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    heatherlew
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    "The Grateful Dead picked up their instruments and hit the first note with perfection. They never missed a note for the next three and one-half hours. People followed the flow of the tunes. Down on the floor in front of the stage was a sea of heads keeping time with the music. No one sat still. No one, except the youngsters behind us sat still. They were still and stunned." - The Power County Press

    And what a stunner it was, that show at the Boise State University Pavilion in Boise, ID on September 2, 1983. Dave's Picks Volume 27 contains every stitch of music from this mid-80s show (our first in this series), one that's as good as any other in Grateful Dead history. When the Dead were on, they were ON! Straight out the gate with a definitive take on the old standard "Wang Dang Doodle," the band swiftly switches back to a setlist of yore, firing off 70s staples like "Jack Straw" and "Brown-Eyed Women" and wrapping things up with a terrific trio of "Big Railroad Blues"/"Looks Like Rain"/"Deal" (don't you let that epic guitar solo go down without you). Primed for the second set, they tackle the complexities of "Help>Slipknot!>Franklin's" with heart and ease. It's clear there will be no stopping their flow - Bobby and Brent hanging in for a fantastic pre-Drums "Jam" and Jerry and Bobby in the zone on a not-to-be-missed melodic "Space." Not a skipper in the whole lot!

    Dave's Picks Volume 27 has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman and it is limited to 18,000 individually-numbered copies*.

    *Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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  • KeithFan2112
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    Dark Stars
    alvarhanso, very interesting you spoke highly of the DaP 19 Dark Star. I've never considered this one of the stronger ones, but I'm going to give it a re-listen right now, sans The Other One. I have a little bit of a mental block on 1970 dark stars. They seem to either be in a class of their own or sound exactly the same to me. I'm not saying that as a fact just an impression. You also spoke of the Rockin the Rhein bonus disc Dark Star. This one's in my top 10. I read about someone on the Steve Forum site not liking this one and could do nothing but a Scooby-Doo "whaaaat??" I hunted that bonus this down for years on eBay and then ended up putting on two of them in the same week thinking I wasn't going to win both auctions, but I did. Ended up trading the second one for the closing of winterland bonus disc and one other, I forget which. The February 2nd 1970 Dark Star is also one of my favorites, if not top 10 definitely top 15. This first 10 fill up very quickly. Jimbo thanks for the reminder on the 1019 Dark Star. I've been meaning to merge the Mind left body track that follows it with the actual Dark Star for some time now, but I always forget. I'm going to take care of that this morning. I figure, it do it on a few other dark stars, you know, include mind left body is part of the Dark Star. The real motivation is having the two pieces of music run contiguously on shuffle play. I'd like to start merging all of my China Riders as well. I'm on the fence about some of the other big ones. I merged all the dark stars with there medley tracks on Europe 72. I just keep them at the end of the tracklist in my digital music folder for each record. Definitely retirement activity, if that day ever comes.
  • JimInMD
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    Re: Dark Star
    I don't have a favorite Dark Star. To complicate things.. I find my mood and willingness to invest in what is often at least a half hour song impacts what I think of it. This sucks a bit.. but without a little mood enhancing help, that's just the way it is. Plus, I'm pretty busy as are likely most of you. So I have learned not to judge or invest myself into the outcome... just let it be and when I am rewarded I try to simply enjoy the moment. This approach seems to work just fine. The last one I listened to? Happens to be 10/19/73. It's currently my favorite but tomorrow never knows. Imagine that.
