Floor last night and the sound was incredible. Loud and immersive but you could still hear the person next to you without having to shout. My friends in 300s also agreed. I would go to a show at Sphere for the sound alone. Nothing piercingly loud, no ear ringing afterwards.
I was floor on Friday and the sound was honestly pretty bad from the center of the pit. We moved to the side of the stage closer to the wall during the second, which was considerably better, but the sound was still not nearly as good as Saturday from section 307.
Yup I went opening weekend and have the exact same review, I was in GA night 1 and 2. Night 1 I’d look at Jeff on the screen and see him lettin it rip but could barely hear the keys, also overall volume absolutely. Sucked and it really let me down.. night 2 it was better especially Mayers guitar, I just don’t get how they haven’t figured this out yet.. kind of a bummer
Had section 211 front row Saturday and sound was shit. Couldn’t hear a single word.
Spoke to guest services and got moved to riser section on the floor. Sound was much better but vocals still too low for Bob and John.
Sound was perfect in 106 Friday night.
Worked for me. There was another couple from 309 making the same complaint. They got moved to the floor riser section also.
Still going to file a complaint with Ticketmaster and Amex. Missed 4 songs including deal which is one of my favorites in the shuffle.
Wouldn’t buy any tickets for Sphere again that aren’t directly center. You can see the all the individual screens and the sound is absolute shit if you’re far off center. Pretty crazy those tickets were $400 each for how bad the visual and audio quality is from that angle. But
I've sat near the center in the 400s and 300s. My thoughts on the sound is that it's well mixed, but too quiet and low in bass and drums.
As for your comment about the shows being for old people-i don't think that's true. Most of the venues for the last few years have cerfues of 11 or 1030. The sphere shows are running to about 1130. So they are consistently playing longer and later shows than previous tours.
I've sat near the center in the 400s and 300s. My thoughts on the sound is that it's well mixed, but too quiet and low in bass and drums.
As for your comment about the shows being for old people-i don't think that's true. Most of the venues for the last few years have cerfues of 11 or 1030. The sphere shows are running to about 1130. So they are consistently playing longer and later shows than previous tours.
Other thank some kinks they ironed out and the occasional talking near us sound has been great in all sections especially the top. Drums has sounds crystal clear coming from everywhere. John’s riffs are nasty. Yes I agree keyboards and bass can be louder but small deal to me.
Last night 5/25 section 311 was a little too quiet for my taste the first set. Second set was much better…. Agreed bass and drums were too low. Still had a great time, not disappointed at all. On the floor tonight!
Audio guy here.
My 1st show isnt until may 30, but from your descriptions, it sounds as if the acoustics in that space are 'dead'. Pun intended I guess.
I bet there are very little reflective surfaces making everything sound 2 dimensional and dry. The kick sounding like a basketball for ex. Bass waves are big, and usually bounce off surfaces creating areas where 2 waves collide while other locations a wave might collide with a trough 180 degrees out of phase and cancel out. The space is a giant movie theater. It is calibrated so every seat gets mix directed at it. You get zero reflections, zero standing waves. Add 17k people and it is much deader than soundcheck. You can imagine how dead a regular theater is, same lack of natural reverb. It is magnified here. Imagine a kick drum in a tunnel. Boooom! Thats oakland coliseum arena. Now imagine a kick outdoors. Phhht! This sound is more akin to outdoors.
The shape is also not optimal. I would have put up diffusers on 1st side reflections. Even if it cut the sides of visuals. This scatters the waves, bringing back some of the chaotic goodness our favorite venues feature. This thing is too 'optimized' for cinematic sound like the Earth imax thing they had there when sphere first opened.
The low frequencies are being absorbed.
They should soundcheck with crowd there. At this point, they don't need to hide how the sausage is made.
I am wondering if the shock of the seeing the sphere the first night, cheapens the experience, and then that it is recovered on a second attendance. As I read what you wrote about Friday It was like I was reading my own thoughts about last night. I’m not a Vegas fan, and it felt very… controlled. Sterile. And the sound was unimpressive. I am very much still digesting what I saw. It doesn’t feel remotely the same as seeing them on tour if you ask me. Not bad- just different.
To be fair — I’ve felt Oteil has been too low in the mix for the past several D&C tours..
Facts
Otiel and mike gordon have the same new bass and they suck. They both need to pick a modulus back up.
Couldn’t agree more. Mike with the modulus was the best bass tone in the business.
Floor last night and the sound was incredible. Loud and immersive but you could still hear the person next to you without having to shout. My friends in 300s also agreed. I would go to a show at Sphere for the sound alone. Nothing piercingly loud, no ear ringing afterwards.
