What are your go to LP's for evaluating new gear or new tubes?

@bassbuyer 

Steely Dan recordings always seemed to be top notch. I have read that they did not like to tour or perform live as they were not able to replicate what they did in the studio. I never saw them live either so can't say for myself how good they were or were not. 

I didn’t see Steely Dan in concert until they made a comeback with their last couple of albums.  They sounded excellent because they had top players that could reproduce the album cuts.  That’s supposedly what stopped them from touring in the 70s after they stop being a band and were 2 guys with session musicians.  I love their music.  Great songs with top musicians well recorded.  That’s what it’s all about.  

@bassbuyer 

Yep

@dogberry

What you have is a 1976 reissue. They switched to the blue rim orange palm tree label for that reissue.

@billpete 

You definitely have a 1971 or 1972 reissue. Does it say anywhere who it was printed by? Possibly on the inner sleeve. But I am not sure. If it says who it was printed by that will narrow it down. Also does the ILPS9135 on the labels not the cover, have a hyphen ILPS-9135 or just a space ILPS 9135? That will narrow it down. Since it appears that only one issue did not have the hyphen on the labels. I would need the dead wax matrix info in order to pinpoint it.