  • alvarhanso
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    Re: Dark Star
    I love Dave's 6 2/2/70 and 12/21/69, featuring two magnificent Dark Stars, each very different. Veneta 8/27/72 is just amazing, a 30 minute one that breezes by on a lysergic wave of energy before winding up in El Paso sung by a freaked out Weir. One that it reminds me of in an odd way is 11/11/73 Winterland, this one covers a lot of ground from a fantastic jazz excursion to some nice melodic weirdness towards the end of the nearly 36 minutes into a Mind Left Body Jam in double time. Dave's 13 also at Winterland 2/24/74 is another fantastic venture into the realm of Dark Star. My last listen to Dave's 19 1/23/70, I really enjoyed that one, too, but it did come out of That's It For the Other One, which adds extra oomph from the jump. And a show we probably all want to come out 2/18/71 with the infamous Dark Star> Wharf Rat (debut)> Beautiful Jam> Dark Star. One Normanized Star I want to hear is 3/24/72 from Rockin' the Rhein bonus disc. One Dark Star I avoid is Dave's 9 5/14/74, that one gets a little too dissonant for my tastes and does it for so long. Every time I try it again thinking I'll get over it I don't. But there's many other awesome Stars to focus on. For latter day versions, 3/29/90 of course and 4/1/91 Greensboro.
  • Thin
    Joined:
    Slow dog re 12/12/73
    Actually it's 12/12/73 and thank you - never heard that show. Crazy-fun soundcheck setlist, a late 2nd set China>Rider that smokes! And a happy birthday Dicky Betts (maybe he hung backstage but didn't play? I checked the 12/12/ date and it was not an ABB double-bill - or maybe they were just going for an easy cheer from the Atlanta audience). And yes some nice Keith in there! Thanks (to you AND Charlie Miller!).
  • Thin
    Joined:
    jaydoublu/McGrupp, DaP27 sound
    Thanks McGrupp for posting the link. As the article states, Rhino paid a lot of money for an exclusive 10-yr "licensing deal". The GD did not "sell the vault". Buying is different than leasing. Pretty nifty payday - the Dead got $30 mil and no longer has to hire staff, maintain a vault, and deal with the overhead, headaches, inventory, monthly business meetings... yet they retain "creative control". Smart. As for the DaP27 sound Q, Sounds a lot like the 10/15/83 Dick's Picks. Not horrible, but not great either - one of the better '80's recordings, which is kind of a backhanded compliment. Vocals are a little high in the mix since the guitars in the room also had amplifiers and didn't need to be as prominent out the PA. And yes the drums are as virile as a wet brown paper bag. However I'm relieved the drums don't seem to have quite as much kick-drum "Wap wap... wap wap...." as some of the '84/'85 recordings. But I'm glad that we get some '80s representation in the DaP series. Also, I don't mind aud patches. It suddenly transports you to a seat in the arena.
  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Damn Dark Stars....
    ....they can fit in any musical category if you look at them right. Like the Boxilla '68 Greek one, which just cued up. Or the Miami '89 mindfuck thats on deck. Worth the ticket price alone. Everything else is icing.
  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Re: 2/2/70
    It's been a while since I gave that one a spin, will have to change that. ..I've never met a Dark Star I didn't like.
  • philledawg
    Joined:
    DAVE'S PICKS 22 w/BONUS/LITHOGRAPHS
    BRAND NEW/SEALED/BONUS LISTED ON AMAZON @ WARNERMARKET............DAVE'S PICKS: VOLUME 22 SEALED w/Bonus...$29.95! HIT IT!
  • Hippychic
    Joined:
    2/2/70
    Like JiminMD says, the best Dark Star is whichever one happens to be the most recent one I listened to. I like this from 2/2/70 on Dave's Picks 6 a lot but its too short so I put it on again. I don't remember this ever getting much hoopla before. Is it really that great or am I just in a happy mood? When Dave's 27 arrives I feel like I want to start with disc 2.
  • deadtony
    Joined:
    Speaking of Dave's 17, Im
    Speaking of Dave's 17, Im surprised it doesn't get much love, just like vol.15, i think its a awesome show.
