Here is the DIDY sample: http://download.yousendit.com/827ECF1C67761A9B Here is the DIDX sample: http://download.yousendit.com/6BE0ABE90F383973
My "Manufactured in Japan for MCA Records Inc." has "MCAD-37214-U7C14" and that's it (no stars, bars, or squares in sequence). In fact it's hard to read even with a magnifying glass. Bought in 1988, just as the warehouses in the US were clearing out of overseas pressings. Just thought I'd throw this in.
OK, dumb question (maybe). As I understand it, Steve's "Katy Lied" peaks at digital zero. Why doesn't Steve's "Aja" peak at zero? The reason I ask -- "Aja" with catalog number VDP-27 made in Japan (the one Keith mentions above), peaks at digital zero. Here are the EAC peak levels from Keith's thread last year...
KeithH, is there any chance of posting a sample (please not longer than 1 minute) from the VDP-27 disc?
Wow! What a quagmire! Ok, I don't think I saw this version that I have of the CD posted: It's a Made In USA CRC pressing, 1977/1984, MCAD-37214, with DIDY 55 on the back insert. Matrix: 1AMCD37214 06 B, and this is stamped on the clear inner ring on the label side: CMU P 109 Total running time: 39:58. I think I actually ordered this from Columbia House around 1992-ish. It's always sounded muddy to me, compared to my other Steely Dan CD's which are: Can't Buy A Thrill- 1972/1985 Countdown To Ecstacy- 1973/1985 Pretzel Logic- 1974/1985 Katy Lied- 1975/1999 The Royal Scam- 1976/1999 But maybe that's just me. I think the 1999 remasters sound excellent.
Andreas, if I knew how to do it, I would. I can, of course, burn a track to my hard drive. However, I don't know if I can edit the track down to a 30-second clip with my software. I use Roxio Easy CD Creator.
Here's how to post a clip: 1)Download EAC for free (look it up on Google) 2)Rip the track you want to post as a wav file 3)Open the wav editor under tools 4)Highlight the area you want to sample 5)Go to the top and under edit click trim sample 6)Save as "sample x" 7)Go to yousendit.com and pick the sample out of your folder and email it to yourself 8)Post the link here.
I think my ears were fooling me. Yesterday when everyone was disputing the discs that I had I took another long listen and I got confused and couldnt tell them apart. Now that you tell me they are bit identical I guess I know why. I know you posted before they were identical to Mals disc except for the volume difference. Is that a deal breaker? Im guessing both these discs are Steve's then. YAY! Thanks for all your help!
The difference is more than just volume. It is as if someone changed the finished digital master by a minimal amount, but the difference is far too small to be accountable for a different mastering. Is the difference audible? I don't know. Is your disc derived from the same CD mastering (digital transfer including eq settings) as Mal's disc? Yes. Is it possible that your disc is Roger Nichols' mastering and Mal's disc is Steve's mastering? No, unless Roger took Steve's digital master and changed it by a minimal "something" that would no cause any practical audio differences. However, this would contradict Steve's post that Roger did his mastering flat from the tape. To confuse matters, Steve has already commented on the US MCAD 37214 DIDX 55 disc and said that it is not his mastering...
Not to re-open a can of worms, but I just got the Canadian Cineram version of this, MCABD 37214 in the mail today. I'm just curious to which mastering this is. The CD has the full artwork, 'previously released as MCAMD 37214. It clocks in at 39:58
Just read through this entire thread and wanted to add one more variation to the mix. Here's what I own: -On the rear jewel box insert are DIDX 55 and MCAD-37214 -Disc front: MCAD-37214 at the 3 o'clock position, along with "Manufactured in Japan for MCA..." -Inside ring: MCAD 37214 M2E14 -EAC levels: 90.8 --- 91.7 --- 90.6 --- 88.7 --- 96.3 --- 86.2 --- 97.6 I have no idea what, if anything, this means, but there you have it.
I guarantee it isn't Steve's. With all the speculation regarding this Steve mastering let's try to remember that there so far is only one confirmed mastering.
Andreas has shown from analyzing various posted clips that your assertion is not true. The version identified by Mal, and confirmed by SH, matches several pressings. For more details look here: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=70452
I disagree with Dave...it may not sound the same as the UK CD to Dave, but IMO it's the same mastering. If the UK CD is Steve's then this one is Steve's as well. Any difference is probably due to manufacturing variations.
