New remastering of Steely Dan's Katy Lied review by Fremer

I always thought it was something inferior at my end of the food chain

I thought that too, but it's endemic to a lot of popular albums unless the artist wrests a lot of control away from the record companies.

Part of it seems to be that Fagen has gotten more interested, lately, in how things work, sonically. This is a very human but probably correct part of the explanation as to why recent albums sound so good. Just a hunch.

"Although Steely Dan wore their love of studio technology on their sleeves, it seems that this was driven more by Walter Becker and engineer Roger Nichols than by Fagen. "Roger and Walter were always more interested in technology and in what the latest thing was," explains Fagen. "Walter's father was a hi-fi nut in the late '50s and '60s, and Walter is a science prodigy who went to Stuyvesant High School in New York, a specialist school for kids who are really good at science. I also got into high fidelity and I like good sounds, but I was never as much into the technical side of things."

Elliott Scheiner, who also worked on The Nightfly but not on Kamakiriad, agrees, but finds that things have changed. "Donald has become much more savvy as far as what takes place in the studio is concerned," he says. "He now knows what the technical issues are and what can and can't be done, whereas a dozen years ago Donald didn't know or didn't care, he just wanted to get things done. For this new album it was a great process to be working just with him, and he definitely made a lot of comments, but he is not specific about certain things. As far as EQ is concerned, he'll say 'I want a bit more top end there, or low end on the voice,' general comments like that."

https://www.soundonsound.com/people/donald-fagen

I remember reading an interview with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker many years ago. During the interview both men discussed the production of Katy Lied, and their frustration with a new 24 track reel to reel tape deck that was supposed to offer state of the sound reproduction at the time. Fagen stated that no matter what they did with this audio component, they could not get the sound they wanted.  He also said that after dealing with one unsuccessful take after another he was tempted to throw the tape deck out a window of the multi story recording studio they were working at.

IMHO,  despite how great the songs on Katy Lied are,  the sound of the album is very flat and one dimensional. Completely lack luster.   A far cry from the wonderful and dynamic sounding production that Aja would be a few years later.  

So I'm not surprised to hear that a remastering of the original album would still leave much to be desired, as much as I really enjoy the music on the album. 

IME, fidelity wise, Katy Lied is one of the worst sounding albums I have ever heard.

And I have always lamented about this given how much I love the songs on this album.  

Unless it’s been covered many times, I’m shocked that NO ONE has mentioned how creepy the lyrics are on KL!! When I was younger I didn’t notice, but now I feel a little dirty whenever I listen, especially knowing Becker’s troubles with the law as it relates to pedophilia!!…. 

@boostedis Um, no one has mentioned the lyrics because (a) we know them, (b) the band is named after a sex toy in Burrough's Naked Lunch (go read it), and (c) this is fiction not prurient tabloid fact-bait. 

As for your mention of  "knowing Becker’s troubles with the law as it relates to pedophilia" can you share some evidence that what you know is true? If you're speculating, perhaps out of respect for the man you can delete your comment.

What I’ve read is that DBX noise reduction was to blame, not tape machines, but in the liner notes, FWIW, there are no complaints to back this up.

In the liner notes, Fagan and Becker do mention "our splendid double Magneplanar monitor. system and newly acquired and fabulously expensive Audio Research D-76 tube power amps", which would reinforce the assertions about Becker at least being an audiophile.

I've only heard the 1999 remastered cd of KL and have never found the sonics detract from enjoying the music.