Steve Wilson's YES Remasters/Expansions

[DoubleDrummer]

I do not yet own any of these releases but I have interest.
With a small amount of research, I have two questions for people here at PE that have heard these...............

First -- which one is best, and why ?

Second -- I'm reading reviews wherein Sony Blu-Ray owners are complaining that these CDs will not play..................any experience here ?

[tormato]

1) I really like the "Yes Album", but all of them have their charms (I Get Up, I Get Down from CTTE is a revelation in 5.1). I enjoy 5.1 mixes and find them enjoyable as the music can breathe, the stereo mixes are less of a draw to me personally. It ultimately comes down to personal taste.

Second -- I'm reading reviews wherein Sony Blu-Ray owners are complaining that these CDs will not play..................any experience here ?

2) Are you referring to the CD or actual BluRay Disc ? I have a Sony BR player and have had no problems, but I'm told there is a fix for that. I actually can't play them on my XBox1, oddly enough.

[Steve983]

Relayer is the most transformed by SW's mix, everything is much more clearly defined with greater separation of all the instruments. I don't have surround sound but I bought the blu rays for the 24bit stereo and instrumental mixes - highly recommended.

[DoubleDrummer]

1) I really like the "Yes Album", but all of them have their charms (I Get Up, I Get Down from CTTE is a revelation in 5.1). I enjoy 5.1 mixes and find them enjoyable as the music can breathe, the stereo mixes are less of a draw to me personally. It ultimately comes down to personal taste.



2) Are you referring to the CD or actual BluRay Disc ? I have a Sony BR player and have had no problems, but I'm told there is a fix for that. I actually can't play them on my XBox1, oddly enough.

Sorry................I did mean the Blu-Ray disc..............I also own a Sony BR player and never knew of any problems.
Thanks.

[DoubleDrummer]

Relayer is the most transformed by SW's mix, everything is much more clearly defined with greater separation of all the instruments. I don't have surround sound but I bought the blu rays for the 24bit stereo and instrumental mixes - highly recommended.

Thanks for the rec.
CTTE and Relayer are probably the two in which I was most interested.

[grego]

Don't buy Wilson's Fragile, in my opinion the worst ever remaster he did. Muffled, like the old vinyl under Yougoslavian licence. I regret of bying it, for the price was 4 points higher, than I paid for the Rhino remaster.

[rickawakeman]

Here's my buddy Paul's blog entry re.: SW remixes. I like many of them , GG's Octopus and P&G in particular. He feels differently. Paul is the keyboardist for space band Architechtural Metaphor.

https://carwreckdebangs.wordpress.co...p-the-madness/

[Silantyev]

Here's my buddy Paul's blog entry re.: SW remixes. I like many of them , GG's Octopus and P&G in particular. He feels differently.

Interesting article of your buddy, but I could never understand such moaning. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. But don't comment "stop this madness" - he sounds like the new remixes are destroying the old ones and make them unavailable.

[Gizmotron]

Don't buy Wilson's Fragile, in my opinion the worst ever remaster he did. Muffled, like the old vinyl under Yougoslavian licence. I regret of bying it, for the price was 4 points higher, than I paid for the Rhino remaster.

I disagree. It is superb. (The only bad thing is the mechanics of the packaging...the sleeves fall out of the package and the CDs are difficult to remove from the sleeve. It does look lovely though.) If you want a muffled version of Fragile, try the original CD. I have rarely heard such a bad transfer and "muffled" is exactly the word i would use.)
I think all of the SW remixes are tremendous improvements over the original mixes.
His version of Relayer is a revelation.

But we have all hashed and re-hashed this at length on this Forum. I suggest the OP do a search and read the extensive, existing threads.

[Gizmotron]

Interesting article of your buddy, but I could never understand such moaning. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. But don't comment "stop this madness" - he sounds like the new remixes are destroying the old ones and make them unavailable.

Well said. I could not agree more.

[Firth]

Well said. I could not agree more.

Besides SW presents the original mixes in high def and needle drops for your comparison.

[Gizmotron]

Besides SW presents the original mixes in high def and needle drops for your comparison.

Excellent point.
One gets the entire package.
As well, the 5.1 mixes allow one to hear the albums in a different way and if one is a musician trying to better understand a specific instrument, the 5.1 mixes make this easier because the various instruments are spread out making it easier to zone in on a specific detail.

