Going In Order Everyone, Let's keep this in order. Right now we are (barely) discussing The YES Album. Tomorrow we will move on to Fragile. Thanks.
The YES Album Wow. You should seek out a Piros 1841 Broadway of The YES Album. It's the best I've heard this one.
Fragile Well it looks like we are finished discussing The YES Album. Let's move on to Fragile. Please post what you have. If anyone wants to put up samples, that would be cool too. I hope to have my deadwax up later tonight. I just got my new Graham Slee gear so I'm a little preoccupied.
Fragile Here are my copies of Fragile. I have the Hoffman too but it is playing... Samples will follow tomorrow night. Fragile US Red/Green SD 7211 1841 Broadway Side One: ST-A-712367-MO ST-A-712367-AA3 AT/GP <triangle>16513 PR PORKY Side Two: ST-A-712368-MO ST-A-712368-AA3 AT/GP <triangle>16513-X PR My oldest and best sounding copy besides the Hoffman. Anyone know the story behind PORKY on side 1? I know it's George Peckham but I wonder what his involvement was. Fragile US Red/Green SD 7211 75 Rockefeller (no WB) Side One: ST-A-712367 PR ST-A-712367-A AT/GP PR PORKY Side Two: ST-A-712368 PR ST-A-712368-A AT/GP PR Same cut as above but 1973 - 1975. Fragile US Red/Green SD 7211 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-712367RI ST-A-712367B AT/GP PR Side Two: ST-A-712368RI ST-A-712368-A AT/GP PRC 1975 - 1977 Fragile US Red/Green SD 7211 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-712367RI ST-A-712367BBB-1-11 AT/GP PRC Side Two: ST-A-712368RI ST-A-712368-BBB-1 AT/GP PRC Yesterdays / Fish Out Of Water on sleeve. 1976 - 1977? Fragile US Red/Green SD 19132 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-712367 SP ST-A-712367-<triangle> at/gp SRC Side Two: ST-A-712368 SP ST-A-712368-F 1-6 SRC "ATLANTIC, ATCO AND ASSOCIATED LABELS" sleeve. 1977+ Fragile US Red/Green SD 19132 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-712367 SP ST-A-712367-L at/gp SRC Side Two: ST-A-712368 SP ST-A-712368-P 1-1 sf SRC "ATLANTIC, ATCO AND ASSOCIATED LABELS" sleeve. Not sure who sf is. Anyone Know? 1977+ Fragile US Red/Green SD 19132 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-712367-MO ST-A-712367-IV AT/GP NR A 23878 (PR) Side Two: ST-A-712368-MO ST-A-712368-L AT/GP NR A 23878X (PR) Brown "The Atlantic Group" sleeve. 1977+
I had a bunch of Yes Fragile pressings at one time, the full US suite and a German plus the SH vinyl, I got a UK Plum for 30 bucks and it was all over
Fragile How would you describe the UK Plum compared to the Hoffman? I've never heard any UK copies of Fragile. The Hoffman is my favorite of all the copies I've heard. They are all US though.
FRAGILE Fragile Atlantic UK Plum "Rondor Music (London) Ltd./Yessongs" on labels 2401019 A//1 1 1 5 2401019 B//1 1 1 8 My favorite Fragile Atlantic UK Plum "Rondor Music (London) Ltd./Yessongs" on labels 2401019 A//1 1 1 18 2401019 B//1 1 1 17 Fragile US Red/Green SD 19132 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-712367-PR handwritten: ST-A-712367-E (PR) stamped: "ATLANTIC STUDIOS D. K." Side Two: ST-A-712368-PR ST-A-712368 B AT/GP PRP I also have the Analogue Productions pressing and had an 1841 Broadway copy but can't seem to find it. FWIW Fragile with a plum label is apparently much rarer than a plum Yes Album.
I did compare the samples you posted to my UK Red/Green K40106 pressing. Again I find the US versions to be a little to much Eqed both in the low end and in the heights. The UK sound more balanced and relaxed. Also I find it to have more air, “The Clap” sounds even more alive, maybe due to being mastered from a lower generation source and/or a less aggressive EQ.
Fragile Fragile US Red/Green SD 19132 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-712367RI ST-A-712367BBB-1 AT/GP PRC Side Two: ST-A-712368RI ST-A-712368-BBB-1 AT/GP -111 PRC inside of gatefold uses 1841 Broadway address but has the SD 19132 reissue catalog number. brown "The Atlantic Group" inner sleeve
I've heard the UK plum Fragile. It just sounded slighty muffled and a bit on the thin side if I remember right.
Fragile Thanks for all of the posts on Fragile. I should have some samples from Side 2 a little later tonight.
Fragile Here are two clips from side 2 of Fragile: http://bobbysaunders.com/nd/yes/HeartOfTheSunrise.zip http://bobbysaunders.com/nd/yes/TheFish.zip One is the Hoffman, one the first pressing US AT/GP, and one the late 70s Sam Feldman US pressing. I'd love to hear some UK pressings if anyone has the capability.
