Crosby, Stills & Nash [Gold CD]

Crosby Stills & Nash (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 13, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Gold CD
• Label: Audio Fidelity
• ASIN: B005V4X8JA
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,455 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

2. Marrakesh Express

3. Guinevere

4. You Don't Have To Cry

5. Pre-Road Downs

6. Wooden Ships

7. Lady of the Island

8. Helplessly Hoping

9. Long Time Gone

10. 49 Bye-Byes

Editorial Reviews

Limited 24kt. gold disc pressing of the Rock trio's 1969 debut album. Features the Classic Rock hits "Marrakesh Express" and "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Crosby, Stills & Nash, December 21, 2011

By 

Maurice Broussard "villazero" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crosby, Stills & Nash (Audio CD)

I've been collecting the fine remastered 24K Gold CDs by a wide variety of popular artists and their classic recordings from Audio Fidelity, the California record label who deals in high quality sound reproduction and superior packaging - the CDs are worth the few pennies more you may pay when compared to standard reproductions. I've been very accepting regarding some of the albums that were not necessarily on the top-of-my-want list, but however piqued my general curiosity about remastered recordings.

When the company released the influential, Crosby, Stills & Nash debut recording by David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, they were treading on sacred soil.

I always believed there was more that could be pulled from this record than we were given to

hear, as brilliant as it is, as great as the songs are, I felt something sonically was left behind. Very much a studio record, but no air or life to the fidelity. Yes, this album has been released in many forms and configurations over the years and some of the better among them only served to lend credence to my sense of a missing essence while the others were smothered, dead and lacking substance.

And then, BOOM, just like that, in one auriferous explosion everything shifted with the arrival of Audio Fidelity's game-changing reissue - the bar hasn't just been raised, this production is the Mt. Olympus of Crosby, Stills & Nash while nearly every other version of the historical album is merely mortal.

I trusted this CD would sound stunning and though I thought I knew this album sonically and

where the potential for improvement would rest I joyfully underestimated. There's more here to hear than I suspected beginning with the blending of voices and instruments and sounds I

never heard before. There are noteworthy differences in tonality from the individual solo singing to the group vocals. The vocals are a bit more up front or prominent. The harmonies sound so sweet, you can hear deep into the mix of the vocals with a clarity that reveals a true lifelike sound. With this mastering, credited to Steve Hoffman, the musicians are not so much set on a stage in front of you as they are instead placed in the room around you.

The 24K Gold CD offers an unimaginable new level of resolution, it is nice and clear and not

too bright. There's a warm, really nice sound, smooth with resoundingly deep lows. The bass

is crystal clear - amazingly clean and rich bass notes. More definition around the vocals and

instruments that allow a smooth feeling of separation. I've discovered small details I never

noticed such as the guitar strings being touched and played - nuances in the guitars that

simply weren't there before and an exceptional realism in the sound of the drums and

percussion.

For the first time I am hearing the sheer power of this magical music. There are certain lines in "Marrakesh Express" that I've never heard with such clarity. How could "Suite:Judy Blue Eyes" ever sound better than remembered; well, for one and two, it has a smoother sound and better lows.

Nothing is lost on this special release from the David Crosby "come in my kitchen" piece to

the reintroduction of drummer Dallas Taylor peeking out from behind the broken glass pane of

the closed door pictured on the CD art.

Speaking of the art, before I close something must be said about the CD packaging, starting

with the company's unique slip case to the beautiful and authentic booklet that mirrors the

sense of the original LP album cover in color and texture. Included too are all the song lyrics, the original insert pen and ink design drawing, a copy of the original release 12" labels and the 4-color 2-page spread of the famous photo of the band dressed in parkas against a sun drenched backdrop.

Throughout the entire disc, absolutely nothing stands out as not sounding perfect,it is all just so musical. Presence, detail, depth and warmth are the ingredients every great recording should boast. This CD has become my go-to recording of this classic for without a doubt this is not only one of the best CDs Audio Fidelity has ever released, but they can lay claim to producing the definitive version of Crosby, Stills & Nash.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great music, excellent sonics, December 23, 2011

By 

G. Alexander (Baltimore, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crosby, Stills & Nash (Audio CD)

As a head's up, I tend to submit reviews only for CDs whose music or remastering is either very impressive or so lousy that a warning to potential buyers seems warranted. I own a number of Steve Hoffman DCC Gold CDs and they are all winners, with warm yet incredibly detailed sound that, although issued in the 1990's, still beats any subsequent remastering more than 15 years later and somehow -- despite the lower bit resolution -- reasonably competes even with SACDs (at least on up to mid-level stereo systems). In contrast, I find the Audio Fidelity gold reissues hit and miss, at least in terms of having the sonics be revelatory. After playing this new release (with mastering by Hoffman) of the 1st CS&N album yesterday, even from just a single listen I can report this one is a winner. Since at least one reviewer has already provided a highly detailed report, I will just say that the sound reproduction on this AF release brought me closer than any of this album's other previous CD reissues to the sound that I recall when this album was first released in 1969 and I listened to the LP through headphones on a buddy's stereo (which was better than mine). Upon reaching the end of the album of this AF reissue, I realized what little role drumming played in the arrangements (and how much some simple percussion had added) and that the rhythmic propulsion of the non-ballad tunes like "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Long Time Comin'" are almost all due to the creatively melodic lines of Stills' bass playing (which in this instance were more akin to McCartney's or Entwhistle's than those found in the usual rock band simply holding down the bottom) interwoven with his overdubbed acoustic strumming and memorable electric guitar leads. It made me recall how unique and stunning this original CS&N sound was and, although the harmonies remained the same, from Deja Vu onwards when CS&N (&Y) added a full backing band, would never again be quite the same. The clarity of the stereo imaging and sound separation on this AF release also highlights (especially with the organ parts also played by Stills) just how precociously talented and adept Stills was a musician. Just a final note: As with a number of other AF releases (whether mastered by Hoffman or Kevin Gray), I had to raise the volume on my pre-amp to much higher than usual listening levels to get a clear picture of the sound reproduction. I usually listen at around what would would be a 3-4 to my volume knob but needed to turn it up to 5-6 for this and other AF releases. That being said, just from listening (and not from any measurements), I don't detect any noticeable distortion from this necessary volume boost and it did not at all disturb my listening pleasure.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CSN again, January 23, 2012

By 

Austin A. Fiore - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crosby, Stills & Nash (Audio CD)

Been listening to CSN formany years. Always buy the latest and greatest masterings. Hoffman has done a excellent job considering the source recording. Vocals are very present. Good definition to the instruments. Some songs were much better than past offerings. The bass much more defind, especially in Marakesh Express. Very enjoyable!