Hoffman Aja mystery solved?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by KeithH, May 19, 2006.

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  1. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now Thread Starter

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Does this solve the Steely Dan Aja mystery?


    I just obtained the early Japanese CD release of Aja with catalog number VDP-27. The disc was manufactured by Victor Musical Industries (VMI, aka JVC) for MCA. To my surprise, the disc clocks in at 39:46. All of my other early Japanese pressings of Aja clock in at about 39:59 (39:58-40:00, depending on the player). I am referring to these pressings:

    * MCA catalog number MCAD-37214, disc pressed in Japan by CBS/Sony
    * MCA catalog number MCAD-37214, disc pressed in Japan by JVC
    * MCA catalog number 32XD-112, disc pressed in Japan by CBS/Sony (Japanese release)

    I have detected no sonic difference among the three discs listed above. However, I have to believe that the VDP disc is unique given the time difference. Since I am in the middle of a move, I only have access to a boombox, meaning I am in no position to do proper comparisons. I have CD-Rs of the MCAD-37214 and 32XD-112 discs here, but I feel that I will have to wait until I am moved in to do comparisons on my "real" gear.

    Here are some questions:

    * Has anyone compared the VDP disc to any of the other three discs listed above? If so, what were the results?

    * Has anyone found other early pressings of Aja that clock in in the neighborhood of 39:46?

    * Given the aforementioned time difference, could one of these masterings be the Hoffman?
     
  2. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now Thread Starter

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Anyone?
     
  3. Richard Feirstein

    Richard Feirstein New Member

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    Are you using a stop watch or just reporting on the time readout data?

    Richard.
     
  4. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now Thread Starter

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Stopwatch? Uh, no.

    I put the discs in the player and noted the total times reported. Me thinks that's a pretty standard sort of thing to do.
     
  5. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    My UK CD pressing that Steve identified as his after checking each track in person at Acoustech Mastering clocks in at 39:51.

    Details of this UK pressed disc:

    Catalogue number: MCLD 19145 (printed on CD label)

    "Made In England" printed on CD label.

    Inner ring text: "A1388 DMCL 1745 : 1:0", "IFPI L123" [appears in small print twice on inner ring], "Mastered By Nimbus".


    We really need some EAC peak levels and for Andreas to be sent a .wav file to determine the mastering origin of this VDP-27 disc.

    :)
     
  6. Black Elk

    Black Elk Music Lover

    Location:
    Bay Area, U.S.A.
    Do you mean 39:57? What time does EAC report?

    My DIDY 55 version clocks in at 39:56.03 while a UK DMCL disc (but with a US 37214 disc matrix) clocks in at 39:57.65, yet both have the same peak values of: 90.8 - 91.7 - 90.6 - 88.7 - 96.3 - 86.2 - 97.6 which I have seen claimed here as being both SH's and not SH's!
     
  7. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    The details of my disc, which clocks in at 39:56:

    Catalogue number: MCLD 19145 (printed on CD label)

    "Made In England" printed on CD label.

    Inner ring text: "DMCL 1745 • 1:4", "Mastered By Nimbus".
     
  8. OE3

    OE3 Senior Member

    i was there; i witnessed steve verify mal's CD as his mastering. mal was stoked. :goodie:

    i recently bought a disc from a forum member who claimed his Japan-for USA MCA (matrix no. MCAD-37214-U7C2) had the exact EAC peaks as mal's disc. i can only say it sounds wonderful!

     
  9. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    OK, EAC reports 0:39:54.02 (hours:minutes:seconds.frames)

    My Pioneer DVD-565A and iTunes both reported it as 39:51
     
  10. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    Hey Eddie :wave:.

    Just for the record - those present at this historic listening session were:

    Steve Hoffman
    Kevin Gray
    Eddie Williamson
    Jason Director
    Jason's scriptwriting buddy (sorry - can't recall his name)
    Yours Truly

    We should have a reunion get together for the 10th aniversary or something :cool: :D.

    If anyone can tell me the name of Jason's buddy that would be great (sorry I forgot your name if you are reading this!!).

    The thing I recall most was Steve's pleasant surprise at hearing this CD. He critically listened to about 30 seconds of each track seemingly making notes as he did so (we were behind him so couldn't see exactly what he was up to!). By the end it was clear that Steve was convinced it was his mastering. Seeing as he knows those monitors at Acoustech like the back of his hand I would be surprised if he could mistake his work for anyone elses......

    The other thing I recall is how much better the 1950s Benny Carter master tape Steve and Kevin were mastering from that afternoon sounded compared to that aja CD!! I didn't say anything at the time but that tape put the CD to shame :agree:.
     
