Best sounding AJA on LP

Hi Gang- Was there ever an AJA LP thread, dont seem to recall one, my search turned up reams of SH CD threads though. Can someone direct me to a thread or turn me on to the LP version of AJA that rules? I have the MOFI, Simply Vinyl, and a Gatefold ABC version that I believe is an original (though not sure), and all I can say is, the search continues. Any input is appreciated.

Thanks

 

I seem to remember Steve said quite awhile ago that the British red vinyl edition was the best LP version.

 

Thanks John.

 

I have an ABC yellow/red label. The original album was mastered by Bernie Grundman.

The deadwax:
AA 1006 (RE-3) A P4
AA 1006 (RE-3) B P4

it is the best version I have owned and I have had many.
JG

 

I also have a ABC original, and it sounds the best to me as well. I haven't heard the British version though. Nor the Simply Vinyl. But I have heard the MoFi, and the Bernie G. original sounds better—the vinyl obviously isn't as quiet, but the tonal balance is noticeably more natural.

 

It's not too hard to figure out if you've got a Bernie-mastered original: he's got pretty distinctive mastering penmanship in the dead wax. He writes small, for one thing, with a "loopy" "B" (a loop at the bottom left) and a characteristic "2" (not even a hint of a loop).

Wish I could write these out; keyboard fonts just don't do handwriting quirks justice!

 

How's the MCA early 1980s rainbow label version?

 

I have the MOFI and love it. And I am NOT generally a MOFI fan.

However, I also have (except for Aja) a full Japanese VIM series Steely LP set. This is the best Steely vinyl in the world. I believe Tom Port will agree, as I seemt to
recall that he's the one that turned me onto this VIM series. The MCA label is the black with rainbow. The Scam in this series is to die for. Avoid the earlier yellow ABC label JPN. vinyl series--awful. And, yes I have A-B'd them.

 

Peter,

Can you explain exactly what it is you love about the MoFi AJA? On LP, right?

I'm someone who tends to defend MoFi (mostly because I associate them with my early years of budding audiophilia, and the MoFi Beatles were the first non-Capitol versions I ever heard), but AJA?, well, its EQ isn't just "smiley faced," it's downright "U faced." At least on my system.

Actually, now that I think about it, it's more a "J faced" EQ job!

 

i just grabbed the following at a garage sale last week (cover M-, vinyl VG++) for $1:

ABC yellow/red label.

The deadwax:
AB 1006 (RE-3) A 1C
AB 1006 (RE-3) B 1B (followed by something scratched out that ends with an A)

Anyone know how this will fare after i Nitty Gritty it?

Thanks.

 

"J faced"--great description! That's what I hear too, Just way too bright and thin from about 2khz on up.

I wish I'd kept my old ABC vinyl. Sigh.

 

Interesting. I guess I like the way it sounds. More? I like the way the instruments are separated in the soundstage. The whole LP sounds to me like an audiophile LP should sound--I can hear everything that's going on. Tremendous definition and clarity. Punch too. As for EQ, I think I know what you guys mean by that--an overall shrill quality to the sound (?)--but on my system, it's not offensive, at least not the way EQ is on, say, the Beatles 1 CD, or even the new JPN. Beatles vinyl (of which I only bought 1, LIBN and YSS. (Have EAS and AP's on all the others.

Also, my components are a QUAD 606 amp and a 44 pre-amp. The 44 has a fairly sophisticated filter, so I can adjust away some of what I don't like in anything I play. In fact, QUAD does not even like to describe the method of adjustment as "filtering".
That may be part of it. Also, I do tend to favor sound that is more mid-rangy than bassy. That could be part of it too.

Beyond that, if you guys want to clarify your use of the term EQ, I will try to elaborate, if I can.

 

As usual, my ears agree with Peter. The MFSL vinyl of Aja (at least the 27 May 80 inscribed see-through vinyl I have) sounds best to me. Other vinyl of this title I have are German and original US. I also have all the VIM black label Japanese LPs except for Aja and Gaucho, so no help there but they do sound goood.

The MFSL LP I have may be EQ'd (although it sounds similar to the latest CD but smoother). Still it sounds more like the band is playing in the room, soundstage and detailing are superb without being overblown or in your face. I don't think Peter's "filtering" is the reason this sounds good - I believe my system is pretty accurate, neutral and revealing - although I could be wrong.