[Firth]

Excellent point.
One gets the entire package.
As well, the 5.1 mixes allow one to hear the albums in a different way and if one is a musician trying to better understand a specific instrument, the 5.1 mixes make this easier because the various instruments are spread out making it easier to zone in on a specific detail.

Especially on a calibrated system. It's awesome and sometimes when the vocals are focused on the center channel, it's perfectly natural since it comes from one place.

[Valen]

I do not yet own any of these releases but I have interest.
With a small amount of research, I have two questions for people here at PE that have heard these...............

First -- which one is best, and why ?

Second -- I'm reading reviews wherein Sony Blu-Ray owners are complaining that these CDs will not play..................any experience here ?

Hi Double Drummer

You’re going to get no end of debate on this issue, as folk argue for and against SW’s remixes. Let’s face it, he’s working with original material that is well-loved and cherished on this website.

If you want a simple answer to your question – the remixes are different. Not necessarily better, not necessarily worse, simply different.

I’ve bought most of SW’s remixes – Yes, Tull, Crimson, Giant, Hawkwind, ELP etc – and in each case I’ve enjoyed them for what they are, a different interpretation. They’re fun to listen to because SW takes the same building blocks but rearranges them differently and quite often has unearthed some aspects previously buried in the original mix due to the tech limitations at the time of recording. They’re still the same albums, but offer an alternative listening experience.

The important thing is not to see them as definitive mixes, but as a way of reappraising each album, and for me it’s been rewarding to gain fresh appreciation of these albums, especially those I’d previously written off.

As for the 5.1 experience – my rig is very basic (some here would consider it primitive) but again, the surround mixes are a fun way to rediscover the music. If you’re not demanding top end sound quality, then why not avoid potential bluray software glitches and go for the dvd version? That’s what I’ve been doing, and the DTS tracks have sounded just fine, and high end enough for my enjoyment.

But you know what DD? The best judge is yourself! You’ll be best placed to decide whether the remixes work or not by playing one on your own rig using your own ears and your own familiarity with the material.

These packages are not expensive, so why not try one and if you don’t like it, the previous mixes are still available – they’re not disappearing any time soon.

[DoubleDrummer]

But we have all hashed and re-hashed this at length on this Forum. I suggest the OP do a search and read the extensive, existing threads.

Will do..............thanks.

[DoubleDrummer]

Hi Double Drummer

You’re going to get no end of debate on this issue, as folk argue for and against SW’s remixes. Let’s face it, he’s working with original material that is well-loved and cherished on this website.

If you want a simple answer to your question – the remixes are different. Not necessarily better, not necessarily worse, simply different.

I’ve bought most of SW’s remixes – Yes, Tull, Crimson, Giant, Hawkwind, ELP etc – and in each case I’ve enjoyed them for what they are, a different interpretation. They’re fun to listen to because SW takes the same building blocks but rearranges them differently and quite often has unearthed some aspects previously buried in the original mix due to the tech limitations at the time of recording. They’re still the same albums, but offer an alternative listening experience.

The important thing is not to see them as definitive mixes, but as a way of reappraising each album, and for me it’s been rewarding to gain fresh appreciation of these albums, especially those I’d previously written off.

As for the 5.1 experience – my rig is very basic (some here would consider it primitive) but again, the surround mixes are a fun way to rediscover the music. If you’re not demanding top end sound quality, then why not avoid potential bluray software glitches and go for the dvd version? That’s what I’ve been doing, and the DTS tracks have sounded just fine, and high end enough for my enjoyment.

But you know what DD? The best judge is yourself! You’ll be best placed to decide whether the remixes work or not by playing one on your own rig using your own ears and your own familiarity with the material.

These packages are not expensive, so why not try one and if you don’t like it, the previous mixes are still available – they’re not disappearing any time soon.

Good and logical advice, Valen.....................many thanks.

[MudShark22]

As mentioned upstream, Relayer (IMO) is the best work that SW has done with any re-mix / 5.1 he's touched.
GoD was my least fav YES epic from the classic run (even below The Ancient) and with his 're-appraisal' to use an earlier term; it has caused me to re-appraise that tune myself.

Packaging sucks though.

[DoubleDrummer]

As mentioned upstream, Relayer (IMO) is the best work that SW has done with any re-mix / 5.1 he's touched.
GoD was my least fav YES epic from the classic run (even below The Ancient) and with his 're-appraisal' to use an earlier term; it has caused me to re-appraise that tune myself.

