Waiting for the Sun - Best CD in 2024?

I know Waiting for the Sun has been talked about on here numerous times, but I need new interpretation on a best CD for this album.

Waiting for the Sun, to me, seems to be the trickiest album to find a definitive CD option. Nothing quite perfect as far as I know:

-The 1985 CD supposedly has good sound, but is missing a verse on "We Could Be So Good Together."
-The 1988 CD has okay sound, but has the wrong Wintertime Love take.
-The DCC has good sound, but a few phasing issues.
-The 1999 remaster has that nice full sound, correct takes, no phasing issues, but with dynamic range loss.

The ones I am unsure of are:
-2019 remaster - supposedly nice remaster, but with MQA.
-Analogue Productions SACD - the option I am considering, but I need more info on this one before I settle in on it.

 

I have the 1999, the DCC and AP versions. The 1999 & DCC are almost identically sounding but maybe a nod towards the 1999 version for being a bit more punchy. The AP sounds a little flat to me. No big difference between all of them really.

 

AP SACD

 

Ugh, trying to make me buy this album again? Been happy w/ the DCC CD & the original US LP. I did get the 50th anniversary LP from library and thought that sounded great, just never splurged for buying it because I don't play this album very often.

 

The AP SACD needs to be cranked up a little bit but it sounds good. Should still be available for purchase on the Acoustic Sounds website.

The 50th Anniversary remaster is the probably the safest option to go with due to it being cheaper to find. I don't think the 50th was in print for too long but copies are still out there.

Both of these options retain their dynamics and (afaik) are closest to the original stereo LP.

I'll add the DCC follows the 1988 transfer (except Wintertime Love, which now is the proper mix, but from a inferior source), so it also has the same drop-outs that plagued the regular 1988 CD.

 

Is the 2018 remaster MQA? I've read about that a little on the forum, not entirely sure what it means but there haven't been a ton of positive reviews about that format supposedly.