mab-bigboard-unprocessed-ms.wav

Mechanical alphanumeric flapboard signs have long been a standard fixture of airports and train station waiting rooms, but the technology is rapidly disappearing in favor of more modern (if also more soul-less) electronic displays. Also known as "Solari Boards" (most were made in Italy by Solari di Udine), the signs' familiar "clack clack clack" rhythm is sufficient to trigger an almost Pavlovian reflex in seasoned travelers the world over. This 34 second sample was captured on September 20, 2006 in the main waiting room of Amtrak's Philadelphia, PA (USA) 30th Street rail station as the train status board was being updated. The recording contains considerable ambient room and rush-hour crowd noisein the stereo mix. Equipment used was a pair of MKH-800 microphones in a mid-side arrangement (hyper-cardioid and figure-8) and a Sound Devices 744T digital recorder. This sample consists of the unprocessed (not stereo decoded) mid-side audio (mid mic on the leftchannel and side mic on the right channel). A conventional stereo-decoded mix version of this recording can be found in the mab-bigboard sample pack.