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Thread: Is the sound too loud in concerts?

  1. #1
    Member mark_qiu's Avatar
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    Is the sound too loud in concerts?

    I went to the ei Tour in Hamburg on Oct 3rd. I was siting on the 9th line counting from the standing area, right in front of the giant screen. The sound of the concert was to me however sort of too loud, especially the high frequency, which sounded like a huge amount of metal pieces breaking and tearing massively. It was so loud, that the tones of Edge’s guitar and Bono’s vocal were even out of shape, not as beautiful as when they are played in an appropriate loudness. Also, I couldn’t hear as clear each part of the band as I could when I listen with my headphone. And the loudness is definitely hearing ability damaging. Every time Edge plays a high note, it feels like a giant knife flying out shearing the audience from the PA. To my surprise the band was acting as if it was all alright, and Edge was jumping and dancing like he was having a good time. It’s hard for me to imagine how the band members could enjoy it when there are like 20 stereos above their heads making exploding sound.

    I’ve been a U2 fan since 16-year-old and it’s been 6 years. Since I came from China, I never expected to see them unless I go abroad. And now I’m a lucky b****** here in Germany and finally made it to see them. The whole concert was magnificent, brilliant and mad, they played many Achtung Baby songs to dedicate to the Germany Reunion Day, including Zoo Station which is my favorite song. It was dream coming true there, except for one thing, the loudness, or more precisely, the sound effect of the concert...

    According to the Equal-Loudness-Contours, people get more sensitive to sound between 1kHz to 5kHz as the sound gets louder from 60dB, that means the audio technician should cut down the high frequency more than other frequencies in a loud concert. Apparently the audio technician didn’t do a great job that night. I only came across these problems in small livehouses in my hometown, didn’t know it occurs as well in world top rock band live performances... I was expecting a loud, yet clear, comfortable and beautiful sound effect there at U2 concert. Honestly I gotta say, about the sound effect, I am truely disappointed... What’s going on? Was it an accident at Hamburg that night, or it was originally supposed to be that way? I really don’t think it is good work from the audio technician who works for the world top class band.


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  2. #2
    Senior Member Toopy14's Avatar
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    Yes, unnecessarily loud, in my opinion. I wear ear plugs and it actually sounds better.

  3. #3
    I always wear earplugs. I find that U2s sounds is usuallly not that great unless you’re next to their soundboard.

  4. #4
    Yes, almost all concerts are way too loud. Especially those at large, indoor arenas where the sound reflects all over the place. I have custom molded earplugs with -15db filters. They work pretty well but you still lose some of the clarity.

    I just saw Christina Aguilera this week at Radio City Music Hall. Believe it or not, my first time ever at this venue, and it was incredible. Best acoustics in the NY area. It was loud but I didn't need to wear earplugs for most of the show (I put them on for songs I didn't care about).

    My biggest complaint is the bass at most concerts. I was surprised that the bass was mixed properly for Christina. But the rappers that opened the show had massive bass that just overwhelmed everything. It's annoying and aggravating. Just no need for it. The bass is often too loud at U2 concerts also. I just don't get it? It drowns out so much. Bass permeates everything, so it should be lower, not higher in the mix. Drives me crazy.

    I give Christina's team so much credit. It was one of the top 5 concerts I've ever been to. Her voice is still perfect! And her band and back up singers were incredible. And to play in a great venue and with great sound production was a huge extra!

    Go see Christina if you can. She slays it. Sorry to say, but it was more exciting than a U2 concert.
    U2GTAdministrator

  5. #5
    I wonder.. did concerts get louder over the years?
    Some much new regulations concerning volume in the last years so i can't imagine that.

    I played a gig recently and we weren't alowed above 94db (and this was a music venue!)
    Our drummer had to put a towel on his snare.

    I think concerts are not louder but the perception of volume changed because of our age. Not trying to insult anyone btw i'm 48 myself.



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  6. #6
    I saw them in Paris last month for their first 2 concerts, the sound was awful compared to 2015 ... high frequencies were far to loud, the mix of the voice average (maybe to mask the poor performance at least the first night)

  7. #7
    Member mark_qiu's Avatar
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    Is the sound too loud in concerts?

    Thanks folks, your answers put me in relief that my ears are alright...
    If I’m lucky enough to attend another U2 concert, yeah, earplugs are a must... wish I did more research before I went to my first U2 concert...Pity!
    Thanks Michael! I’ll go check out Christina Aguilera! Maybe it’s me a bit too much sensitive to the treble, and not so much to the bass, that I thought the bass at that U2 concert I went to was alright, but treble was unbearable...
    That’s right, Explorer, their age could be a reason. As people get older, they become less and less sensitive to high frequency sounds... Once I got so annoyed by the sharp screaming noice outside my window, but my grandma beside me said she couldn’t hear anything...
    So maybe U2 changed their audio technician after 2015? But if they did, it surely was a good idea

    Thanks folks! Next time I won’t go to a concert without an earplug. I was just so surprised to find out that the real live concert experience at U2 is, not similar to their live concert DVDs... I mean, in the DVDs, it sounded incredible, but now I realized that DVDs are directly recorded from the mixer... yeah, I was young and naive, and easy to fool...


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    Last edited by mark_qiu; 10-06-2018 at 12:27 PM.

  8. #8
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    I just went to the 1st concert in Copenhagen and must admit that the sound wasn´t as good as what I experienced 3 years ago in Berlin.

    The bass was quite massive and the sound was, with my earplugs(aluminium core with foam tips), attenuated in a way that Edge´s guitar sounded out of tune. I´ve never experienced that before and believe me, they have served me well at loud concerts before.

    Funny enough Bono tributed their sound engineer Joe O´ for his 40 years with the band mentioning the great sound they were known for, on the 2nd nigth in Copenhagen ..!! :-)

  9. #9
    I saw Joe Bonamassa last weekend in Oslo. He has 4 tube amps cranked on stage (2 high powered twins, and 2 Dumbles), and a full band (8 total). I expected him to use quite loud volume in the PA, but I didn't need to use mye earplugs at all during the 2 hours. I almost always use earplugs for at least parts of the shows I'm seeing. It was indoor and I had great seats in front of the stage (not front row).

    Sometimes I keep the plugs in for the whole show, just normal rubber plugs. I like to adjust them so they take away some of the treble or bass, depending on what is the main problem. The last time I saw U2 live, 2 shows in Stockholm in 2015, I think the sound was really good. I think I used the plugs for parts of the show, but I definitly had to take them out for the more quiet parts (Every breaking wave. I think the volume was too low on that one)
    Kjetil Gilje

  10. #10
    To be honest I'm not a big fan of Joe O´, probably due to how many times I've been disappointed by the sound at U2 concerts, starting with my first one, back at 93 with Zooropa: Then I've been to all tours since that one and the only concert where everything was perfect was at the 360 tour debut in barcelona, sound was clear and well balanced. Other 2 concerts that were OK where 2001 in Antwerp and 2005 in barcelona, the rest where pretty bad, the last being The Joshua tree tour last year.
    I know it's a quite difficult job but for a guy that has got the best equipment available since at least 1992 the results are pretty disappointing.
    Human ear degrades with age and specially on the high frequencies, so Joe O' probably doesn't hear that all his concerts since the last 2 years are way too loud and unbalanced on the highs, to a degree that it is painful to the ears.
    For me he should take a well deserved pension and let someone with fresher ears take his position.

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