Which is the best version of this album to get ?

I think I read it was going to be put on audiophile gold disc,but really am interested in the best sounding well packaged disc.

Hasn't Audio Fidelity released that one as a gold CD? My Faces CD's are the original Japanese Warner pressings, good luck finding those!

There are UK remasters coming out in March - viewtopic.php?t=16470
You might want to wait to hear on these before making a decision.

I only really listen to the box set anymore. It has live tracks, and they were much better live.

Those were scheduled for March 2008, then cancelled. The work is done, the tracklistings are complete, but it might take a successful Faces reunion for them to actually be released.

So yeh, if there's no rush, Master Hare, then Charles' advice is best -- wait awhile and see what happens with the expanded remasters.

If you can't wait -- the AF gold CD sounds virtually the same as the old Warner Bros Archives version, which lists for about half the price:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000002KDW/?tag=imwan-20

(I got the gold CD when it was released and was very disappointed in it. It does sound good, but not really an upgrade from the WB version I already owned.)

I agree with Linda, Hoffman's remaster wasn't that much of an upgrade, the WEA US pressing sounds pretty good.

I think I read somewhere that the master tapes to this album are lost, so all editions have been from lower generation tapes.

That's just what I was wondering Linda,these much-vaunted prestige audio versions don't alwayslive up to expectations. As Geoff has the same opinion too, also owing the Hoffman edition and not being able to tell much difference either, then I think I'll go for the 1993 Warner imprint.
I don't care enough to wait for the new remasters which might sound worse and having all those bonus tracks tagged on the end isn't a selling point for me either.Thanks.

It was not an audiophile release to start with, the best version I have heard so far is the Japan WPCP disc (the very first release of the title on CD IIRC).

Does a HDCD player help the sound of the AF Gold (IIRC it is a HDCD disc)??

I treasure my Japanese Warner CD's of The Faces.