 

Thanks, Randy. Good to know I am not alone on this one. And, you are right also about the VIM JPN. LP's. Stellar, all. Of course, I am missing Aja too!

 

Peter, try to find a US WLP of Scam. I like it better than the VIM JPN, however it does have a lot of bass (although to me it's good bass).

 

I didn't like the MOFI (and mine is the same as the one described with the May 27 date on it). Too harsh, and the cd (the alleged Hoffman mastered JPN CSR original) trounced it. It was unbelievable how brittle this sounded. If you are cool with it then great, but on mine I was in pain city!

 

The Red Vinyl pressing that has become accepted by many to be the best sounding is in fact Canadian.

That one and the original US ABC are the best to my ears.

Jeff

 

Syd and all, sorry the MFSL is not to your liking, however I'm glad you have a version that sounds good to you. It's not the first time my opinion has differed from the majority - it's most likely (primarily) listening room and (secondarily) system dependent, as usual.

 

No, I don't have a vinyl version that is to my liking. Just a cd. (but recent developments, ((Canadian red vinyl!! Woo hoo!!)) like realizing that I live in Toronto, mean that that might change )

 

Best of luck, if you find two of those PM me!

 

Will do!

 

Haven't heard a response to the following (posted earlier in this thread), so I thought I'd throw it out there again... anyone know anything about this one?:


I just grabbed the following at a garage sale last week (cover M-, vinyl VG++) for $1:

ABC yellow/red label.

The deadwax:
AB 1006 (RE-3) A 1C
AB 1006 (RE-3) B 1B (followed by something scratched out that ends with an A)

Anyone know when in the run this was pressed, and how it should sound after I Nitty Gritty it?

Thanks.

 

If it's on ABC (as opposed to MCA), it's got to be from '77-'78. It was a hot record so lots were pressed. All of the ABC copies I've seen have the "RE-3" designation, so I don't know if there are earlier recuts (or an "original" cut) ever made it to stores. I would guess your copy would be an early one and would sound good. Listen to it and tell us what you hear! Are you sure that the tape number starts with "AB"? I seem to remember mine being "AA."

Oh, and a clarification from one of my posts from yesterday—I got home last night and checked my Bernie Grundman-mastered LPs and realized it's his "S" that's loopy (on the "tail" part), not his "B." Of course, AJA has neither an "S" nor a "2" in its matrix numbers, so it's a moot point on this LP. But if you're trying to figure out if you've got a Bernie cut and there's no tell-tale "BG" in the dead wax (and there often wasn't in the '70s), look for his small, almost cramped handwriting, a stylized (usually loopy) "S," and block-lettered, non-loopy "2"s.

 

Another vote for the ABC original. I wouldn't bother to get a better vinyl version, since this is so great (and it's easy to find). I'd just save up for the SACD, coming in May, right?

 

Hi guys!! I would like to ask the owners of the MoFi LP copies of Aja how the ride symbals sound on Steve Gadd's drum kit during each of the instrumental build ups on the title track. On every system I owned since this pressing came out and the two copies of that record I owned, this section sounded so bright and over the edge that the symbals actually smear or break up when playing. I used to think it was my set up but when I played our demo copy (when I used to work at a stereo store) in the speaker room the next day I heard the same thing on every set of speakers we had. I then cracked a fresh copy from our shelf, installed a Shure V15III (back then the best we sold) on our top of the line DUAL turntable (remember those?) and heard the same thing once again on every speaker we had in the room. I then took the new copy of the LP home, re-checked all my settings on my table and heard yet the same thing. When I asked our Mobile Fidelity rep the next time he visited us, I don;t think he really knew what to say and just offered a must be on the master tape that way answer. When I played him the standard issue ABC pressing, which was well worn, and did not hear the smearing, he further did not know what to say. I was polite and just left it at that. What the MoFi engineers had done is over equalized the master when it went from tape to laquer. These LP's were made to make mid fi systems sound relly great. This requires some equalization tampering when coming off the master tape, this is why most MoFi titles either sound good or bad to most folks. It all depends on what your system is letting you hear. The MoFi CD smoothed out the smearing completely. My favorite vinyl is a Japanese VIM black rainbow label pressing and I am currently looking for the Japaense Steve Hoffman mastered CD. Thanks for reading to anyone who has gotton this far and happy listening!!!