What is the best CD mastering of Yes' Tales from Topographic Ocean

need help deciding which version to buy

 

Der Rhino, no contest imo. Good sound (only one in the series that is acceptable) and the bonus tracks are wonderful.

 

You are aware that the search engine now works with three letter words aren't you?

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=102097

Despite what I said in the thread above, having now heard the vinyl, I suspect the original cd is the way to go if you must go digital. But I haven't heard it in ages and no longer have it. I still like the extended intro on the Rhino, though.

 

The original Barry Diament Atlantic CD sounds good to me, but I haven't heard the others yet.

 

Like Dave the only one I have heard is the original and it sounded fine to me.

 

Bought the Rhino and sold it as soon as a heard the original Atlantic. No contest. Always a rather dull sounding recording to begin with.

 

I like the original the best for sound quality. But I also like the Rhino for the extended intro to TRSOG.

 

It's been a while since I heard Barry's but for me it's the Rhino and one of the few of that batch of re-issues that I actually prefer over the others. To me it's the fact that the original mixdown masters were found and it clearly shows in the detail and separation of the mixes. There IS perhaps a bit too much hi end EQ applied though. I simply roll it off when I'm listening.

It is nice to have the extended intro and perhaps a tiny bit of me being a 'complete-ist' to want to have it,but it was after hearing the whole album that did it for me and it is nice to have
all the extra photos and stuff in the package too.

 

Original Atlantic.

 

I'm going to say you should get the Rhino, in most part for the extended intro, but also because it doesn't sound nearly as painful as some of the other Rhinos. In fact, it's not bad at all and I don't think you would regret purchasing it.

But like others have said, this does NOT apply to most of the other Rhino Yes discs. Some of those are good for the bonus tracks only.

 

The Rhino's the best I've heard, but I've never heard the original.

The packaging, extended RSOG and bonus tracks make this a must-have IMO.

 

The original Atlantic has always seemed the best to me - seems to have more punch. The |Rhino is a close second.

Best Wishes
David

 

The 2009 Japan SHM version

 

Do we know for sure that the original Atlantic CD was done by Barry? It's not listed in his thread.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=5084787&postcount=905

 

I guess you know that this is just a tweaked version of the Rhino.

Add smiley-faced EQ, compress, stir, bake ...

Voilà ... Tales SHM.

 

It sounds like Barry's work to me. I guess I'll have to send him mine to check out for confirmation. Apologies for any confusion, but at any rate it sounds great.

 

Which frequencys do you roll off at and how much? I'm curious on what you do so I can hear it myself.

 

Just picked up the original Atlantic used for $4.99 at Amoeba Records in Hollywood. 2 discs w/80 minutes of music - now that's value for money! Sounds great, smooth, no harshness when cranked. Haven't heard the Rhino. Seems to have a decent amount of high end - no need to emphasize IMO. Cymbals sound smooth, low end is tight. Been a Yes fan ever since the get go but this one escaped me. Its received a lot of bad press for being the nadir of overblown progressive rock but I don't care... I like it!

 

The 2002 HDCD set from Japan is the best of the bunch from that particular series.

 

I bought two of the Japanese HDCD at a Tower Records store closing. Never opened them. The original release sounds great to me. Someday I'll do a comparison.

 

I noticed that ALL of the original U.S. Atlantic CD editions of the Yes albums through Drama have similar font style on the spines, except Tales From Topographic Oceans. The font is thicker and it takes and it is much larger. Exclude The Yes Album, Fragile, and Classic Yes, as they are bigger and have the Europe codes on the left. But all of the other titles are the same font. Except Tales.

I have the original U.S. atlantic double CD in the fatboy case, but it's a later pressing, probably one of the last before being replaced by the remaster.




For any of you that bought the original U.S. Atlantic fatboy CD when released, was this title always like this, or did it used to be a smaller font, comparable to say the way the spines on Yessongs is?




Just seemed odd that it's the only one like that. But hey, could just be one of those things. We all know that sometimes these companies do things that don't make logical sense.

 

bump. anybody know?

 

I've listened to the lot except the 2002 HDCD Japan CD. That one uses the HDCD dynamic extension so it would sound compressed on a non HDCD player.

The original CD is lifeless, lacking top and bottom. The Rhino sounds processed to my ears. The 92 is not perfect but has good bass. The treble could be bit clearer. However, for me its the winner. I feel like a fish swimming against Topographic Ocean currents. I haven't heard the vinyl since the 70s. I wonder if its any good?

 

Original U.S. vinyl cut by George Piros blows away any cd version I've heard.

 

Do you like the Piros over the first UK press?