Yes "CLOSE TO THE EDGE" and Rush "COUNTERPARTS" on SACD from Audio Fidelity!!!

Hey, folks! I am a bit late to the party. I received the album several weeks ago, but never got the time to listen to it attentively without anything troubling me. SO! It is numbered: 4247.

I listened to it on the following gear: Mackie HR824, Marantz CD 5003, and a Marantz PM 5003. The listening session was in a room unsuited actually fur listening purposes, since there is no isolation material on the walls (those pyramidic covers, if you know what I mean) and there are lots of objects, which create parasytic noise. Oh well, in any case. I did a blind session: I compared between 1994 Gastwirt, 2003 Rhino, a Russian pirate version from God knows which sourse that was purchased very long ago and of course our host's version. I compared the Redbook layer since CD 5003 isn't able to read SACDs naturally.

My results (subjective as they are):

-the pirate disc stood out immediately. It was clearly sourced from a crappy source. Immediate ear sore.
-Gastwird - not bad, rather mild but not as much detalization as I would have wanted
-Rhino - very good detalization, everything is heard crystally clear, but this made the sound clinical, like a sterilized instrument and the bass turned out to be somewhat synthetic. But I liked it better than Gastwirt, because you can hear so many hidden things in there.
-Hoffman... it was my first experience of listening to an audiophile release, but the impression was nonetheless very positive. To my ears - it is the best of both worlds: it takes the best qualities from Gastwirt and Rhino, combining perfect detalization and yet retaining warmth and cohesiveness of the recording. You can trace any part and any instrument if you wish but at the same time, everything plays as a whole, as if the band is on the stage in front of me, and this is not an easy thing to achieve granted how the album was recorded and constructed from little bits and pieces. So, yes - Hoffman is the winner of the blind audition. I didn't hear many revelations granted I've listened to the record many times before with very good headphones, but its supremacy is still undeniable. You get both details and warmth. Everything sounds not forced and natural.

 

Took longer than expected to arrive but: copy #3053 is finally here; even on my humble set up (Onkyo C-S5VL SACD, NAD 3020 amp, Beyerdynamic DT990 PRO headphones) this sounds great.OK; I'll be honest: I listened to Siberian Khatru only (well..5 times in a row) because is my fave track on the album but I plan to listen to the rest tonight. No reason to think I won't enjoy the title track and "And you and I"... so far, good vibes.

Thank you Mr. Hoffman

 

Well mine arrived a few weeks ago #3477 so you beat me anyway! Enjoy it Marcel

 

#3477? We ordered the SACD around the same time, IIRC. Oh, the number is not important, really. As long as I receive a great sounding disc, I'm happy. Now, I'm looking forward to "Going fo the one"

 

I just received the ultra-rare unnumbered, "numbered limited edition" of : "Close To The Edge"

Opening it would destroy the value.......Oh! What to do!! Open? Not open? Life is full of these stubbornly hard decisions, I am numb.






Yum, glad I opened it. Job well done Mr. Hoffman!!

 

Close To The Edge for less than $20:

http://www.amazon.com/Close-Edge-Yes/dp/B00A93ENI8/ref=pd_sim_m_6

 

Wow, that is one heck of a deal for a great sounding disc.

 

Listening to the Audio Fidelity CTTE . Excellent sounding redbook layer. Clear and detailed, full sounding, punchy. I have the Diament version which is very nice but its not as good as the AF version IMHO. The AF version seems to have the veil lifted off it (just a tad).

 

I'd love to see 'Going For The One' at this price!

 

I have the same one

 

74 cents more:

http://www.importcds.com/music/2608545/yes-going-for-the-one

 

Great!

I hope amazon will have the same price. I can't buy from importcds
Thanks

 

My Close To The Edge finally arrived from Amazon.........without the number.

 

Amazon UK?

 

That was one heckuva long shipping time!

 

Yes Marcel.

 

You wouldn't believe it.
Anyway the original CD is still fine.

 

It took them so long to post it to you that they run out of stickers lol. With some ingenuity and an inkjet printer you can make your own! Nobody will ever know or check...

 

Yeah, that's the ticket, ultra-rare, yeah.

 

Slightly off subject, but I got both CttE and GftO from Amazon and both were numbered.

 

ah sorry about that. But I'm sure the terrific sound of the AF edition will be a consolation

 

.

 

Remember all the posts, freaking out about their orders or that Close to the Edge would be sold out?

http://www.amazon.com/Close-Edge-Ye...97518463&sr=1-29&keywords=audio+fidelity+sacd

 

Lol! Only 5 left in stock (more on the way).....you make em and I'll sell em hahah.....