Amazing, I think your explanations and descriptions are as eloquent and evocative as the albums you describe.. I'm a Huge SD fan, and now must seek out the UHQR - thank you
Enjoying the ambience of the background street traffic, my H-Frame subwoofer really picks up the passing V8 exhaust notes. On the subject of UHQr, I note that the Skeptical Audiophile says many 60s/70s "Stoneage" recordings only belong on their contemporary Stoneage reproduction equipment. I guess that the biggest thing was the (stereo) bass limitations of LPs more so than 7" singles that probably altered their tonal balance overall.
Great Ken! Agree with all that you say. Cheers. One thing: Katy Lied (1975) is the album that precedes The Royal Scam rather than Pretzel Logic (1974). To me, Katy Lied is a MUCH better sounding record than Royal Scam (and indeed Pretzel Logic) and I think it's the most overlooked album in their canon both sound-wise and song-wise. A very natural sounding recording. Doctor Wu is a dry run for the later Aja (title track) and has some VERY similar sounding moments in structure (the two piano chord stabs, Porcaro drum fills - though not as extended or complex as Steve Gadd's). The drums and piano sounding particularly great on Katy Lied. Not a popular album though, and it's very telling that it has been skipped as a UHQR release in favour of all the rest of the Steely Dan albums. I have the Gaucho UHQR and your assessment is bang on... as ever!
No doubt the best sounding version of Gaucho, but after listening to this album for over 40 years I have moved on to bigger and better musical recordings. All of us have accumulated over seven or eight thousand LPs and we have to make time for the other fantastic music that is available. I enjoy your posts about all the lesser known LPs that you find around NYC and NY State. Keep up the good posts.
I maintain that MCA pressings for the US in that era were generally sub-par. I was a radio station Program Director and got to hear all the new releases as first series pressings from the labels. When I worked in Santa Maria, Cal. there was a Columbia Records plant just a few minutes away from the studio. We sometimes got new release DJ copies hand delivered. While all the labels had issues with quality at the time (off centered discs, label errors, surface noise and pops right out of the wrapper) we could sometimes see embedded paper bits in the vinyl from "remanufactured" vinyl. I saw many hundreds of first release records. They weren't always great. We played them for broadcast on original Technics 1200 turntables and Shure cartridges with a DJ stylus. Gear nerds might like to know - the phono preamps were from PS Audio. That was back when they were being hand built and Paul personally pitched them to our station engineer. I mention all this because records played on FM radio was how most of us first heard Gaucho. And yeah. There was always room for improvement of the medium itself.
@@kenmicallefjazzvinylaudiop6455 Not necessarily . But if the question is, should I consider a well produced high quality limited run remaster of my favorite Lp...well yes. It could be much better than a mass produced original pressing simply because it's not one of millions. To get into your groove, I have some great jazz pressings. The thing is mass produced pop records pushed reproduction tech to the limit. And without naming names some labels were...uhm...profit motivated
I wanted to ask if that was a Korf tonearm on your Thorens?... but without the ceramic headshell? I have a Korf 11inch on my Garrard and wondered what your overall impressions were.
I had a bunch of cartridges in different heads shells and just wanted to get one on there as soon as possible. I do have an upcoming review with two Rega cartridges one of which I will put in the ceramic head shell. I love the arm so far. Dead quiet silky, smooth.
I'm so happy for Steely Dan uhqr! Going to purchase it. I love me some steely since I was 18. 😍 -that was 1984
Great review. Thanks Ken. I got this uhqr when it came out, as it’s one of my favorite SD albums. Really happy with it.
You can bet it’s worth it…it sounds beautiful!!!!!
Couldn’t agree more, bring on Katy!
The original is perfect enough, thanks.
Amazing, I think your explanations and descriptions are as eloquent and evocative as the albums you describe.. I'm a Huge SD fan, and now must seek out the UHQR - thank you
Thanks for your nice comments.
Enjoying the ambience of the background street traffic, my H-Frame subwoofer really picks up the passing V8 exhaust notes.
On the subject of UHQr, I note that the Skeptical Audiophile says many 60s/70s "Stoneage" recordings only belong on their contemporary Stoneage reproduction equipment.
I guess that the biggest thing was the (stereo) bass limitations of LPs more so than 7" singles that probably altered their tonal balance overall.
