Steven Wilson "Remasters/Remixes" What's Your Experience?

My brother and I recently compared my ripped copy of Yes, Close to the Edge, a remastered and expanded edition from a couple decades ago, and the Steven Wilson version on Qobuz. The difference was large. My older version was very good for an album of its age, and it sounded like the album we know well. I am not sure what to say about the SW remaster, the soundstage shrunk massively, it seemed to fit nicely in a rectangle between the speakers. Dynamics were missing.

I was looking forward to hearing this on my system because I had listened to one of his remixes on my AirPods and thought it was pretty good. Maybe that is the audience. Or the version on Qobuz is not accurate. 

@whart - have you heard the double 45rpm version of 'Benefit'? 

No, I haven't, @larsman -- is that a Chad effort? Or another SW cut?

I think it has a lot to do with SW being totally in love with the newest digital technologies including 5.1. He has basically turned his back on stereo analog. I am not terribly impressed with any of his remixes, but specially how pedestrian his later albums sound on vinyl. And I did love the grand majority of his music and sound since the early days of Porcupine Tree.  Also his love of pop for the last few years has taken a toll on my appreciation of his work.

@whart - it's a Chad/Analog Productions release; they also did this with 'Stand Up'. I have all those Jethro Tull CD's in the book-size deluxe packages, and those have SW mixes, but both 'Stand Up' and 'Benefit' sound far superior to me than any other versions I've heard, including those. I'd say those are some of the best sounding double-45's I've got.