Steely Dan - Katy Lied - Analogue Productions UHQR reviewed vs brand new 2025 issue vs Qobuz streams

[@donnigro7542]

I dont want to be blow smoke here, because there is enough of that going with some other reviewers. But I find Dave to be a no BS, thorough, and professional reviewer. Other review sites compared the digital vinyl with UHQR and glossed over the differences. We need more like Dave. His channel is a real vinyl experience. We dont need these everything is great reviewers, and we dont need calculation comparisons. Its about emotion, and this guy gets it. If you dont, im not sure what more to write here.

[@DaveDenyer]

Thanks so much Don, that means a lot to me!

[@fabfour19641]

* sorry for the few errors in spelling UHQR 😂🎹🎸🎼

[@Universityofvinyl]

After the dbx issues present on the 1st mix, they went back to the Multis and did a new mix to Dolby A. These were used for the originals and the UHQR. Kendun’s original engineer on this back in ‘75 contacted me and confirmed.

[@Universityofvinyl]

Glad you came to similar conclusions that I did with the UHQR. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@DaveDenyer]

Cool! Thanks for the information.

[@DaveDenyer]

@@Universityofvinylabsolutely!

[@JohnMansfield-ix9dn]

Thanks for the thorough comparisons, Dave. As always, an insightful and balanced commentary. My U.K. OG pressing must be sound like breakfast cereal now - all snap, crackle and pop. So I hope that the Analogue Production’s hybrid SACD will be released soon. I can then compare the CD layer to the Red Book version that’s now up on Tidal. And I can compare the 24/192 stream on Qobuz to the DSD layer too. Keep on bringing this to your viewers. You’re much appreciated.

[@CloseToTheEdge-Prog]

Excellent video, Dave.

[@DaveDenyer]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@russputin6294]

One of the fundamental truths for judging audio performance is exactly as you say; a great reproduction will draw you in and make you listen to the next track, then the next, until the end of the album because you can't bear to take it off. Listening to an indifferent system you'll find your interest wandering; for instance you'll note the shelf needs dusting or your chair feels a bit uncomfortable and maybe skipping to the next track or just simple restlessness. This blows the whole concept of rapid A/B testing out of the window. As Ivor Tiefenbrun of Linn Products used to say; a/b testing is the equivalent of lining up half a dozen women, jumping between them for a few seconds then asking which one you'd like to marry.....

[@DaveDenyer]

Thanks for your feedback Russ. I was chasing after my wife for ten years before she married me: so she must be a good'un...

[@KRay-km8hh]

I find your analysis enjoyable Dave. It seems many dislike the price of UHQR albums and want to compare the price of the generic to argue the UHQR is not 5 times better. Here, you basically said the generic is worthless. By which it is arguable that the UHQR is priceless as it is really the only way to listen to the album if one is buying it new.

[@DaveDenyer]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed my point regarding the price / quality.

[@fabfour19641]

You might want to read Micheal Fremmer’s article on the standard pressing of Katy Lied now posted on the Tracking Angle

[@DaveDenyer]

Thanks, I'll look that up.

[@BowieorBolan]

My copy is scheduled to arrive tomorrow so this review was particularly good timing. I have an original UK pressing on the black ABC label plus the remastered CD from the early 2000s & have always been of the opinion that this is the worst sounding of all the SD albums. Therefore, despite this not being my favourite album by the band, this was the UHQR I was/am hoping delivers the biggest sound improvement. Would have been interesting to compare the new standard vinyl re-issue to my OG, but from your commentary I can’t now see the point, especially if the UHQR is as good as you say. Thanks again Dave.

[@DaveDenyer]

As you have an original I’ll be interested to hear what you think. Do let us know. Cheers!

[@Vinylathome]

Great video as usual. Think I will try the SACD when it gets released.

[@DaveDenyer]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. Hope you enjoy the SACD.

[@gytrplr]

Funny was waiting for someone I watch go through this

[@DaveDenyer]

Hope it was of use. Thanks for the feedback.

[@gytrplr]

@ I find you videos video to be extremely useful and very jealous of your system 🤣. Lot of time I already have the album but was waiting on this one because yeah it not the best sounding steely dan album.

[@DaveDenyer]

@@gytrplr thanks again!

[@waynegoucher4503]

intrigued by the Expensive UHQR use of clear vinyl? Correct me if i'm wrong but Black vinyl does have the black 'carbon' add-on to the original clear to 'harden' the vinyl and offer smoother surface? I bought the regular vinyl release recently and AJA re-release but my Japan paper sleeve CD versions have much more clarity of sound. AJA black vinyl has been a disappointment. Maybe the Japanese paper sleeve SHMCD recordings have superior remastering??