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"The Grateful Dead picked up their instruments and hit the first note with perfection. They never missed a note for the next three and one-half hours. People followed the flow of the tunes. Down on the floor in front of the stage was a sea of heads keeping time with the music. No one sat still. No one, except the youngsters behind us sat still. They were still and stunned." - The Power County Press

And what a stunner it was, that show at the Boise State University Pavilion in Boise, ID on September 2, 1983. Dave's Picks Volume 27 contains every stitch of music from this mid-80s show (our first in this series), one that's as good as any other in Grateful Dead history. When the Dead were on, they were ON! Straight out the gate with a definitive take on the old standard "Wang Dang Doodle," the band swiftly switches back to a setlist of yore, firing off 70s staples like "Jack Straw" and "Brown-Eyed Women" and wrapping things up with a terrific trio of "Big Railroad Blues"/"Looks Like Rain"/"Deal" (don't you let that epic guitar solo go down without you). Primed for the second set, they tackle the complexities of "Help>Slipknot!>Franklin's" with heart and ease. It's clear there will be no stopping their flow - Bobby and Brent hanging in for a fantastic pre-Drums "Jam" and Jerry and Bobby in the zone on a not-to-be-missed melodic "Space." Not a skipper in the whole lot!

Dave's Picks Volume 27 has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman and it is limited to 18,000 individually-numbered copies*.

*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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I disagree, it's a full 10 out of 10. They're priming DaP 27 for national release. I'm changing my avatar to it right now. You're a cute little guy, keep up the spirit!
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You seem locked into that avatar picture somehow.
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9 years
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Pass me some of that psychedelic licorice. I’ll take the purple. I’ll even take 2, they seem a little small.
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....Bobbys voice was a couple of octaves off for the first two lines. I almost pushed the stop button right then and there, but I trudged on. Much to my delight.
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15 years 2 months
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Just received Vol. 14 It's numbered, but the front of the cover is a little sunk in; it looks like the seam is cut too wide, so when the cover closes there's a gap. These may be factory 2nds, sets with cosmetic issues.
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....this, my friends, ranks right up there with Nessie, alien abductions and Bigfoot. Hmmmm. I was abducted once. At Monterey '88. Then the goonie birds wore off. The real test begins now. The wife and son went to get a new treadmill. They'll be gone an hour or so. The volume on my Onkyo goes to 70. Boise is poised at 53 (get it?). I finally get to crank this shit legit like. Wish me luck!!
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17 years 4 months
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....our wedding song. I'm biased so this would be an unfair review. I love them all. Next!
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17 years 4 months
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.... suddenly, Bobby's singing in a barn. A little more echo than the first three songs. We all know it sometimes takes that many to get the sound just exactly perfect. Jerry's throwing coke infused licks. It is what it is. You can't un-coke it. It's not Norman's fault.
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yeah I was also wondering why we needed constant reminders that phish psucks........sry to those who find listening value?????
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....OK. I'll admit. The harmonies are off, but the music is still breakneck speed. I think Bobby's more off than Jerry. Jerry even throws some growls. Brent is in your face. But I love Brent, so there's that. The train comparison shows up during Garcia's solo. Chugging along. Watch your speed....
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I'm loving this Boise pick and all the debate about it. For me, it is easily tied with Augusta 10/12/84 (30 trips) for my favorite release from 80-85. I think the instrumental mix is almost perfect (except the keyboards might be a teeny bit high). Finally, an 80-85 release where Weir's guitar is right up front in our face where it belongs! Such a treat to hear Weir's early 80's guitar like this. IMO, this is the best sounding recording yet from 80-85 (not counting Dead Set/Reckoning and Go To Nassau). Well, we are all listening on different equipment and are looking for different things, right? Musically, I think it is as fascinating as 10/12/84. Better or worse? I'll need many more listenings of each to decide.
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15 years 2 months
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Thank you. Pulling out 21 tonight. Phish video. Scroll by. Phish video. Scroll by. Phish video. Scroll by. No problem. But very weird.
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17 years 4 months
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....way too fast. 4/10. Not a very solid version. Oh well. Time to sell it.
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....Phil!!! Back on track. Rocking with their rocks out. Nowhere else will you hear "stay right here in Boise" so it's a keeper.
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17 years 4 months
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....I've already sung my praises on this version, so I won't bore you.
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17 years 4 months
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....not bad. But there are tons better. More vox drops. Stay at the mic Bobby Rockstar! The coda is very nice though. Usually is. Here it comes again. I will admit, it's nice to let off the pedal. I'm a huge fan of the thunder effects Healy gave this song later on in the 80's.
