How does Donald Fagen do it?


It seems, to my ears, that Donald Fagen is able to get an amazing sound out of a mixing board, much better than other producers can.  I have read that he is a perfectionist and uses extreme attention to detail when in the studio.  Do you notice the same thing in his recordings?  A shout out to the late Walter Becker too.
mikeydee
Does anyone own the Aja Speakers Corner vinyl reissue? It’s out of print so I’m sure it’s costly but word has it, that nothing else out there sounds as good. 
Cisco is now Impex and yes, they released Aja in 2007 but Speakers Corner also released a vinyl reissue and I’ve read that it is the best.