[@DaveDenyer]

Good question Wayne. I've covered this issue in a couple of recent videos: the Tori Amos Diving Deep Live LP sounds far better in the blue coloured variant than the black vinyl which goes against what I'd been led to believe. The 'Clarity Vinyl' Analogue Productions use is exceptionally good (sounding), There's no doubt about that, but the whole black vinyl is best, assumption doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I do believe that vinyl formulations have changed over the decades, so maybe back in the 50s/60s/70s/80s/90s it may well have been the case that black vinyl was best. Also, these UHQRs are cut from the original master by Bernie Grundman. I would be surprised if there was anything else anywhere close to the sound quality of these.

[@waynegoucher4503]

@@DaveDenyer Thank you Dave. Very interesting. I think the Royal Scam is next in the Dan list and it is a personal favourite. I may 'splash out' on the UHQR when it becomes available.

[@Digiphex]

The surround 5.1 dvd is the best Steely Dan I ever heard.

[@DaveDenyer]

I don’t have a 5.1 system sadly, so can’t try that. Although I do in the car actually… Maybe that’s worth a try!

[@kyles7087]

You mustn’t have received the Fremer liner notes.. (contact AS and they will send it) from what I’ve seen posted by others the DBX was fixed by DBX and converted to Dolby NR, so the final mix should in fact be Dolby (I think). This was all written in the liner notes Fremer did for this release

[@DaveDenyer]

Interesting… I don’t any Fremer liner notes. Thanks for the info.

[@VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

I looked for the notes from Fremer as mentioned by Tim/University of Vinyl but they were not included in my copy.

[@DaveDenyer]

@@VintageStereoCollectorChannel I'll speak to Acoustic Sounds and find out. There was an insert missing from one of my Atlantic 75s and they sent that on to me no fuss at all.

[@kevinbrock7223]

I can’t comment on the UHQR version but I did buy the regular release mastered from a digital file. My heart sank a little when I noticed the Czech sticker but…I have to disagree with you. It’s in a different league to my mid 70s pressing and the high res streaming version. Much clearer, dynamic and I suppose musical through my pretty decent system. And actually the vinyl is fine. It’s not perfect but then what is? And for 30 Euros it’s a no brainer.

[@DaveDenyer]

Hi Kevin I’m glad you’ve had a better experience than me. Thanks for the feedback.

[@Plextortion]

All my AS UHQR and MF one step boxes, associated promo crap and paraphernalia is in my local landfill. Just give me a great high quality thick glossy gatefold and be done with it.

[@DaveDenyer]

I get your point: I’ve got new record shelving on order. They do take up a lot of space.

[@emilhobel9169]

I’m confused here. As far as I know, the tape with the two track mix is what used to be known as “the master tape”. And then the “mastering” was added live when cutting the lacquer. The exception would be mastering being added directly to tape copies for secondary territories that could be cut flat. But those would be copies, not the master. This obviously changed in the digital era, when the unmastered mix and the mastered version are two different sets of files.

[@DaveDenyer]

Good point! I’m certain that the few examples I have heard are not representative of what always happens… I didn’t mention this in the video because it didn’t seem relevant, but I’ve also heard a digital “original” master vs. a tape master made from that digital “original” by a top-flight mastering engineer. In that instance the tape (copy) master sounded superior to the ‘original’.

[@williamtaylor5193]

The UHQR of Katy Lied brings out all of the detail, but it still lacks punch and life.

[@DaveDenyer]

I'd agree it doesn't have the mid-bass thump of the other versions, but it actually has far superior bass extension, detail and agility. And as far as life goes, I've no problem with it, it is hugely airy, open and dynamic compared with the other versions.

[@fabfour19641]

Not really sure what you are hearing in the standard pressing of Katy Lied? First the digital file used is not the same as the CD or the streaming version. The digital file is provided by Bernie Grundman who remastered the UHQR. I bought the standard pressing and it sounds pretty damn good…nothing like you are describing??? I have the UHGR and standard pressing for Gaucho and the UHGR sounds slightly better??? Not by much - the standard pressing of Gaucho sounds VERY GOOD! I have Aja in three different pressings, an original, the Cisco pressing and the UHQR. The Cisco is a great sounding recording cut at 33 & 1/3 and the UHQR is probably a little better….Cut at 45 I will buy the Royal Scam UHQR because I think that’s probably the Dan’s most complex and guitar driven album. In all cases the differences are not that wide apart…IMHO…but again the standard pressing of KL is pretty damn good for $30 and depending on system and quality of Analog playback? TT, cartridge and phono preamp? I think the standard pressing is good enough… I may consider getting the UHQR of KL because it’s a great record. One of my favorites and it’s the record that started the change….leading to the last three albums. I do agree with you that Daddy is a GREAT tune!

[@DaveDenyer]

If you think the standard pressing sounds pretty damn good I'm fairy sure you will love the UHQR. Of course turntable, arm, cartridge, postage do make a big difference, and the better they are, the more they'll highlight the differences...

[@GordonPyzik]

Im afraid to get this one. I have the old mofi one and it sounds terrible.

[@DaveDenyer]

I can't compare to the MOFI, not having one, but my gut feeling is, even more reason to get this one Gordon. There's no way you could describe this as terrible: it's massively better than the new vinyl, and both Qobuz streams...