's awesome. I respect your opinion, truly. Please don't trash mine.

[@byrondrake703]

I love Boards of Canada too. I got the reissues for a lot less than the originals.

[@R3TR0R4V3]

While this UHQR does sound amazing, the OG AB-1006 pressing still holds it's own, perhaps even rivaling the UHQR on a couple songs (ie. Black Cow, etc.) Wish they would've followed the original release schedule though and released Katy Lied & The Royal Scam before Aja & Gaucho.. That really irks me. Don't know why they changed it up last minute. Oh well, anyway, I have all the SD UHQR's so far and have no regrets about buying any of them. 🍻

[@rongreen1538]

An interesting video, thank you for making it. I’m not a fan of Steely Dan so won’t be buying it. I do wonder how many of the people who buy this record have a system that will show them how good it sounds. An interesting thought..

[@audiotomb]

A lot of pressure after the dreadful sounding Analog Productions Pretzel Logic UHQR Just terrible The Aja on the other hand is just beyond reproach SHould be great for this price? Aja UHQR is only $150 Aren’t the ERC 500+ euros

[@tobiasinnit]

This would be a great sounding record if it didn’t play Steely F$&@ing Dan

[@KAISERKRAUT]

Good day. ...bare with me. Vinyl records are made from pvc pellets which naturally have no color. The more familiar record type ,black, carbon is added to the pellets, for the color/rainbow records, dyes are added. Colored Vinyl sounds audibly different to black, sonically inferior. I personally would never sit and listen to a colored record. I have never listened to a clear record which that appears to be what you have there. Is there an audible difference with the clear record vs the black? Is the pvc with no additives having any of its own sonic properties?

[@Michael45RPM]

thats one of the ideas behind the clarity Vinyl

[@joshuaschneck]

Ugh. Steely Dan. Overrated, pompous jazzers playing wanna be rockstars. 😅

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Overrated how? They don't get enough credit, if anything. This is the first set of reissues in _years.._

[@casperdowlen625]

You really should educate yourself about what you hate. This particular album is a good example of the huge amounts of time, effort, and what went into finding the right musicians to fulfill the high standards for its production. You couldn't be more wrong. Read about it. If you don't that's fine; you will never know how wrong you are.

[@joshuaschneck]

@@casperdowlen625 Pleeeeze.. It's all subjective. You can like what you like. But this blend of jazz rock sucks (imho) because it misses what makes both genres great. Swing in jazz, and rebelliousness in rock n roll. I don't care if the Steely boys spent 20 years in a cave working on their music.. it's still lame :)

[@joshuaschneck]

@@R3TR0R4V3Over rated as in they're a staple of the corporate classic rock soundtrack that's been drilled into our collective brains for 4 decades. So much more interesting music to listen to. I do like their drummer though (!)

[@R3TR0R4V3]

​@@joshuaschneckHeh, well that's news to me.. It's not like they ever got the same recognition as Led Zeppelin and the like. I thought they blended jazzyness and rock 'n roll rebellion perfectly, but I can tell you're a bit green on the band though, as they've used _dozens_ of different drummers over the years.. there's 6 different drummers on Aja alone. ;)