So really?…what’s changed? Back in the day I’d wake up early, make a big glass of chocolate milk, and plop myself in front of the TV to watch cartoons in uninterrupted privacy while others slept. Now, today, I woke up early, made a big cup of coffee, and plopped myself in front of the TV to watch this highly anticipated review in uninterrupted privacy while my wife slept. Thank you soooo much David for taking the time and effort to make and post this review before the close of the weekend. Your research and opinion have sealed the deal on the transfer of $175 from my hands and into those of Chad’s. The rub of being an adult is that you can afford all the candy in the store but you’ll just not want it. However, that doesn’t hold true for something called an UHQR…🤘🏼😮🤘🏼. Thanks from Corpus Christi.
Outstanding review, as always! Seems as though you’ll be spending a lot of time coming back for more with this entré! Nothing better than having dessert for the main course. Enjoy, over and over! Thanks David!
Got mine yesterday and listened several times through. Took time to compare with my RL mastered OG today after watching your shootout. While my RL OG sounds really good, the UHQR clearly surpasses in all areas. Totally agree with your observations. Keep the reviews coming.
Thanks David! Unbelievable the OG was beaten. But this is the review I was waiting for. Gaucho is my favorite Steely Dan album so it is a no brainer for me now. I have the OG Master Disk RL Near Mint, a Promo copy VG+ which is also Masterdisk RL and I have one version that I understand is also Masterdisk RL which has a stamp that say for Export Only and it is still sealed! But anyways I will go for the UHQR sooner than later.
Great job, David! I really appreciate the way that you do these comparisons. As such, I've been waiting specifically for your review of this UHQR for many months. I delayed my purchase based on concerns about the UHQR being made from an EQd tape copy. You've laid my concerns to rest! I'm buying!
I concur with you David. Upon my first listen of the UHQR, I picked up on details that were on the original, but just never noticed them until now. I went back to the original and heard those details but not as pronounced. Deeper soundstage, sparkle on those cymbals/percussion instruments and presence of the backing vocals are what I picked up on. Nice shootout!
Thank you, David - very thoughtful and thorough. It's Sunday as I write this and I have a copy getting ready to clean with my KLaudio and looking forward to turning down the lights this evening and giving this a listen. I have a pretty decent playback system and the UHQR of Aja that Chad and Bernie did was mind blowingly good . . . so I'm prepared !! Thanks again from just down the road from you in San Antonio.
David, as it turns out I'm really having trouble modifying anything you said in your detailed review . . . well maybe one thing - I seem to recall that you said something about it being very quiet vinyl, but you did hear a couple ticks. In my case, I don't recall hearing a single slight tick - not even one, on that perfectly flat disk. Really that might have been the first side of any record ever (!) that I have not heard a single little tick at all. Amazingly quiet. I would have to rate the Gaucho UHQR right up there with Aja in terms of sonic excellence. Beautiful job by our analog friends Bernie and Chad.@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion
Great review, per usual! Aja is the best sounding album I have. I'm putting this on order. My second favorite Steely Dan album, too, so it's a no brainer. I don't have the time or inclination to search out a 9.0+ quiet vinyl of the OG.
Thank you! That's pretty much what I figured. Hopefully one of my friends buys it. I told myself CBAT, Pretzel, and Aja were all I would buy and I'm trying to stick to it.
How in the world can anyone justify the price tag when you have an amazing original press that in my opinion can’t be bested. The tape was at their freshest in 1980 and Ludwig is one of the best
All of Steely Dans records were well recorded and sound quality is fantastic No need to spend 175 dollars for minimum difference! Also hate getting up after 2 songs Breaks the flow of the music and it feels like you’re just playing a single!!!
The great debate over OGs and Reissues/Remasters is never going to end. For many record collectors, the pride of ownership of OGs is a primary consideration purely because of historical reasons. While I do own a fair share of OGs, the majority of them are unable to match the listening experience of high quality remastered vinyl, particularly in the area of quietness. With new vinyl formulations and modern technology, the market potential for well produced remasters is limited only by accessibility to source material. I look forward, rather than backwards, to replacing those OGs with outstanding releases from Chad and Abey, of whom I had the acquaintance of meeting some 30 odd years ago at CES. Their commitment to refining the vinyl industry to a new level of fidelity is something to be celebrated, particularly for open-minded listeners that are not bound by sentimentality or selfishness. Seriously, let's all try to Remaster ourselves.
Thx David! I always liked my Japan issue (BL Master) over any other I listened to. Guess having BL Mastering/Japan vinyl will be a great comparison to my incoming UHQR. Love ur reviews!
There's no digital tape anymore, hi res digital is cut from a "file"! I hope I didn't tick you off for correcting you, I love your channel and "shootouts"! 😊😊😊
Mines on the way. I have the 1/2 speed MCA so I'm looking forward to a playback. Also the SACD version. I'm curious, I'm not listening to this out of spoilers, but what is up with the tape? I remember vividly the master had to be baked due to the tape formula or the original reel to reel ubricants. So what's up?
