Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -flac 24-192- //top\\ May 2026

The Pinnacle of Progressive Rock in Ultra-High Definition: Yes’s Close To The Edge (2013 FLAC 24-bit/192kHz)

In the pantheon of progressive rock, few albums stand as tall, as enigmatic, and as utterly transformative as Yes’s 1972 masterpiece, Close To The Edge. For decades, audiophiles and Yes fans have debated the best way to experience the swirling Hammond organ, Chris Squire’s growling Rickenbacker bass, Jon Anderson’s ethereal vocals, and Bill Bruford’s jazz-inflected drumming. The answer, for many, arrived in 2013 with a specific digital release: Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -FLAC 24-192- .

A 24-bit / 96kHz "needle-drop" transfer of an original A1/B1 UK vinyl pressing. Artwork & Notes: Yes - Close To The Edge -2013- -FLAC 24-192-

• If you need to save space: Convert to AAC 256kbps (iTunes quality) or keep the FLAC but downsample it to 16/44.1 (CD Quality).
• Burning to CD: If you burn this to a standard Audio CD, the CD will only be 16/44.1. You will lose the extra resolution of your 24/192 file, though it will still sound like a perfect CD.

What does “24-192” mean?

• 16-bit (CD Quality): Provides a theoretical dynamic range of 96 dB. Suitable for most listening.
• 24-bit: Provides a dynamic range of 144 dB. This allows for a vastly lower noise floor. When Bruford’s cymbal decays into silence, you hear the actual acoustic fade, not the hiss of digital quantization.
• 192kHz (Sampling Rate): While humans technically cannot hear frequencies above 20kHz, a 192kHz sampling rate captures ultrasonic frequencies (up to 96kHz). More importantly, it allows the analog-to-digital converters to operate with extreme precision, preserving the transients—the attack of a pick on a bass string or the initial "chiff" of a pipe organ.

• Resolution: 24 bits increases theoretical dynamic range (~144 dB) vs 16‑bit (~96 dB), reducing quantization noise; 192 kHz sample rate extends theoretical frequency response well beyond human hearing, allowing gentler anti‑aliasing filters and potentially smoother transient reproduction during ADC/DAC conversion.
• Expected audible benefits:

  Is this the greatest prog album of all time? In this resolution, it’s hard to argue otherwise. The Pinnacle of Progressive Rock in Ultra-High Definition:

  Track 2: And You and I

  • Dynamic Range: The "Loudness Wars" (where music is compressed to sound louder) ruined many classic rock reissues. This release is notably dynamic. The quiet passages—like the ambient bird sounds in the intro or Rick Wakeman’s gentle organ swells—are truly quiet, allowing the explosive sections (like the band crashing in at the 4-minute mark of the title track) to hit with physical impact.
  • Top-End Clarity: At 192kHz, the high frequencies are silky smooth. On standard MP3s or lower-quality streams, Steve Howe’s guitar picking and Bill Bruford’s cymbals can sound "swishy" or sibilant. Here, you can hear the wood of the guitar neck and the specific decay of the cymbals. It removes the "digital glare" that often plagues 70s recordings.
  • The Low End: Chris Squire’s bass is the backbone of Yes. In 24-bit, the weight of his Rickenbacker is massive. It doesn't just sound like a low frequency; you can hear the growl and the string rattle, distinct from the kick drum.

  2. The Audio Quality (24-bit / 192kHz)

  Listening to the 24/192 FLAC is a revelation for a few specific reasons: If you need to save space: Convert to