am i the only one with quite a bit of inner groove distortion on the last track of each side? other than that one complaint it sounds lovely

First listen and not having any problems tracking, distortion, nothing. I do think the record sounds hot, and it wouldn’t surprise me if tracking is an issue for some. Regardless it is better than my OG press, which I find just okay. Maybe not the best in the series but the record still sounds like an AP.

VPI signature - Hanna SL MC - Goldnote PH10 - McIntosh c49:- Senn HD650 cans. The headphones are very revealing.

This reminds of their Norah Jones Come Away pressing. It sounds spectacular but very difficult to play. My older setup had all sorts of issues. So hot records are not new for AP.

So, the last of the Steely Dan UHQRs, and in my view it was worth the wait. This is maybe their best album, and the UHQR presentation is top-notch, as always. That said, we're getting what was on the tape, and it's not the greatest recording in the world. The soundstage is flat, because everything was close-miked and multi-tracked, and that is going to cause certain kinds of problems.

It's true, as jona.4 says, that the cymbals are very forward on "Caves of Altamira", and they compete with the vocals in places. This is all the more noticeable because---what the hell kind of cymbal is Prudie playing there? It sounds a bit as if he's got a tambourine on top of the cymbal, but I'm not at all sure. In any event, the sound of the cymbal itself is quite harsh. But it seems to me that's just what's on the tape.

I wouldn't describe the mix as 'hot', but BG has not softened the top, either. My system, especially with the van den Hul Colibri, has fantastic treble extension, but it's nonetheless more on the warm side, because of the very tube-y sound of the electronics. If can well imagine, though, that, if your system tends towards the bright side, or if there's any kind of harshness in the upper midrange or lower treble, this pressing is going to ruthlessly expose that.

This WLP sounds incredible! It's the best sounding Scam pressing I have, next to the UHQR. I almost prefer this to the other at times. Amazing clarity, punch and dynamics.

Have only listened to record 1 so far, Kid Charlemagne sounds phenomenal. Sadly, Caves Of Altamira (my favorite track by far on the entire album as well as one of my faves of the entire SD catalog) sounds awful on my setup. Hi-hats are mixed very loud on this song so it was always a bit problematic sonically but my Allen Zentz mastered original pressing of this album sounds beautiful, even on Caves…hot hi-hats and all. Not so on this UHQR. Honestly, i have never heard another record mastered by Bernie Grundman (and I must have several hundred) sound like this. The hi-hats are so distorted on this pressing that on each chorus, the audio of all instruments is breaking up to the point of it sounding like tape damage. I’m really astonished this made it through QC and test pressings. Almost sounds like something went wrong with the plating. Perhaps my cartridge, stylus profile and phono preamp (Denon DL-110 with Soundsmith Line retip and Musical Fidelity VLPS-90 preamp) just don’t jibe with the mastering choices, and Caves is just too much of a “torture track” for my rig but if so, I am surprised. I will recheck my cartridge alignment tonight but stylus is only about 1/3rd of the way through recommended life and cart was painstakingly aligned when installed after receiving it back from Soundsmith after retip. If this is as good as Caves is going to sound on this $160 record (incl. shipping) I will be very disappointed.

EDIT: have now listened to record 2. Haitian Divorce also problematic. Very weird.

EDIT 2: Now have just checked my alignment, VTF, anti-skate, same trouble. Then played it on my son’s rig, a Fluance RT-83 with Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. Same exact problems on Caves Of Altamira and Haitian Divorce. I guess I will be ing Acoustic Sounds for a replacement of both LPs. I have a fairly large collection of LPs that I have acquired over 50 years of collecting. Have never heard sibilance and hi-hats spitting, interfering with tracking this bad on a brand new LP before. Stumped.

The Royal Scam is now showing jnh in the matrix for Joe Nino-Hernes

A Tracking Angel article * on the previous Katy Lied, mentioned it was cut by Joe Nino-Hernes at Sterling Sound from a flat digital transfer by Bernie Grundman and not from a BG mastered file.

Royal Scam now seems to have gotten the same excellent treatment.
I compared it to a UK first pressing and this new issue is superior to that.

Too bad all the previous titles did not get the same care as these last two.

* "Steely Dan's Controversial 'Katy Lied' Gets the Analogue Productions UHQR Treatment"
Tracking Angle Jan 31, 2025

Has anyone compared the UHQR to the Japanese VIM pressing?

Beyond thrilled to finally have this, as I was really anticipating this one, being that it's my favorite Steely Dan album. I was disappointed it got pushed back to the end, and AP not sticking to the original release order, but whatever, "better late than never" I always say!

Anyway, I'm exactly sure what to think yet.. It didn't knock my socks off as much as I was expecting it would. I have a WLP and a couple standard OG pressings in excellent shape. Surprisingly, the WLP definitely holds it own, and I may even prefer it actually. We'll see, I'll definitely have to spend some more time with this UHQR and double check my setup. Looking forward to other folks reviews on this one! 🍻

Looks like I'm the lucky first to review this masterpiece of an album and pressing, I'll keep it short and sweet as we all know what to expect from Steely Dan and UHQR at this point. The records are dead quiet and flat as a pancake, no surprise there. The sound is just phenomenal, every instrument is just front and center and clear as a whistle, especially THAT BASS! Not too heavy on the low end but it just cuts through the sound, which is a good thing given how FUNKY this album is!! My only complaint is that disc 2 had a pretty tight spindle hole, had to use the annoying technique of holding the edges of the disc and wiggling it off the spindle when I had to flip/remove it, but if you're good at this technique then it won't hurt the disc any. At any rate, apparently these will be Analogue Productions' last "big box" UHQRs and they've really gone out on a high note, I'll treasure this album and the rest of them always. Kudos to Analogue Productions!

Great re-issue from Universal. Definitely better than my original. I pre-ordered the sacd like 5 years ago...lol, and can't wait for a comparison to my 80's club cd (it's the best sounding release I have).