# Why did rock concert sound suck, and why is it better?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-rock-concert-sound-suck-and-why-is-it-better/650062>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 12, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-rock-concert-sound-suck-and-why-is-it-better/650062 "2013-02-12T04:43:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-rock-concert-sound-suck-and-why-is-it-better/650062/21 "2013-02-15T14:32:28Z")

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> [@gaffa](#):
>
> They may have been real and may even have been plugged in, but they were not likely to be audible in the back of the venue. A wall o’Marshalls may be there for show, for the player’s ego or a vital part of his “tone”, but it has bupkiss to do with what the audience hears. I saw Ted’s fake amps when I was working on the AFRTS simulcast of his show from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City in 1979…

I can attest to the fake amps. When I was living in Michigan, Nugent used to do an annual New Years Eve concert at Cobo Hall. He wanted his wall of speakers, but his touring setup was in storage on the west coast. He had his people put out the word that they would trade 2 tickets and 2 passes for each Marshall cabinet, with the promise they would not be plugged in. I hooked up on the deal and my cabinets were on stage with the Nuge (which is actually kinda embarrassing. We left the show after about 3 songs). But yeah, not actually fake in this case, but simply for show.

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