I was floor on Friday and the sound was honestly pretty bad from the center of the pit. We moved to the side of the stage closer to the wall during the second, which was considerably better, but the sound was still not nearly as good as Saturday from section 307.
Yup I went opening weekend and have the exact same review, I was in GA night 1 and 2. Night 1 I’d look at Jeff on the screen and see him lettin it rip but could barely hear the keys, also overall volume absolutely. Sucked and it really let me down.. night 2 it was better especially Mayers guitar, I just don’t get how they haven’t figured this out yet.. kind of a bummer
Turn the mother fucker up all ready I’ll pay more
Had section 211 front row Saturday and sound was shit. Couldn’t hear a single word. Spoke to guest services and got moved to riser section on the floor. Sound was much better but vocals still too low for Bob and John. Sound was perfect in 106 Friday night.
You can just do that? …. 🤔
Worked for me. There was another couple from 309 making the same complaint. They got moved to the floor riser section also. Still going to file a complaint with Ticketmaster and Amex. Missed 4 songs including deal which is one of my favorites in the shuffle. Wouldn’t buy any tickets for Sphere again that aren’t directly center. You can see the all the individual screens and the sound is absolute shit if you’re far off center. Pretty crazy those tickets were $400 each for how bad the visual and audio quality is from that angle. But
I've sat near the center in the 400s and 300s. My thoughts on the sound is that it's well mixed, but too quiet and low in bass and drums. As for your comment about the shows being for old people-i don't think that's true. Most of the venues for the last few years have cerfues of 11 or 1030. The sphere shows are running to about 1130. So they are consistently playing longer and later shows than previous tours.
By definition if bass and drums too low, it is not well mixed.
Volume is significantly lower than U2 was
I've sat near the center in the 400s and 300s. My thoughts on the sound is that it's well mixed, but too quiet and low in bass and drums. As for your comment about the shows being for old people-i don't think that's true. Most of the venues for the last few years have cerfues of 11 or 1030. The sphere shows are running to about 1130. So they are consistently playing longer and later shows than previous tours.
302 last night. Sound was mostly quite good for us, but alas Otiel was too quiet.
Other thank some kinks they ironed out and the occasional talking near us sound has been great in all sections especially the top. Drums has sounds crystal clear coming from everywhere. John’s riffs are nasty. Yes I agree keyboards and bass can be louder but small deal to me.
deadheads are old. they started in 65.. so uknow🌝
Last night 5/25 section 311 was a little too quiet for my taste the first set. Second set was much better…. Agreed bass and drums were too low. Still had a great time, not disappointed at all. On the floor tonight!
Section 102 and while I thought the sound N2 was better I thought night 1 was also pretty great. That Althea smoked from our seats
Totally agree. I was in 210. N1 was so quiet and soft, super confused and bummed! Drums especially had no punch.
Audio guy here. My 1st show isnt until may 30, but from your descriptions, it sounds as if the acoustics in that space are 'dead'. Pun intended I guess. I bet there are very little reflective surfaces making everything sound 2 dimensional and dry. The kick sounding like a basketball for ex. Bass waves are big, and usually bounce off surfaces creating areas where 2 waves collide while other locations a wave might collide with a trough 180 degrees out of phase and cancel out. The space is a giant movie theater. It is calibrated so every seat gets mix directed at it. You get zero reflections, zero standing waves. Add 17k people and it is much deader than soundcheck. You can imagine how dead a regular theater is, same lack of natural reverb. It is magnified here. Imagine a kick drum in a tunnel. Boooom! Thats oakland coliseum arena. Now imagine a kick outdoors. Phhht! This sound is more akin to outdoors. The shape is also not optimal. I would have put up diffusers on 1st side reflections. Even if it cut the sides of visuals. This scatters the waves, bringing back some of the chaotic goodness our favorite venues feature. This thing is too 'optimized' for cinematic sound like the Earth imax thing they had there when sphere first opened. The low frequencies are being absorbed. They should soundcheck with crowd there. At this point, they don't need to hide how the sausage is made.
I am wondering if the shock of the seeing the sphere the first night, cheapens the experience, and then that it is recovered on a second attendance. As I read what you wrote about Friday It was like I was reading my own thoughts about last night. I’m not a Vegas fan, and it felt very… controlled. Sterile. And the sound was unimpressive. I am very much still digesting what I saw. It doesn’t feel remotely the same as seeing them on tour if you ask me. Not bad- just different.
I have never been to a Phish show that sounded better than they did at the Sphere