10-20-10 Utica Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY Source Review

For this fantastic show, there are 5 sources available.  There are several that are really superb here, in fact, my choice of the best is really a toss-up between two of them.

Source 1 (hereafter Busman source)
Source: Busman Bsc1 (Hypers)>kind cables>Fostex FR-2LE(Busman T-mod)
Location: OTS /LOC/DIN
Transfer: FR-2LE>Wavelab 6.0>CD Wave>TLH(flac 16)

Etree Source

Source 2 (hereafter FOB 140 source)
Source: (FOB) Neumann AK40/LC3/KM100 (DIN)> Grace Design Lunatec V3 (Analog)> (Oade Concert Modified) Edirol R-44 (24/48 on a SDHC Card).
Transfer: SDHC Card> Card Reader> PC> Samplitude SE No. 9 (Fade in/out, normalize, dither to 16 bit, and resample to 44.1k)> CD Wav (Tracked and converted to flac @ level 8).

Etree Source

Source 3 (hereafter DPA source)
Source: DPA 4023>Sonosax SX-M2>Sound Devices 722 (24/96)
Config/Location: DIN/FOH/OTS/SROC front row right corner of FOH 10' stand
Transfer: 722>Firewire>Macbook>
Sound Studio 3.6(fades, normalize peak, track)>Wave Editor (iZotope Resampler/MBIT+ Dither)>
xACT 1.71(align on sector boundaries, encode, tag, fingerprint)>flac16

Etree Source

Source 4 (hereafter SKM 140 source)
Location: OTS just FOB, front right corner of soundboard barrier
Mic config: mics outside stacks, Sabra-Som SSM-1 shock mounts/stereo bar, Manfrotto air-cushioned stand @ 10.5 ft, small screens
Source: 2 Neumann SKM 140’s(AK40 caps/LC3 actives/KM100)>>GAKables xlr>Lunatec V2>GAKables xlr>Apogee Mini-Me@96/24>AES/EBU>Sound Devices 722 @96kHz/24bit
Transfer: Sound Devices 722 master file @96kHz/24bit>firewire>Sound Forge 9.0e>44.1/16-CD Wave v1.96.1(tracking)>tag w/Tag Scanner5.0,fingerprint/FLAC16 via FLAC frontend 1.7.1(level 8)
Notes: ~ S.F. 9.0 (mastering limiter by 2db to -.20db character 10, fades, resample(high setting 4) w/anti alias filter & dither-high pass triangular/noise shaping-high pass contour to 44.1/16)


Etree Source
24 bit Etree Source

Source 5 (hereafter Nak source)
Source: Edirol UA-5>Edirol R-09 HR>Nakamichi 300 Mics W/CP4 Shotguns>CD WAV Editor>Traders Little Helper>Flac Level 8

Etree Source

First off, you have to love that picture there.  It pretty much says it all.  I want to thank the tapers for bringing the aud's every night.  They have been great this tour, and this was a great show, plain and simple. 

The Busman source sounds relatively tinny, the highs are very crisp, but the lows just aren't there.  There is really no punch from the kick or from Gordon hitting really low notes.  The levels are quite nice however.

The FOB 140 source has nice levels as well.  The highs are crips, but there is not as much high end as in any of the other sources.   This actually tends to make it sound less crisp in comparison, but the essentials, the high-hats and ride cymbals, still sound great.  The bass is richer than the Busman source.  Overall, this is probably the 3rd best of the 5 recordings.

The Nak 300 source has the most problems in the low end.  It sounds like there is a notch filter on everything below 120 hz.  There is just not bass response at the low end and the kick drum is almost non-existant.  Definitely my least favorite of the 5 recordings.

The DPA source has really nice levels, good bass response and crisp highs.  Just a great sounding recording.

The SKM 140 source is also great sounding.  Great bass response and crisp highs.  Quite honestly, you can't go wrong with either the DPA source, or the SKM 140 source.  For myself, I have gone with the SKM source because it is available in 24 bit.  Either way, great recordings guys.

Happy listening!