I love everything about RELAYER, with the least favorite component being the production............one big reason I'm interested in Wilson's work.
Over the years I have heard the blame for this placed on the initial recording taking place at Chris Squire's home studio................who knows.
I have had a Japanese remaster CD for many years that sounds better than the original release.

This album has White's best drumming, IMO, and great playing with Squire and Moraz on Sound Chaser.

I transcribed To Be Over for an eight-piece percussion ensemble in music school.
It turned out good enough that our director chose it as one of our pieces to use in competition.
One reason to doing that was the guarantee that nobody else would be playing it and the judges had no idea where it came from.

I played Squire's part on a concert grand marimba................loved it !

[MudShark22]

It is by far White's best studio work with YES.

Sent from my OnePlus One awaiting a LuneOS port

[ledsox]

I transcribed To Be Over for an eight-piece percussion ensemble in music school.
It turned out good enough that our director chose it as one of our pieces to use in competition.
One reason to doing that was the guarantee that nobody else would be playing it and the judges had no idea where it came from.

I played Squire's part on a concert grand marimba................loved it !

I would like to hear that version of TBO! There is a piano only version of Sound Chaser on youtube that is pretty amazing.

I think Wilson has done good work overall with the Yes mixes. I don't think CttE needed a new stereo mix but it's nice to have it in surround (and the extras).
My favorite redone track may be the stereo remix of "Perpetual Change". Really opened up that song for me.
"Gates" is really well done too but misses the sound effects as they were apparently not on the multitrack tape.
Also, my Relayer blu-ray would not play on my sony BR player. I contacted Neil Wilkes and he sent me a disc that works.
I have not bought Fragile yet.

I also love that the original flat transfers are included.

[yesstiles]

Packaging sucks though.

The packaging is beautiful.

[tormato]

Hi Double Drummer

You’re going to get no end of debate on this issue, as folk argue for and against SW’s remixes. Let’s face it, he’s working with original material that is well-loved and cherished on this website.

If you want a simple answer to your question – the remixes are different. Not necessarily better, not necessarily worse, simply different.

I’ve bought most of SW’s remixes – Yes, Tull, Crimson, Giant, Hawkwind, ELP etc – and in each case I’ve enjoyed them for what they are, a different interpretation. They’re fun to listen to because SW takes the same building blocks but rearranges them differently and quite often has unearthed some aspects previously buried in the original mix due to the tech limitations at the time of recording. They’re still the same albums, but offer an alternative listening experience.

The important thing is not to see them as definitive mixes, but as a way of reappraising each album, and for me it’s been rewarding to gain fresh appreciation of these albums, especially those I’d previously written off.

As for the 5.1 experience – my rig is very basic (some here would consider it primitive) but again, the surround mixes are a fun way to rediscover the music. If you’re not demanding top end sound quality, then why not avoid potential bluray software glitches and go for the dvd version? That’s what I’ve been doing, and the DTS tracks have sounded just fine, and high end enough for my enjoyment.

But you know what DD? The best judge is yourself! You’ll be best placed to decide whether the remixes work or not by playing one on your own rig using your own ears and your own familiarity with the material.

These packages are not expensive, so why not try one and if you don’t like it, the previous mixes are still available – they’re not disappearing any time soon.

That is about the best summation of SW remixes I've read. Nicely written, Valen!

[MudShark22]

The packaging is beautiful.

The cover is beautiful.

The packaging of the discs causes the whole gatefold to stay open all the time.

Sent from my OnePlus One awaiting a LuneOS port

[bondegezou]

I do not yet own any of these releases but I have interest.
With a small amount of research, I have two questions for people here at PE that have heard these...............

First -- which one is best, and why ?

I love them all. Wilson has brought a clarity that was unavailable with the technology at hand and you hear what the musicians heard in the studio. They all reveal hidden details. Which is best depends on which album you like most in the first place! I'll also praise the bonus material: highlights include an extended "A Venture" and an alternative version of "South Side of the Sky". If I had to pick, I think I'd go with The Yes Album.

I hope we get more releases, but I guess it depends how well they've sold.

Second -- I'm reading reviews wherein Sony Blu-Ray owners are complaining that these CDs will not play..................any experience here ?

There was a problem, but as far as I remember it was solved once everyone had firmware updates.

Henry

[Gorillclub]

The stereo remix of the yes album is too flat .. The original was so good in the first place . ( YBA genesis cd4 /musical fidelity A370 / vecteur ) . I've just listen to it two days ago and wonder why the need to remix it ???