Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -flac 24-192- !full! -

Unlocking the Apex of Prog: Why “Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -FLAC 24-192-” is the Definitive Listening Experience

In the pantheon of progressive rock, few albums stand as tall, as complex, and as spiritually immense as Yes’s 1972 masterpiece, Close to the Edge. For decades, fans have debated which pressing, which remaster, and which format best captures the thunderous lows of Chris Squire’s bass, the ethereal chime of Steve Howe’s guitar, and the cathedral-like vocals of Jon Anderson.

That debate effectively ended in 2013. For the discerning listener searching for the ultimate digital transfer, the specific string of descriptors—“Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -FLAC 24-192-”—represents not just a file format, but a key to an auditory universe. This article dives deep into why this particular release is the gold standard, what those technical specifications mean for your listening session, and where the magic of this 2013 high-resolution transfer truly lies.

1. "Close To The Edge"

• The Intro: In 16-bit CD or vinyl, the nature sounds (birds, bubbling water, footsteps) often sound muddy. In 24/192, the soundstage expands three-dimensionally. You can locate the bird chirping in the upper-left channel, the water flowing across the center, and Steve Howe’s acoustic guitar preparing to enter from the right.
• The Organ Blast (3:08): When Rick Wakeman hits that first massive chord, the 192kHz sample rate captures the harmonic overtones of the Mellotron and Hammond simultaneously without aliasing distortion. The bass drum hit that follows has a "slam" that standard FLACs lack.
• The Vocal Stack: Jon Anderson layered his voice dozens of times. In standard resolution, these layers collapse slightly. In 24/192, the harmony stack retains individual spatial placement—like hearing a choir spread across a cathedral rather than a single speaker.

5. Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Highest commercially available resolution for this album.
• Faithful to the original master with minimal dynamic range compression.
• FLAC format is lossless and widely supported.

Cons:

• File sizes are large (~1–2 GB for the whole album).
• On average consumer gear, audible difference vs. 16/44.1 FLAC is subtle or nonexistent.
• Some may prefer the original 1972 vinyl master for its specific tonal character.

How Does It Compare to Other Versions?

Many Yes fans ask: Why buy the 2013 24/192 FLAC if I have the Blu-Ray or the Steven Wilson remix? Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -FLAC 24-192-

• vs. The Steven Wilson Remix (2013): Wilson’s 5.1 and stereo remixes are incredible, but they are reinterpretations. Wilson separated tracks, adjusted panning, and changed levels. The 2013 FLAC 24-192 of the original stereo mix preserves the authentic 1972 Eddy Offord master. It is the album as it was intended, just with modern resolution.
• vs. The 2003 CD Remaster: The 2003 version suffers from the "Loudness War"—dynamically compressed to sound loud on iPod earbuds. The 2013 24/192 has a much wider crest factor (the difference between peak and average volume).
• vs. Vinyl: Even a pristine original pressing of Close To The Edge suffers from inner-groove distortion on the long title track. Digital 24/192 eliminates this entirely, providing perfect tracking and zero surface noise.

The Verdict: The Definitive Digital Experience

If you are looking for the absolute best way to experience Yes’s 1972 masterpiece in a digital format, the 2013 24-bit/192kHz FLAC transfer is widely considered the gold standard. It bridges the gap between the warmth of the original vinyl pressings and the convenience of modern digital audio.

Here is a breakdown of why this specific file format and remaster stand out. Unlocking the Apex of Prog: Why “Yes -

1. “Close to the Edge” – The Solid Time of Change

The track opens with the sound of flowing water (a field recording of a English creek) before Jon Anderson’s ethereal “A seasoned witch...” In standard MP3 or CD, this water sound can feel like a flat noise floor. In 24-192, you hear the texture of the water—the separation of droplets, the spatial positioning across the soundstage.

When the band crashes in at 1:45, the lower bitrates tend to compress the attack. Here, Chris Squire’s Rickenbacker bass hits with a percussive, growling thud that vibrates through your chest. The high frequencies of Steve Howe’s steel guitar have shimmer, not sibilance. The Intro: In 16-bit CD or vinyl, the

The Listening Experience: Track by Track in 24/192

What changes when you actually listen to the 2013 FLAC 24-192 version via a good DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) and headphones or speakers? Everything.