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....watch each release you play, and play it slow. Just wait until that Deal goes down. Who knows? On 2.24.21, you might just want to bust Boise out. Yeah, there's some dust, but at least the musics clean. 4:50 mark. The boyz huddle up and get their shit together. You know, the Dead were known to play some rock n roll at times.
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....time to drop the volume down to 25. (sad face).
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9 years 7 months
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I don't think the recording does the performance justice. The limitations of the mix make it impossible to accurately gauge how good they may have sounded that night. I get the impression Betty did a whole lot more mixing in real time than Dan Healy. Forget the cassette tape source, the show can hardly be mixed worse. The vocals on on a few of the July 1978 shows are not nearly as smooth as May 1977, and that's the same band, same songs, a year apart, recorded by the same person on presumably the same equipment. Sure, the band was a much less consistent band in '78, but the July shows are good performances. Yet to my ears, the background vocal mix on some of that box set is lacking, compared to May '77. My point is that I believe some mixing factor accounts for what I hear as inferior vocals in some sections of July '78, as compared to May '77. Even a non Betty from '77 like 4/29 makes the band sound much worse than they were really playing. We don't know what kind of audio enhancement effects Betty may have used on her mixes to provide us with the final products we have today (except the reverb, and look how different a perspective that gives us on the band). Add the same principal 10 fold to Boise '83, and what's the point of discussing how good or bad the show is? There's no way to tell as far as I'm concerned. For whatever reason, Dan Healy's mix here is so bad it does the band an injustice. Apply a mild harmonization effect to the vocals at the mixing board and maybe there wouldn't be so much distance between each vocalist. Anyway, I'm not saying a better mix would turn this show into a replica of Go To Nassau, but it would improve the performance immensely. For what we do have, I felt like many people posted. The music is so inconsistent as to be a distraction. Parts sounded really strong, but quickly turned me off a moment later. I don't think Brent's voice will ever grow on me. It just sounds so ragged and tired and overbearing.
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I've played it, not the best not the worse...It'll sit on the shelf with all the others and I doubt I'll pull it down and play it again for quite awhile...one thing it did do though was have me pull out the Santa Fe Downs Matrix shows and give them a spin...fun to hear those again...my '83 collection is a bit sparse after my first external HD crash from some time back...now I do back ups of back up etc...ya pays your money and take your chances after all...
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Back to my point about people hearing things differently...
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First I got to ask. Is it love Jerry like you love Jerry? Or is it love Jerry like: "What a long strange trip it's been." Love, Jerry I kind of noticed the same thing you mentioned about July 1978. Not quite as smoother than smooth as May 1977. I would love to get Betty sat down for an interview. Anyway I think your point is well stated and very accurate. For the people who are loving this release, I'm sure it would rank even higher with better mixing. I teach chorus, and it's very difficult to mic up the kids for the spring and winter concerts. For people who don't like this release, a great mix may have made all the difference. But oh well what can you do it is what it is. As far as the series goes, I think this is definitely subpar, but it's the only way they ever would have moved 18000 units of a show that sounds this way. Also agree with your Brent comment. It seems in the Grateful Dead circles he has a love it or hate it voice. I love it when it's real low in the mix. Or not at all. Eagles fill the sky, blecchhh. I cannot So what will they pull out for the fourth quarter? Can't be 1971, unlikely to be 72 73 or 74, impossible to be 75, also unlikely to be 77, although I would love to hear that swing Auditorium show from February. I can't see it being 1978 either, but maybe. I think some kind of 69/70 mix like Vol 6 maybe. I'd be great with that. 1976 is due. I would be surprised if Dave reaches into the 80s or 90s twice in a row.
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don't make me laugh, move along now
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I tried for years to like Phish.. bought tons of releases and saw a bunch of shows - but THIS is what they sound like to me now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNHIFM0Y87c Impossible to watch the whole thing without cracking up. The vocal bits sound like red-stapler guy from Office Space. TAlk about "hearing things differently"....
