mab-bigboard-mono-lowcut.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 moder (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. 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 recording has been mixed down to monaural and heavily low-cut processed to reduce ambient noise, and can be mixed as a sound effect over an existing dialog or ambient track. A non-EQed stereo mix can be found in the mab-bigboard sample pack.