Why is Fagen´s Sunken Condos so expensive.
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
daytona600
Registered User
£25/30 quid , repressed once every few years
krenzler
pfm Member
Out-of-Print since 2012. Not unlikely it will see a re-press some time in the future?
https://www.discogs.com/release/4030526-Donald-Fagen-Sunken-Condos
https://www.discogs.com/release/4030526-Donald-Fagen-Sunken-Condos
Aethelist
pfm Member
I remember reading an interview with Don and Walt when they released Everything Must Go. They really couldn't understand why anyone would want to hear it played back on vinyl. Redundant technology compared to how it was recorded and intended apparently.
Having been down that rabbit hole of endless expense I also pretty much tend to agree with this review on Discogs...
A word to the wise before parting with your hard-earneds...
Both Everything Must Go and Two Against Nature (also Kamakiriad which was on German vinyl, and particularily later Donald Fagen solo LPs) are ALL digital recordings. They're not analog recordings, so all they really are is 16 or 24 bit CD masters pressed onto vinyl.
Dan fans are often audiophiles, if you know how good, say, the Robert Ludwig cut Greatest Hits tracks sound on vinyl, then this is not what you're going to find on these LPs, whoever mastered them - I doubt they could ever be made to sound like vinyl does, they're so compact disc sounding, mixed and produced.
They do sound ok on vinyl, mainly because they're well recorded and decently pressed, but they still sound like you're playing a CD on a decent system, all the lacking in bottom end, ultra crisp mids and rather shrill highs, plus that horrid, compressed, gated drum sound the Dan have used in recent years doesn't help tonally - it almost sounds worse on vinyl - gone the days of Jim Hodder, Hal Blaine, Bernard Purdy, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro's acoustic sounding drums that's for sure.
Other than owning them as rarities on vinyl, you might as well stick with the CDs if you have a half decent CD player. They really don't sound any different, and they certainly don't sound 'better', in fact they don't really sound like vinyl does actually, just warmed up CDs...
Even if Everything Must Go is remastered on 180g vinyl for RSD, which may well sound better, it's still only going to be a digital master pressed onto vinyl, nothing is going to change that 'CD' sound.
Having been down that rabbit hole of endless expense I also pretty much tend to agree with this review on Discogs...
A word to the wise before parting with your hard-earneds...
Both Everything Must Go and Two Against Nature (also Kamakiriad which was on German vinyl, and particularily later Donald Fagen solo LPs) are ALL digital recordings. They're not analog recordings, so all they really are is 16 or 24 bit CD masters pressed onto vinyl.
Dan fans are often audiophiles, if you know how good, say, the Robert Ludwig cut Greatest Hits tracks sound on vinyl, then this is not what you're going to find on these LPs, whoever mastered them - I doubt they could ever be made to sound like vinyl does, they're so compact disc sounding, mixed and produced.
They do sound ok on vinyl, mainly because they're well recorded and decently pressed, but they still sound like you're playing a CD on a decent system, all the lacking in bottom end, ultra crisp mids and rather shrill highs, plus that horrid, compressed, gated drum sound the Dan have used in recent years doesn't help tonally - it almost sounds worse on vinyl - gone the days of Jim Hodder, Hal Blaine, Bernard Purdy, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro's acoustic sounding drums that's for sure.
Other than owning them as rarities on vinyl, you might as well stick with the CDs if you have a half decent CD player. They really don't sound any different, and they certainly don't sound 'better', in fact they don't really sound like vinyl does actually, just warmed up CDs...
Even if Everything Must Go is remastered on 180g vinyl for RSD, which may well sound better, it's still only going to be a digital master pressed onto vinyl, nothing is going to change that 'CD' sound.
Tony L
Administrator
Again mastering > format. As an example The Nightfly is a digital recording, yet my promo-stamped UK 1st press vinyl kicks the living crap out of both the CD (digital master, I’ve never heard the withdrawn analogue 1st master) and the SACD. Just laughably better. That’s on a 1960s TD-124/3009 vs. a £2.6k DPA DAC too!
I have nightfly on vinyl, pretty sure it’s first press, wasn’t that rare back in the day. I do think you are contradicting yourself though, if is so well mastered then the format shouldn’t matter?
Anyway, I am listening to Sunken Condos now, I have the CD but currently enjoying the rip from my Zen Mini. It really is an excellent recording.
Ha, ha, well I’m listening to the album & you are not
Aethelist
pfm Member
Cheap Xmas sounds good to me.
I've owned 3 different vinyl versions of Nightfly and the UK first press is the one to go for if you absolutely must have it on vinyl - forget the 180gm reissues.
Everything that followed the Nightfly sounds better on CD. I guess we all hear and remember things differently though.
I've owned 3 different vinyl versions of Nightfly and the UK first press is the one to go for if you absolutely must have it on vinyl - forget the 180gm reissues.
Everything that followed the Nightfly sounds better on CD. I guess we all hear and remember things differently though.
Tony L
Administrator
They are not the same; different EQ, different compression etc. I much prefer the UK 1st press vinyl it is just so punchy and alive sounding. An incredible sounding record. The UK copy is actually fairly hard to find, the vast majority are German Alsdorf pressings, which are still very nice, but not as crazy good as the UK. I’ve never heard the US pressing, though I suspect mine is from a US lacquer as it has Masterdisk RL in the run-off, i.e. Bob Ludwig.
PS All my other Fagen is on CD.
I can’t 100% remember what mine is but I bought it probably 20 years ago. It’s a digital recording but before CD so it could just be how good the initial master was versus subsequent ones. I have ‘Everything Must Go’ on vinyl, first press & think it is a great recording.
palasr
>>>...<<<
^^^^^
The Analogue Productions double 45 RPM of 'Two Against Nature' is a must-own for any serious Steely Dan fan. The vinyl pressing absolutely demolishes the CD sonically, and the songwriting is delightful. I too was skeptical, but it's been the best $60 I've spent on a record recently. I own the original European pressing of 'Everything Must Go' so I was reluctant to buy that as well - perhaps someone else can comment on the sound quality.
I own the US pressing of 'Sunken Condos', and while it's a good album, it wouldn't rank in the must-own category. The vinyl pressing of 'Morph The Cat', however, would be (holy low-end!!). I still await the double 45 RPM of 'Kamakiriad' Chad??! Hello!??!
The Analogue Productions double 45 RPM of 'Two Against Nature' is a must-own for any serious Steely Dan fan. The vinyl pressing absolutely demolishes the CD sonically, and the songwriting is delightful. I too was skeptical, but it's been the best $60 I've spent on a record recently. I own the original European pressing of 'Everything Must Go' so I was reluctant to buy that as well - perhaps someone else can comment on the sound quality.
I own the US pressing of 'Sunken Condos', and while it's a good album, it wouldn't rank in the must-own category. The vinyl pressing of 'Morph The Cat', however, would be (holy low-end!!). I still await the double 45 RPM of 'Kamakiriad' Chad??! Hello!??!
Chris
pfm Member
The reason I ask about Condos is that a) I´ve got all the rest b) I listen to it at work on Spotify and it has become an ear-worm and c) I rather fancy some jazzy, funky pop at home rather than poppy, funky jazz. Please don´t talk about 45rpm issues as my LP12 has a Norton throttle that starts and ends at 33rpm.
robbyd
pfm Member
Yes, precisely, in a way. No acoustic drums any more etc and the other 'qualities' you mention are the reasons it will never sound like Dan recorded in the '70s. However, They are decent recordings and though I do possess a very good cd player, my choice is always vinyl. I would put money on vinyl beating the cd every time.