Tale of Genji translations: I need opinions!

[holyschist]

So, ambitiously, I have decided that I would probably like to read Tale of Genji. There are a bunch of translations. I gather that Arthur Waley's isn't very accurate, although it is readable; Edward Seidensticker's is considered to be one of the better ones (perhaps the best?), but less readable; Royall Tyler's has illustrations and pretty design but opinions on its accuracy and clarity seem to vary widely (from "it is the best!" to "it is like the worst of Waley and Seidensticker combined"). Ideally I'd like a translation that balances linguistic and cultural accuracy with readability, but I'm not sure one exists. I'm not sure which one(s) to read.

So if anyone has read any of the translations and/or the original, or is knowledgeable about Heian history, I could love to know what you think of the translations. Also, if there are any companion books that will help with understanding the cultural/historical context that are particularly good, I'd love opinions on those as well.