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Audience 8.1 - Do not be dismayed by this sound rating, in fact this has been re-mastered and is vastly superior to all other versions out there. The lineage of this recording was the cause of some confusion for decades – it was believed to have been from Rotterdam but is in fact Amsterdam. Why this show has been overlooked by collectors is beyond me, it’s a marathon concert and should be in the collection. Maybe it was the marginal sound quality of previous versions? Oh well, now we have this.
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Audience 7.4 - Interesting to listen to this, it’s almost like they are performing on a soundstage, but the quality is only so-so. I do not know what to make of it, my instinct says this was a TV broadcast, maybe this was recorded off the TV volume? It’s not too bad, just not a very wide dynamic range.
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Audience 8.0 - A good reference recording, does not deliver a palette full of dynamic sound colorization or anything like that but it is a pretty clear, one-dimensional recording. One thing I can say is that collectors will want this, as any 1972 show is well worth having in my opinion and this one is very decent even if it lacks a solid low end (not necessarily thin, just not a lot of bottom).
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Soundboard 9.5 - Right here, this is the one to get from this tour. Sparkling! Note: Of all the Yes shows I have heard, and I have heard many, although there are many close seconds, for some reason this is my all time favorite. The Audio is superb and the vibe is present with both the audience and the band. Stunning!
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Audience 7.5 - Two complete shows from 1984 that see very limited trading and as far as I know there’s been no CD release for either. There is good reason for this – these recordings sucked ass. Unfortunate too, because both gigs are screamers. Now, the good news! Both shows have been re-mastered using the best technology available (whatever they did 35 years ago obviously did not do much) and the results are that you can hear music now, you can hear what Eddie is doing and you can hear the band. No, it is not going to be sonically superior, but it is sonically better than any previous versions, and that is saying an awful lot! Best way to enjoy these is to listen to the original recordings and then pop these discs in, and THEN you will understand the work that went into saving these gigs from obscurity. The packaging on this title is superb by the way.
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Audience 7.8 - A MAJOR upgrade here folks! This recording used to suffer a horrible low mid range boom and muddiness that killed an otherwise decent tape and really good performance capture. Now, even though it is still roughly an average tape, it is minus that deal-breaking boom/mud in the middle. Apparently, the recording being in stereo, while mastering they found by moving it wider (stereo panning) they got the affected channel muted enough where it was crap sounding, but saved what music was there. It worked wonders. Now this tape is worth your time, so rediscover it today.
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Soundboard 8.8 - A loud board mix, with a little crispiness in the ultra high frequency but what this actually translates to as the show plays is CRUNCH factor which helps liven up what could have been a flat, lifeless board tape. The remastering helped because the levels were kind of low, and the bass needed to be dialed back just a tick, but just that light touch really made this tape a whole point better. Fantastic prime era Halen comin’ out yer speakers like lightning bolts. MUST HAVE!!!
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Audience 7.8 - Stadium sound all the way. Boomy and loud and CRAZY audience but damn, it’s hard not to love it. The good news here is the drums are defined and not just a sloppy boomy mess, the guitar slices through the mud and lands on your ears in the right spot, then Dave yelps, and does his thing. The end of Hot For Teacher when the drum solo starts the whole place goes bananas.
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Early Soundboard 8.6 - High energy; it does get a little "hot" as far as the mix but it doesn't detract from the experience of hearing Van Halen in a small club playing their asses off before they hit the big time. Dave is in fine form, as always. A great gig, a very good recording, a great band at a great time. Highly recommended.
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This is an Audience recording, my rating is a 7.3 quality, not a bad show. It's got one thing I can appreciate, a lively atmosphere without being obnoxious and intrusive although I got to tell you, sometimes the audience makes the performance...want proof? Listen to the Madison Square Garden 1984 show - you can honestly say that the loud, obnoxious, and totally over the top crowd and atmosphere is what totally makes that show. I found myself more interested in the crowd believe it or not. I must offer that show in the future - seriously the audience is the best part even though the band is on fire and inspired by the crowd. This one is close to that mania, but nothing compares to that MSG show.
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Audience 10 - This is the first 10 rating I have ever issued. Why? Simply put, this recording is BREATHTAKING. The detail, the precision, the mix, the dynamics, the atmosphere, the playing, the quality is nothing short of PERFECT. So, if I had the information on these tapers I would ask them for copies of anything else they recorded. It’s THAT GOOD folks.