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

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.

This UHQR Steely Dan release was the most interesting to me. I own the MFSL and was always disappointed. We’ve since read how the issues in the recording process affected the SQ. So apparently this new UHQR has managed to increase fidelity to an originally flawed recording. I'm gonna pass.

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.

The DBX problem -- and a crisis at the time -- is well established. There is still some problematic aspects to the original recording as @slaw indicates. A real shame.

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.

These notes indicate how misguided they all were -- the studio should never have used such equipment for mixing room playback. I mean, really, 1 in 100,000 people have a system like that, so it's a terrible baseline for making a record. If they based their judgments on that system, well, that's just another possible reason everything wound up sounding so mediocre.