Yes – Fragile

FRAGILE REISSUE COMPARISON TIME:

2016 KPG pressed at Record Industry
2018 Steven Wilson Remix by Optimal
2019 Mofi 1 Step pressed at RTI
2025 KPG AP 75th pressed at QRP

It took a while to do this and ive finally compiled my thoughts on these records and how they sound. The most important thing to is these are MY observations on MY kit therefore catering to MY tastes. The kit in question is fairly humble comprising a timewarp Pioneer PL-51 direct drive, with an AT VM95ML cart into a Project Tube Box S2 into a Musical Fidelity M2Si and finally into Focal Chora 806 bookshelves with all cabling courtesy of Atlas Equator and Hyper (all about £1800 not including the Pioneer which i was lucky to inherit). My pressings of these are excellent quality examples but YMMV, i generally found the 45rpm and better vinyl of the Mofi and AP75th to be best but the two 33's are superb for the money.

I will start by firstly but positively dismissing the 2016 KPG cut. While its very very decent in isolation i feel it sounds the thinnest and most uptight sounding press of the four especially at the end of each side. Kevin did his best but imho its the one i would reach for least of my four. If it was all i owned id be happy but always thinking could it be better!?

Thats where the 2025 AP 75th comes in... its basically the 2016 cut but fixed.... smoothed out a tad, opened up abit, fleshed out somewhat and dynamically livened up to boot. Its what the 2016 cut dreams of being. Its just easier and more relaxing and enjoyable to listen to. Its very organic sounding.

The Steven Wilson remix is..... excellent tbh! Theres going to be those who cant bare the thought of Fragile being butchered and reassembled with digital equipment in play, but analogue snobbery is not something i care much for and he has done a very nice job. In one respect it betters the 2016 and thats remaining consistent of sound through the ends of sides. I like the full, smooth sound. I like the balance. However, where Wilsons take on Tales of Topographic and Relayer are - and imho here - ABSOLUTELY DEFINITIVE versions of said albums, his Fragile remix is more a nice curio. I cant say it better than the original, just different. Maybe at 45rpm over two discs i would have a hard time not saying it might be definitive.

And finally the Mofi 1 Step. God i hate the packaging of these things and the labels branding taking precedence over the artists work. Anyway.... whoaa, the bass and drums are up a few db here alright! The top end is silky silky silky and the soundstage is great. The 45rpm offers up the advantages of spreading the grooves wide and again like the AP there is that sense of ease you only get from a large displacement, just like a motor car with a big torque-y engine. The sound is really as if its a Chris Squire and Bill Bruford remix designed to bring them to the fore. Jon and Rick are more distant and Steve has abit less bite. Abit of a midrange hole is present perhaps but this is like the SW Remix in that its a different take on the original EQ for better or worse. For those with very lean and/or bright systems and those whose tastes are bass and drum oriented they will likely prefer this version the most. But its arguably the least balanced of all four cuts. Your system and tastes are the defining things and i can see people saying this is by far the best Fragile has sounded or by far the worst. I like it, but im not sure i love it. The packaging and the lack of authenticity slightly bug me for a label that puts the words Original Master Recording atop its reissues but if someone says Fragile sounds better here than anywhere else i couldnt really disagree.

In all honesty, for pure listening pleasure i enjoyed all four reissues and i dont think you can go wrong with any of them. Its going to come down to tastes and systems as much as anything. Theres no doubt the 2016 KPG has its full potential released and realised in the 2025 AP. Arguably it should as its double the money but with the quality of packaging, reproduction and pressing itself this would be the one i would keep if a gun was held to my head and i was forced to pick one to keep. The SW Remix is now available outside boxset ive got on green vinyl and at rrp i think its a must own copy as its got its own strengths (though the green vinyl might be noisy and more distorted as i often find with Optimal colour presses). Even if i hated the SW remix i would keep my copy as the boxset has Relayer and Topographic versions i simply cannot live without now. And finally theres the Mofi.... expensive, ridiculously packaged but superbly pressed and potentially best of mastering... it really has my head abit fried lol. I dont know where i personally stand with it despite all its obvious qualities. Its definately one of the good One Steps but its not the definitive version of Fragile imho.

Thanks for reading and happy collecting!

I don't know what word to use to describe this album...Exquisite, Perfect, Beautiful, Incredible, Unbelievable, Exceptional, Awesome, take your pick. This is the best pressing of this album I have EVER heard, BUY IT!

This one isn’t as good as the KG cut from 2016 which can still be purchased in 2024 on clear vinyl

The better your hifi system, the better this version.
Absolutely stunning, deep black, dead quiet, no clicks and pops !

Typical “OneStep” attributes of fuller bass, wide soundstage, coupled with the dead quiet super vinyl makes Fragile sound expansive, dynamic and big, even if it comes across as somewhat exaggerated. The KG remaster is better focused and tonally more neutral, being a good balance of warmth and liveliness.
If you’re a “OneStep” collector, then Fragile should be on your shortlist as it’s a pretty epic sounding edition. But darn it, that KG cut from the Master Tapes remaster is a ripper if you don’t have the coin to shell out for the DSD MoFi, being a fraction of the “OneStep’s” asking price.

My original CDN pressing have long been unlistenable. I compare this with my 2006 Analogue Productions from original analogue tapes cut by Kevin Gray. This MOFI version is bright and detailed, but I prefer the Analogue Productions when playing loud.

Incredible sounding record. Continuing misunderstanding about the benefits and drawbacks of having DSD in the signal path will keep some away from this. Their loss!

Honestly, the 2016 edition cut from the original analogue master tapes by Kevin Gray sounds to my ears better than this edition.

But is it an all analogue pressing ?
Before anyone here shoots me please watch the 14 th July video on YouTube from Mike at The In Groove and then consider your reply.
He seems to have some very worrying information about all mofi releases since 2015.
Is he right ? I don't know but he has been given this information from somebody in the know.
I only pose this because so many folks look down on MoV releases. Maybe they might have to reappraise that opinion?
EDIT 25/7/22
Well amazing what a week brings right !?!?!?! So it looks as if those naughty guys at mofi have been telling pork pies, source YouTube interview on 19/7/22 between those three shifty looking chaps from mofi and Mike Esposito of the In Groove. Wherein it was confirmed that ever since, at least 2015, if not earlier, that a DXD/DSD digital file was made and special secret sauce applied. That means the so called all analogue original master tape claim is pure and utter bu* "&%&-:'t.
Ok that's all from me.
Oh by the way im.only the piano player so guys, don't shoot me ok ?!?! I'm just saying.
Love and peace to all.

I was so lucky to find this one this week, originally sealed, in a hifi shop in Essen, during a short trip with my girlfriend.....for the fair price of € 199 ,-
I didn't have to think long about buying it....