Yes Fans – go treat yourselves

Going for the one? Congratulations!

Thanks Harry,

Treating myself as I write this :-)

Keith

Thanks Harry. I'm tempted but I think I'll wait to see if it's the same mastering as the Steve Hoffman. I've got the latter on advance order.

For me, Going For The One is essentially Awaken. I don’t much care about or madly care for the rest of the album, although I’ll happily listen to it in preference to about ten million other things!

Over on Computer Audiophile there have been comments about treble compression and limiting. I’m not sure. It’s always sounded maybe just bordering on limiting in the loudest transients and the 24/192 seems to follow the curve I am familiar with. My ears wouldn’t say that this version had been treated to extra squash and I wonder if the clarity and airiness of the 24bit version is maybe opening the window wider. At the end of the day it’s a case of each to our own – same as always. Could be something in it. It don’t bother me.

I’m giving it the thumbs up. I still think CTTE is the stand out effort from the current batch.

The harp (or whatever the correct term may be for a little harp) and bass guitar in particular have more of a shape to them. The harp string plucks and strums seem to be coming from a real instrument which is “audibly visible”.  As is the bass. There is more of a sense of Chris Squire alternately fret dancing and them leaning in to work the neck.  I can almost see his screwed up face as he puts some arm into it.

Backing and fill voices seem better defined and separated. Instruments occasionally stand out more sharply, particularly the little fills. And from my POV (but it seems not everyone’s) the treble has not been sat on. Right now it’s sounding a bit gritty and sharp because that’s how the 152XS/FC churns it out in our room.  We’re used to it and not offended by it but it does put emphasis on the top end. When the NDS is back (about a week) and has it’s nice new 555DR/PS hooked up, things are likely to resolve somewhat . But it will take the DR’d 552 to put it all back. And that’s going to take some time because the 552 is being investigated.

If I knew yesterday what I know now would I still buy them? Yes I would. All three of them. If I wanted to cherry pick one it would be Close To The Edge. The excellent MFSL CDs of Fragile and The Yes Album demonstrate what we’ve known from the early 80s. It ain’t just about how many bits there are. But we won’t be listening to the CDs (or to be pedantic, rips of them) from now on.

I suppose we should sell them but I’m not quite ready for that yet. There’s something about owning a thing you can hold and admire. Even if I’m not listening to it. Come to think of it, the HDCDs could go too. And all that vinyl I’ve had in storage for 25 years.  Well, maybe next year….. possibly…..

In the meantime, welcome back to February 1971. I think The Yes Album has earned its Test Of Time Kite Mark. 

Hi Harry,

I saw your posts on Computer Audiophile when I was trying to find out who mastered the HD Tracks files. I'm still none the wiser. 

C2TE sounds good but I haven't had time to listen properly yet. I didn't buy it in the '70s (probaby because I had the whole thing on Yessongs) and I've not manged to get a version on vinyl that I've liked. I tried the Friday Music release, but wasn't impressed and the vinyl I recently bought 2nd hand is in good nick but sounds muddy and isn't a gatefold :-0

I got the 24/96 version, by the way (Andrew still hasn't upgradded the NDX to 24/192) and this morning, I got an email from HD Tracks offering a 10% discount on C2TE - oh bum!

Keith

I had an ohbuggerit moment with the discount too. There was a 10% discount offer on the email they sent me a couple of days back which I failed to spot. Then another one today - just to rub it in. Oh well, never mind.

I haven't heard a clean version of Close To The Edge in vinyl, although that's not to say there hasn't been one - or more. Still liked it though. CDs haven't fared much better. Against what seems to have developed as a bit of a trend, the older CD releases were muddy and dense. It was the Rhino remasters of IIRC five or so years back which first liberated the album for me. The Japanese HDCD version didn't sound much cop either. There was also a Blu-Spec Cd and that didn't work. I had the SCAC on order, not that I can play back SACD but I thought the remastered CD layer might be worth a punt. But I have cancelled that.

It seems a huge coincidence that a PCM offering should arrive at the same time as the SACD but like you say, no evidence has so far been uncovered that suggests they are connected. I hope they are.

I'm not 100% sure that 192 rules across the board because I've got some amazing 96 and come to that, some world class 44.1. But my view is that if you can have it you probably should. Ir's only going to go up. I hope Andrew comes through for you soon. I'm told that back at base they are swamped because of the DR upgrades. I would rather they went steady and did it right. Which seems to be the case.

Sorry Harry, it appears the HD Tracks version isn't the new Steve Hoffman remaster. On the Steve Hoffman Forum - "Just to confirm... the HDTracks release for "Close To The Edge" is NOT the recent mastering done by Our Host. Just ordered my copy from Amazon after Our Host confirmed this info. Thanks Mr. Hoffman!" Looks like HD Tracks have spotted a marketing opportunity but IMO it's rather disingenuous of them not to stipulate who remastered their version.

I've ordered the Hoffman-remastered SACD/CD (I can play the former) from Amazon.com. It's a lot cheaper than via Amazon UK (now £45 a copy!) although I'm going to have to wait a bit for it.

Interesting. Thank you. I'm tempted to get the dual layer Hoffman version too, being somewhat of a Yes collector. I had it on order and cancelled. Bugger!

I feel your pain Harry...

Never mind. I did as you did for the SACD.