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Hope this is better than Pretzel Logic.

In the headline you stated both versions set for 9/29 release. Are you sure? Because if Analog Productions is releasing the titles in order, that would mean Katy Lied and The Royal Scam would be coming out between now and late September, and I'd be very surprised were that to happen. Unless they're going to shuffle the title releases and go out of order?

I am not interested in digital files nor can i, or will i, pay $150.00

I'll have to take a look at my LP when I get home. I know I bought it in the early 80's but don't know anything about the pressing info.

I guess the real question now is, if ABC never received what would be considered as the original tape - is this “tape copy” the exact same tape that was used to master the original release in the first place?
If so, referring to it as a tape copy may be selling it short.

I love The Dan, and the first 2 UHQRs were great! But the Pretzel Logic UHQR is a mess, not even an enjoyable listen, so I cancelled my Aja and other preorders. At $150, they need to be great, so I'm waiting for your October(?) review before I belly up again. Fingers crossed, but really bummed out after getting burned...

I spent thousands and thousands of dollars with Acoustic Sounds during the pandemic. Then in one large $800 order I got an unplayable $25 LP (warped, off centre etc). I was told to send it back for a refund. I said I was not spending $35 to send back a $25 LP from the other side of the world. Case closed. No response to further emails, calls or a hand written letter to Chad. I have not purchased from them since (I would have pre-ordered the whole Steely Dan UHQR set). It’s now been over a year since purchasing anything from Acoustic Sounds.

“there is no evidence the original tapes containing the flat mixes of both Aja and Gaucho were delivered to the record label”
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Does this mean, the source for the Cisco was the same non EQ’d copy tape? Did you maybe ask about the source previously?

$150.00 plus shipping? Ridiculous!!!!Vinyl pricing has gotten way out of hand.

I want it! I want it! I want it!

30,000? Beyond silly. Do people really fall for this nonsense?

in the article it is stated: "The reason for both of these tape-copy exceptions to the much-preferred AAA standard is that..." So the AP is not AAA, but ADA?

Practically nobody wants to fork out €150 (€210) for a 2X45rpm record in a horrendous box. I have multiple copies of the original albums and everybody knows that Bernie Grundman cut AAA lacquers at 33rpm. It may be years before we hear these and the prices, going by the fact that records are increasing in price at twice the rate of inflation - will be exhorbitant. For €40 UME should not be selling a second rate product.
I bought the UHQRs to date (PL has not arrived yet). The ugly boxes are up in the attic. The ludicrously overpriced records (CBAT & CTE) are stacked with my other albums - looking like the absolutely not deluxe products that they are. If you place them beside “Sunken Condos” by Fagen (on clear vinyl €30) - side by side you would swear that they were from the same series. Except, of course, that Sunken Condis sounds better..

I'll begin by saying that to me, Aja epitomizes the SD oeuvre, I mean, for starters, the artists on the album include Steve Gadd, Tom Scott, Larry Carlton and Joe Sample, and again, that's just for starters. On the other hand, I found a Portuguese pressing of the LP from 1978, mastered by BG, in a used record store, grabbed it, paid the man and brought it home to see what I'd happened upon. The record was fabulous , brilliant. I'd struck gold, purely by accident. Plus, in 2021, I acquired a Dunhill first LP pressing mastered by BG, the jacket of which was stunning mint. While the album itself was in rougher condition, once again, the thing sounded just beautiful. And back when everyone was ordering these pricey things, I bought the Japanese single layer SHM Aja SACD released as a Universal product. Indeed, the jacket stressed that this DSD disc had been transferred directly from "analogue master tapes" by a Japanese individual at Universal Mastering Studios. This album has tremendous purity and transparency but is sterile the way digital can be, irrespective of resolution. I'm, therefore, relative to these new reissues, torn. I'll therefore wait I think for a consensus to arise and see if the new LP is widely considered indispensable, especially Chad's version of Aja. But it's lovely to live in a world of options like these. It saddens me that Walter Becker isn't here to see this. I've outlived him. We're so awful grateful to you, Mr. Becker.