  11. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now Thread Starter

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    I tried loading the current beta version of EAC on my laptop this evening to run a peak test on the Aja, but I was unsuccessful. It seems that EAC would not recognize the CD drive. Then I tried an older version of EAC, but the program would not open after extraction of the zip file. :shake:
     
  12. OE3

    OE3 Senior Member

    Jason was with his friend, Jacob. i remember Steve jotting down notes, too. that was a fun afternoon!! dittoes on the Benny Carter recollection; Roy DuNann was the man! i only would have learned about him on this Forum, too, you know! :righton:
     
  13. Robert Lan

    Robert Lan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Taipei
    My Marantz CD-63 reports 39:56. So does my Marantz SA-8260. The details on the disc are exactly the same as yours.
     
  14. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialistâ„¢

    Location:
    B.C.
    Mine's the exact same as Mal's including the 39:51, on my Pioneer 563-A and Sony CDP XA20 ES, timing except for the matrix number (inner text) being MCLD19145 01 &, IFPI L134 [appears outside of the previous number] IFPI 04B9 [appears twice on the inside of the MCLD #]
     
  15. Evan

    Evan Senior Member

    That wouldn't happen to have been "Swingin' the 20's", now would it?
     
  16. OE3

    OE3 Senior Member

    no, it was another title. it's one from the Analogue Productions 45rpm (series 4), which has yet to be released. sorry, but i can't recall the title.
     
  17. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    I seem to recall one track was called "Walking" or "Descdending" or something on the tape box because the track didn't have a title at the time it was recorded - I think Steve said it was completely improvised or something. It was brilliant the whole way through - maybe 7 minutes long?

    I think Steve said usually stuff like that is edited together from the best takes but this one was just one amazing take :cool:.

    I may be completely wrong about all that but that is my memory of the track!

    There were other tracks they mastered from the same reel that afternoon but that track was the one that stuck in my mind.

    :)

    Edit: I just found an old post by Steve where he referred to that mastering session as being for Benny Carter/"Jazz Giant" - is that the title of the album?
     
  18. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    Thanks to Eddie's sharp memory I can now officially list the "aja six" present at RTI on 1st September 2005:

    Steve Hoffman
    Kevin Gray
    Eddie Williamson
    Jason Director
    Jacob
    Mal


    I'll be getting commemorative signet rings made and sent out to each member of this hallowed group for the 10th anniversary........

    :D
     
  19. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Contemporary released two Benny Carter albums, Jazz Giant and Swingin' the Twenties.

    As far as I know Steve only mastered one of the versions of Jazz Giant.
     
  20. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    The title of the track is "A Walkin' Thing" and it appears on Jazz Giant. According to AMG it's 6 minutes long.
     
  21. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

  22. markl

    markl Forum Resident

    Location:
    cyberspace
    Hello, I just picked up a BMG copy of Aja, MCAD-37214, DIDX 55. Matrix Code: MFG By JVC MCAD37214ARE 1F 22. According to the notes I carry with me when I CD shop, the Hoffman version is the MCAD-37214, DIDX 55 so I picked it up. Total running time on this disc is 39:59. Any hope this is Steve's?
     
  23. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now Thread Starter

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    As an update, I ran the VDP version of Aja through EAC. First off, EAC shows the total time as 39:43. Here is the "Test Track" data for this disc:

    Track 1
    Filename Track01.wav

    Peak level 100.0 %
    Track quality 100.0 %
    Test CRC 61B494E8
    Copy OK

    Track 2
    Filename Track02.wav

    Peak level 89.5 %
    Track quality 100.0 %
    Test CRC 3727FD49
    Copy OK

    Track 3
    Filename Track03.wav

    Peak level 95.8 %
    Track quality 100.0 %
    Test CRC C9474C9F
    Copy OK

    Track 4
    Filename Track04.wav

    Peak level 100.0 %
    Track quality 100.0 %
    Test CRC 420A7056
    Copy OK

    Track 5
    Filename Track05.wav

    Peak level 100.0 %
    Track quality 100.0 %
    Test CRC 6F9DC977
    Copy OK

    Track 6
    Filename Track06.wav

    Peak level 96.5 %
    Track quality 100.0 %
    Test CRC E63B0584
    Copy OK

    Track 7
    Filename Track07.wav

    Peak level 97.0 %
    Track quality 100.0 %
    Test CRC 49B3C663
    Copy OK


    Now, compare this data to data posted by Andreas in post #42 in the thread linked below:

    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=70452


    It would appear that the VDP disc contains a unique mastering.
     
  24. JJ3810

    JJ3810 Senior Member

    Location:
    Virginia
    Later
     
  25. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now Thread Starter

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Excuse me? :confused:
     
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