Hey David! 👋🏻Been awhile. Thanks for the review on Steely Dan’s “Grouchy”. Definitely their slickest but had a sort of new wave-ish feel to it. Great detailed feedback that is helpful in an exact manner👍🏻Not one of my top Dan albums so I will probably hold off for now but the reviews seem to lean this is a winner. I am really looking forward to Royal Scam as that is my second favorite Steely Dan album. Fingers crossed that it will turn out awesome sounding. On another record topic, question please: Do you have the Sheryl Crow Tuesday Night Music Club 2018 2lp RSD? If so, have you compared it to the 2023 Bernie cut 1 lp reissue? Curious if you found one better than the other. Thanks!
If I was experiencing this on a record that has been lauded I would - Re-check all of these ..... cartridge alignment, perfectly level turntable, anti-skate, maybe increase tracking force, stylus rake angle, check closely and clean the stylus. 🙂
David, I've got two OG copies that are VG++ and they're noisy as hell. I gave one of them away. So, I spent $35 on one and $40 on the other. That's $75. I'm halfway to the UHQR at that point, so what a lot of folks suggest is that I continue to buy used OG's until I find one that is quite. It's almost like these UHQR haters out there are like some of these memes on the Internet about "Anything but Metric" where you'll see a asteroid entering the atmosphere of Earth and the text saying, "With the mass of two Empire State Buildings, this lake sized asteroid could wipe Earth off the map." In other words, the haters just will not buy the UHQR, even if they have to buy and sell 15 OG's. I'm going to keep the one OG I have, as I want a 33 RPM, but at the end of the day, these UHQR's are a work of art.
Midfiman makes some strong arguments if an only if you bought used with noisy surfaces, my comment above was brand new first issues. I hate noise just like the rest of you but if you think about it, it’s one hell of a price tag 1000 only buys you a few records, but I guess with today’s high end climate with cables costing 20 and $30,000 a meter. This is totally acceptable.
Okay, so this $150 record is GREAT for analytical listening. How's the musicality? It should be expected that a $150 record has amazing clarity, with every instrument and voice distinctly placed in the soundstage, with a near-zero noise floor, and all that other stuff that's important for analytical listening. So Chad & QRP delivered on this in spades. Fantastic. But is all of this in service to the musicality, by which I mean the emotional impact of the record, how happy it makes your ears? For most $100+ audiophile records, my experience is yes. But not all of them. For example, the MoFi OneStep of Michael Jackson's Thriller wowed me with its soundstage and clarity, and how every instrument was distinct in the presentation. But it didn't move me, didn't want to make me get up and dance. (Of course, I'm a lousy dancer so maybe that's a good thing?). I have a couple pressings of Thriller that cost far less, which aren't great for analytical listening, but they have life and soul and they make me want to shake my booty. I'm not picking on MoFi OneSteps, here. I also have the OneStep of Fragile by Yes. Not only is it wonderful for analytical listening, but the technical achievement of ridiculously great SQ is in service of the record's musicality. It makes my ears really happy and fills my heart with joy. I'm not sure it's great to publish a review like this on the day you first listened to it. In my experience, the first day I listen to a UHQR or MoFi OneStep or similar, I'm so blown away by the SQ and the clarilty and the technical achievement, that I'm just excited to hear it and to recommend it. But for the ones that don't have the same level of musicality as cheaper pressings, I never listen to them again after that first day. Because the novelty of ridiculous SQ wears off, and what I'm left with is an expensive record that doesn't really move me. Anyone who reads this and disagrees, I respect you, I respect your opinion, and I'm absolutely not saying your wrong. Your opinion is just as valid as mine (maybe moreso). This is very subjective. "Musicality" is subjective. Two people can listen to the same record and hear different things.
I agree with you. And I respect David immensely. But, I also actually listen to the words. Lyrics mean everything to me. So, Gaucho has always been a favorite of mine. When he was talking about he was listening to the music even more than the vocals, well I'm thinking maybe I need to stick with my OG because...to my ears (and isn't that what really matters...how WE hear things)...it has always sounded amazing. It's doesn't really bother me that I have missed a couple of cymbal taps but can hear them if I cough about 150.00. I would like to hear the vocals on the UHQR but, maybe one day when I have some money with nothing to do with I might purchase it.
This is a great discussion and I found the overall musicality very emotional and not at the expense of the vocals at all. Their depth and openness were quite a step up, to the point where the overall musicality captured my attention more than the meaning of the lyrics. I imagine that’s more because I know the words but now feel their impression in a more evolved soundstage. As far as first impressions go, I take several digestions with some gap time before finalizing my video. And I have modified some impressions beyond the first listen. However when doing a direct A-B back and forth I luckily don’t have retain a memory of what I heard since the race is run in adjacent lanes! Thanks for the stimulating topic!
Not true original Gaucho pressings were some of the most quiet. Also a NEW master tape has the advantage of of age and wear. I don’t doubt anything in your review and it was very well done but at that price I will pass
The only reason I say this with certainty is because I had purchased them brand new two copies and put it down on reel to reel tape around 1980 and they were MFSL quiet at the time. Just my experience, no disrespect to your review@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion
