STEELY DAN - AJA 30th Anniv Ltd Edition 180g Vinyl - LP + CD transfer project

	£		175
	$		232

THE CHARM AND FINESSE OF VINYL CAPTURED ON CD
The Brief To produce a clean transfer from a good vinyl LP onto CD.
The Process After sourcing a high quality vinyl LP it is cleansed on the Pro-Ject VC-S record cleaner.
Transfer of programme content to a Mac using a Rega Planar 1 turntable.
Assessment and analysis of music file utilising studio quality iZotope RX 6 Standard software.
Sensitive reduction of surface noise and removal of undesirable elements such as clicks, crackle, rumble and other various artefacts related to the pressing process. Retention of existing detail being of paramount importance. Each track then individually headphone checked in real time.
Tracks burned to music CD.
The Project and outcome There are a plethora of mastered versions of this dynamic album from 1977 with varying degrees of sonic success both on vinyl and cd. There are even forums discussing the merits of many of these versions, however, this 30th Anniversary 180g release by Cisco is apparently the only release of Aja that used the true non-compressed stereo master (fine mastering by Kevin Gray). Michael Fremer of Analog Planet thought it was a "stupendous production" and that it was "easily the best sounding Aja yet". I have therefore managed to source a truly Mint Condition copy (number 2975) of this highly collectable edition.  A beautiful gatefold sleeve with full liner notes and lyrics.
This transfer encompasses all the dynamism, power, depth and subtleties of the original vinyl. So keep your vinyl safe and enjoy the experience from the cd.
The Offer The original vinyl LP [sourced at great expense] in Mint condition (see original screenshot of listing) plus cd and booklet (same liner notes and lyrics as on the LP) with high quality scanned cover art. Note that the cd cannot be purchased separately from the LP. Only one copy available.
If you're a Steely Dan fan then this one is not to be missed - listen through headphones for the finest experience. A truly great collectors item. If you are interested buy it now - the price will not go down, only up!
RIP    *** Walter Carl Becker (February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017) ***
Further comments on this recording from the web

Don't Miss This One! Don't Even THINK About Missing This One!

"…This Cisco reissue is vastly superior to both the original pressing and to Mobile Fidelity's ½ speed mastered reissue…This is sublime ear candy and more importantly magnificent music making. No wonder it retains its attraction 30 years after first being issued. More proof that we're living in the second coming of analog." Music = 10/11; Sound = 10/11 – Michael Fremer, www.musicangle.com

"If you were an audiophile in the 70s, you owned Aja." – Rolling Stone, 2001, placing it No. 145 of the 500 Greatest Albums Ever Recorded

And now, in commemoration of its 30th anniversary, Aja IS BACK – IN EVEN GREATER GLORY! Remastered by Kevin Gray, cut at AcousTech Mastering, Pressed on virgin 180-gram vinyl at RTI! Aja has now gotten the royal treatment!

This Cisco reissue has been personally approved by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker as well as Aja recording engineer Elliot Scheiner.

"(Aja) is the most perfect thing I have ever heard in my life. It is a religion." – Gareth Jones, renowned record producer/engineer

Long argued as one of the (if not THE) best rock recording ever and a permanent fixture on many a demo system in the late '70s and '80s, Aja was the culmination of everything Donald Fagen and Walter Becker aspired to accomplish in their storied careers. It was the first album certified platinum (eventually selling more than 5 million copies in the U.S.) by the then-new RIAA sales tracking system. It made Steely Dan superstars. It contained three ubiquitous U.S. Top 40 singles in "Peg," "Josie" and "Deacon Blues," though each of the seven tracks are wonderful. 

And then there's the sound. Deservedly winning the 1978 Grammy Award for non-classical engineering, Roger "The Immortal" Nichols was helped by a who's-who of the top audio guys in the industry: Bill Schnee, Al Schmitt and Elliot Scheiner. The meticulous recording is almost fetishistic in its attention to detail. Every note of even the densest tracks can be clearly heard, with every instrument perfectly placed.