Found another Aja today at a CD store...Hoping this will be Steve's... EAC extraction logfile from 11. June 2007, 22:08 for CD Steely Dan / Aja Used drive : Lite-On LTN486S 48x Max Adapter: 1 ID: 0 Read mode : Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, NO disable cache Combined read/write offset correction : 0 Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No Used output format : Internal WAV Routines 44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo Other options : Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000 Track 1 Filename C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Steely Dan - Aja\01_Black Cow.wav Peak level 90.8 % Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 41A16619 Copy OK Track 2 Filename C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Steely Dan - Aja\02_Aja.wav Peak level 91.7 % Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 57FA711B Copy OK Track 3 Filename C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Steely Dan - Aja\03_Deacon Blues.wav Peak level 90.6 % Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 94F1EFFD Copy OK Track 4 Filename C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Steely Dan - Aja\04_Peg.wav Peak level 88.7 % Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 7EA58090 Copy OK Track 5 Filename C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Steely Dan - Aja\05_Home At Last.wav Peak level 96.3 % Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC E97E1CAD Copy OK Track 6 Filename C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Steely Dan - Aja\06_I Got The News.wav Peak level 86.2 % Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 2FF8D7A3 Copy OK Track 7 Filename C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Steely Dan - Aja\07_Josie.wav Peak level 97.6 % Track quality 100.0 % Copy CRC 1342F3C2 Copy OK No errors occured End of status report TT 39.56
Aja I bought this one in 1984 upon issue and finally found it after a few months of digging around......no plastic case or papers(it was in one of my Sony 10 disc magazines ( car CD changer, remember THOSE???) on disc middle,right: MCAD-37214 DIDX-55 Manufactured in Japan for MCA and around inside: DIDX-55 21A1 then around the center "hole": CRS Compact Disc(repeated all the way around) It was buried in 23 years of CEE DEE buying and 3 moves...... THE SOUND IS FANTASTIC, whomever mastered it now to see if I can find my map to the Lost Duchman's Mine.... ... I feel LUCKY!!!!
I picked up a copy today for $5. It has a smooth-sided jewel case and has "Made in Japan" on the disc. MCAD-37214 (DIDX 55 only printed on the traycard). Matrix: MCAD 37214 M2E 14 5MB Clip of "Black Cow": http://download.yousendit.com/0E052FB03743183E I'm not able to compare it to another disc, since I got rid of my Nichols pressing recently. However, judging by the snare drum, I'd say this is Steve's version. Here's the EAC log (Sorry, I didn't even send it through freedb, so track titles aren't present): What's the verdict?
I tested my Made in the USA CD Matrix MCAD-37214 1T and get the exact same EAC peak levels. I downloaded your clip and performed a null-inversion test against mine, and they cancel out perfectly. So I would say that these are digitally identical CDs. Steve's mastering? I don't know, but I do like the way it sounds.
Hi ChristianL, I just found a copy of Aja made in Germany (250 449-2/MCAD 37214). No UPC on back insert and silver-to-the centre of the CD, manufactured by Record Service GmbH, Alsdorf. This clocks in at 39:59...is this the same as your's? Thanks, David
I don't think there was a 1990 remaster - I think that's just as far back as Amazon lists original release dates for CDs. And I wouldn't trust that an Amazon second-party seller would list it correctly, either, so if you're trying to track down a specific pressing, I'd stick with ones you can actually look at (or people on here). As far as I know, these are the CD masterings: - Original circa 1985 pressing - Hoffman mastering circa the same time period - 1996 Citizen Steely Dan mastering - Mid-nineties remastering, presumably using the same mastering as the box set. - MFSL gold CD - Most recent (2000?) mastering I've never been sure if I have the Hoffman or not, as I'm not 100% certain we all even know which version is his. I've read so many conflicting reports, I'm totally confused about the whole issue. All I know is that the version I have sounds pretty damn good, and that's good enough for me. I also like the most recent remastering. I honestly prefer them both to the MFSL, with the box set verison placing way behind them all.
I have the 1999 version (the most recent?), with the spoof liner notes by Becker & Fagen (berating the guy who wrote the original liners); remastered by Roger Nichols. Is this considered a decent version? I'd actually like one with more "warmth", if such exists...