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for name-calling, why? I think an intelligent conversation is better than whom ever calling whoever uninformed or someone else calling them illogical. There are just a few unkind folks on this site. I don't care much for this release, but if you do, far out. The band didn't go to Idaho, or Montana often (once each?) but both of those shows are now released by Dave, maybe he's just trying to get unheard or not often heard releases out there for the faithful. Can't really blame them for not going to these places again, beautiful scenery, but not a very hospitable atmosphere for hippies.
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Hey, it’s 8/4, so why not 8/4/76? Someone mentioned Dekalb, there’s a Betty Board of 10/29/77 in the vault- that would definitely be a treat. Lots of talk of 79, which would be nice, but why not another 80s/90s? Su91, anyone? Mmm. Sp/Su 93? Yes, please. Although maybe these contradict the seeming mission, in ways actually that 9/2/83 did not, in releasing more relatively unknown and less heard of dates. Who knows?
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I like this Bobby, Brent and drummers jam out of Eyes! Good stuff. Also, if you like this little jam check out the Bobby, Bruce and drummers jam from Dicks #17 aka Boston Clam Jam!!
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What he said! You got it “just exactly perfect” Enough already. STFU and just sell the dam thing....don’t worry, we’ll be back to 99% 70s soon enough!
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(such as Chicago, the Bay Area, or NYC) more people would be more open to this release. Boise is indeed one of the strangest of places to have a GD show. "well it's 8:00 in Boise Idaho"
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thanks for the laughs Phish: I do appreciate them, but rarely listen to them. the thing that drives me crazy about them is the cutesy stuff they do. but they can jam when they want to.
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80s Dead just isn't my thing...to each their own. My DP 27 has been sitting unopened as I pondered what to do. For those who want but missed out, I just want to cover cost plus shipping, no EBay style gouging involved, maybe some interesting 70-73 trade? PM interest...
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Jerry's soloing on this version is phenomenal. His tone and harmonics jumps right out of the mix. Awesome.
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Got a last minute present to go to his show last night in Toronto. Only know some of the Talking Heads stuff from way back. Was blown away by the show - top notch production, uniqueness and grooves. Had a bunch of the age 50+ crowd on their feet and dancing from 3 minutes in. Highly recommended if the tour hasn’t passed by your city already. Will definitely be checking out his solo catalogue in between Dead releases. Maybe he appeals more to the Phish crowd than Dead, but the guy is quite an artist.
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he was in town re his and Fatboy Slim's musical "Here Lies Love".she went with a friend. on the way out, he was standing right there, so she said "hi", he greeted politely back, and she went on her way. he has been part of my musical landscape since I heard/saw Talking Heads on SNL in 79. love deez: More Songs About Buildings and Food (not about Fucking, though...tip of the hat to the poster who shared Big Black with us ;)) Fear of Music Remain in Light attended a concert of him solo in 1992 during the LA RK riots. "Burning Down the House" took on a whole new relevance
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....came through Vegas recently. I didn't even know.
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For those who think the sound sucks, what type of speakers did you hear it through?Obviously, computer speaks are the wrong tool for this job. For those who think the sound is great/good/acceptable, what type of speakers did you hear it through? I suspect that SpaceBro has a Wall Of Sound replica in his house. Combine that with his unbridled enthusiasm (Seinfeld reference) for the era, and he’s in pure ecstasy. I’m using Bose 301 speakers that are about 5.5 feet in the air on stands (helps to fill the room), an Onkyo subwoofer, Onkyo receiver, Onkyo 6-disc changer. I do have to turn the volume up past the ‘normal’ point for DaPs. Most DaPs are pretty consistent in the sound level on my system, ‘40’ on the Onkyo display. For DaP 27 CD1 starts at 44 but I just had to turn it down to 42 during Deal. These numbers are a little arbitrary and are influenced by how much I want my neighbors to hear the GOGD. Just turned it up a tad to 43 for H/S/F. It’s Saturday afternoon, not like it’s In The Midnight Hour. I can clearly hear all the instruments on Slipknot!, with Jerry right up front.
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....I use two tin cans and 15' piece of string. Am i doing it right?
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I'm listening on earbuds that I have suspended from the ceiling about 6 feet above the floor. The sound doesn't bother me at all.
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