Ensure you are listening to a true rip (file size for the album should be approximately ). If the folder size is 300MB, you have a transcode (fake). A genuine FLAC 24-192 of a 38-minute album will be massive.
In the pantheon of progressive rock, there are landmark albums, and then there is Close To The Edge . Released in 1972, Yes’s fifth studio album represents a high-water mark not just for the band, but for the very concept of the Long Play (LP) record. It is a singular, 38-minute suite split into three movements that challenges, rewards, and transcends.
Searching for the string is not just an act of digital archaeology; it is a pilgrimage toward sonic perfection. Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -FLAC 24-192-
The acoustic guitar intro is the ultimate test for high-frequency roll-off. On standard CD, the string attack can sound like "pfft." On the 2013 24-192, it sounds like steel . You hear the pick texture, the wood of the guitar, the breath of Anderson before he sings "A song..."
: A high-resolution transfer of a pristine original UK A1/B1 vinyl pressing, providing a different sonic character for collectors. Ensure you are listening to a true rip
Find the file. Lock in the sample rate. Turn off the lights. And get ready to be close to the edge of your speakers’ capability.
The 2013 reissue, released via Panegyric Records , was a landmark event for the band’s catalog. While the physical Blu-ray and DVD-A sets were the primary vehicles for this audio, the digital version is prized for preserving the original "Eddy Offord" 1972 mix without any modern equalization (EQ) or compression. In the pantheon of progressive rock, there are
While streaming services like Tidal or Qobuz offer some high-res versions, they often source from different masters (usually the 2013 Steven Wilson remix, which is fantastic but different from the original stereo mix). The 2013 FLAC 24-192 typically refers to the original stereo mix, transferred flat from the analog tapes.
The 24-bit/192kHz FLAC format included in the Blu-ray and digital versions is crucial for several reasons:
Offord’s production style was unique; he wasn't afraid of "messy" sounds or extreme panning. He created a wall of sound that was dynamic yet incredibly layered. For years, this complexity posed a problem for digital transfers. Early CD releases (often labeled "mud" by audiophiles) flattened the soundstage, collapsing the separation between Squire’s bass and Wakeman’s synths. Later remasters often succumbed to the "Loudness Wars," compressing the dynamic range to make the album sound louder on cheap earbuds, thereby stripping away the very breath and life of the music.
: Exclusive to the Blu-ray edition, these versions allow for a deep dive into the band's virtuosic performances without lead vocals. Additional Content Bonus Tracks