Great Ken! Agree with all that you say. Cheers. One thing: Katy Lied (1975) is the album that precedes The Royal Scam rather than Pretzel Logic (1974). To me, Katy Lied is a MUCH better sounding record than Royal Scam (and indeed Pretzel Logic) and I think it's the most overlooked album in their canon both sound-wise and song-wise. A very natural sounding recording. Doctor Wu is a dry run for the later Aja (title track) and has some VERY similar sounding moments in structure (the two piano chord stabs, Porcaro drum fills - though not as extended or complex as Steve Gadd's). The drums and piano sounding particularly great on Katy Lied. Not a popular album though, and it's very telling that it has been skipped as a UHQR release in favour of all the rest of the Steely Dan albums. I have the Gaucho UHQR and your assessment is bang on... as ever!
Nice review Ken. I have three SD UHQRs and was hoping my preorder of Katy Lied would ship last Friday, but now it’s been delayed. No problem 👍
Great review of this outstanding record. Can't wait for mine to come in the mail. I'm getting the last 3 SD UHQRs at once to complete the series.
Boom!
No doubt the best sounding version of Gaucho, but after listening to this album for over 40 years I have moved on to bigger and better musical recordings. All of us have accumulated over seven or eight thousand LPs and we have to make time for the other fantastic music that is available. I enjoy your posts about all the lesser known LPs that you find around NYC and NY State. Keep up the good posts.
Julie Dan is a special case. They are unique, one of a kind. For my money they’ve never been equal as a performing songwriting studio musician unit.
Aha, at last someone in real life with the Korf arm! I've been wondering how that arm+headshell combo performs, specifically on my TD124!
What a great show lots of great detail and history. Thank you.
Fabulous review, Ken. Cheers
Thank you kindly
Great review Ken. Have seen no reviews of the companion SACDs. Would be very interesting to get your impressions of one or two of them.
I owned a SACD player years ago.
Ha ha, should have known.
For me what the Beatles were to the 60's Steely Dan was to the 70's
I maintain that MCA pressings for the US in that era were generally sub-par. I was a radio station Program Director and got to hear all the new releases as first series pressings from the labels. When I worked in Santa Maria, Cal. there was a Columbia Records plant just a few minutes away from the studio. We sometimes got new release DJ copies hand delivered. While all the labels had issues with quality at the time (off centered discs, label errors, surface noise and pops right out of the wrapper) we could sometimes see embedded paper bits in the vinyl from "remanufactured" vinyl. I saw many hundreds of first release records. They weren't always great. We played them for broadcast on original Technics 1200 turntables and Shure cartridges with a DJ stylus. Gear nerds might like to know - the phono preamps were from PS Audio. That was back when they were being hand built and Paul personally pitched them to our station engineer. I mention all this because records played on FM radio was how most of us first heard Gaucho. And yeah. There was always room for improvement of the medium itself.
Great information! So basically you’re saying you see that there is much room for improvement over the first pressings in general?
@@kenmicallefjazzvinylaudiop6455 Not necessarily . But if the question is, should I consider a well produced high quality limited run remaster of my favorite Lp...well yes. It could be much better than a mass produced original pressing simply because it's not one of millions. To get into your groove, I have some great jazz pressings. The thing is mass produced pop records pushed reproduction tech to the limit. And without naming names some labels were...uhm...profit motivated
Joni Mitchell considered Gaucho their finest album.
Wow, that Sikora 'table looks awesome, is that one of their arms? Video Score: 100! Keep it up buddy, love 'ya,MEAN IT!
yes, it's their 9" arm
I wanted to ask if that was a Korf tonearm on your Thorens?... but without the ceramic headshell?
I have a Korf 11inch on my Garrard and wondered what your overall impressions were.
I had a bunch of cartridges in different heads shells and just wanted to get one on there as soon as possible. I do have an upcoming review with two Rega cartridges one of which I will put in the ceramic head shell. I love the arm so far. Dead quiet silky, smooth.
Hi Ken,
The yahoo email doesn't seem to be working... Gmail seems to have an issue sending to that address.
I have received emails there. No problem. Jazzmacdaddy@yahoo
Can't seem to find the video posted by Roger Nichol's daughter of The Second Arrangement. Do you have a link please?
She removed it. There are other rough mixes as well. I linked in description.
Clark Edward Davis Linda Anderson Robert