Any U2 Fans Here?

NO.
Tell them to keep the politics to themselves.

Sure, the new album's sound quality can be really annoying -- I've found myself turning it down, too -- but there really are a whole bunch of great U2 songs on "No Line on the Horizon." I've played it over and over and have really found myself liking it more and more. (Granted, I've been a fan from the first. Even saw them way back in the day before they were at all well known. It was in a college auditorium that probably doesn't seat more than 1,000 or so, and they completely blew the roof off the dump.)
Get on your boots and give the new one another listen. It's no audiophile recording, but it's damn good rock 'n' roll played by a band that is still on top of its game.
-- Howard

Don't know about the CD, but the double vinyl rocks with excellent SQ. And "Unknown Caller" might be the song of the decade.

Hodu, I've got on my boots and listened to the album for a 2nd time, but with some changes. I swapped my amp to the more forgiving Plinius and placed some absorption panels on the side walls. The rough edges were slightly reduced and "Magnificent" sounded quite magnificent now. I agree the first song is full of compression. I will give "Unknown Caller" a try later.

Excellent news, Ryder. I'm willing to bet that you find more songs you like as you hear the disc a few more times. I'll admit to being predisposed toward liking the boys, but I really do think that this is their best album in quite some time.