I'll post my FRAGILE info as well: Atlantic UK Plum 2401019 A//1 12 11 2401019 B//1 11 18 Note that the last four digits of the matrix info above are offset/quite a bit further from the rest of the matrix #.
Fragile-Analogue Productions pressing by Steve Hoffman Some great background info on the AP Fragile by Steve Hoffman: "Those of you lucky enough to attend the "How Records Are Made" field trip to Record Technology, Inc. in Camarillo put on by Chad and Acoustic Sounds during the Stereophile Show a few months back will remember your visit to the mastering room. Kevin Gray and I had the British master reel of YES/Fragile cued up on the machine to play for a lucky bunch of you. We asked you not to mention what we were working on until Acoustic Sounds gave the word. Well, the word has been given and we are free to talk about this great album. I think you'll like the sound. Those of you who think 30 bucks is expensive for an item like this please remember that this is the price that DCC was charging for the 180 gram LP reissues back in 1993. Take a look on eBay as to what the DCC LP's of PET SOUNDS or AQUALUNG are going for right now. Still think $30.00 is expensive? Remember, this is being released on Acoustic Sounds' own label, Analogue Productions. They had to get the rights for three years from Atlantic Records and guarantee a certain number of units would be sold. This means payment upfront of ALL the units even though a single record has not been released and the high unit goal might never be met. This was a labor of love for Chad at Acoustic Sounds (one of his favorite albums) and it cost a small fortune to get the rights. I won't bore you with the piles of tapes gone through to find the actual original British stereo master mixes but let me assure you, these lacquers were cut from the REAL DEAL. Enjoy." http://stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=1951235&postcount=12
Steve Hoffman on Fragile More from Steve Hoffman: "Remarkably, Chad Kassem has chosen the very FIRST cutting we attempted on the YES title to press from. As I'm sure you know by now Kevin Gray and I did it several times, each recutting making it more and more like the old Atlantic LP version (more top, less bass, etc. to make it more aggressive sounding) I guess in the end Acoustic Sounds chose to go with our original (and as I thought "rejected") mastering which is full, rich and very dynamic. So, that surprised the hell out of me when he told me last week because I had no idea. When I heard that they approved the RTI test pressings I assumed it was the last version we cut right before sending the Advision stereo masters over to MoFi for their digital version. I mean, our first lacquer attempt was the version I liked the best after years of hearing pinched, thin, over the top masterings and I guess Analogue Productions came around to that same conclusion. I'm glad. It makes it possible for me to finally listen to the entire album from beginning to end without getting a headache." http://stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=2158606&postcount=302
Thanks for the quotes. Here's a link to the entire thread: http://stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=88788
Close To The Edge On to Close To The Edge. Here are my copies. I'm doing a shoot out today and will post my thoughts later tonight. Samples will follow after. What have you got? What are your thoughts? Close To The Edge Friday Music Side 1: 5-66798 FRM-9004-A GI RM MASTERED BY CAPITOL Side 2: 5-66799 FRM-9005-B GI RM MASTERED BY CAPITOL My copy is very ticky. Many here like this one. Too much upper mid-range for my taste. Close To The Edge UK Red/Green Side 1: K50012 A1 Side 2: K50012 B1 Textured cover. Original sleeve. I'm guessing this one is fairly early. Anyone know how to date the UK copies? Close To The Edge German Red/Green GEMA ATL 50 012 Side 1: WEA 50012-A PF Manufactured in Germany Side 2: WEA 50012-B PF Manufactured in Germany Glossy cover. Original sleeve. Not sure of date. Close To The Edge US Red/Green SD 7244 1841 Broadway Side One: ST-A-722619-RI ST-A-722619BBB-1 AT/GP PR D Side Two: ST-A-722620-RI ST-A-722620 BBB-1 AT/GP PR Textured cover. Original sleeve. My earliest pressing. 1972 - 1973. Close To The Edge US Red/Green SD 7244 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-722619 RI ST-A-722619AAA AT/GP PR Side Two: ST-A-722620 RI ST-A-722620AAA AT/GP PR Semi-textured cover? Texturing is not as apparent as on the earlier ones. Original sleeve. 1975 - 1977 Close To The Edge US Red/Green SD 19133 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-722619-RI ST-A-722619BBB-1 11 AT/GP PRC D Side Two: ST-A-722620-RI ST-A-722620 <3 squigly lines> Dj AT/GP PRC Smooth cover. Original sleeve. 1977+ Close To The Edge US Red/Green SD 19133 75 Rockefeller (WB) Side One: ST-A-722619 SP ST-A-722619-D AT/GP SRC Side Two: ST-A-722620 SP ST-A-722620D AT/GP SRC Smooth cover. "ATLANTIC, ATCO AND ASSOCIATED LABELS" sleeve. 1977+
Close To The Edge Here is the forum's thread on the Friday Music version of Close To The Edge: http://stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=162437&highlight=close+edge+friday+music
Close To The Edge Here are two samples from side 2 of Close To The Edge http://bobbysaunders.com/nd/yes/AndYouAndI.zip http://bobbysaunders.com/nd/yes/Siberian.zip The only one that I really don't like is the German copy. Seems like you can't go wrong with any of the others.
