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" U2 - Zooropa 93 Basel [matrix edition] "
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U2
1993 06 30
St. Jakob's Stadion
Basel, Switzerland
Zooropa Tour
First off, this bootleg is not 100% lossless. This is a matrix version of the Basel Zooropa 1993 show that is mainly based on a lossy-sourced soundtrack : Dolby Digital audio from proshot DVD (see complete sources & lineage below). Then, even if it was matrixed with a lossless source (audience recording), it still misses the high frequencies as AUD track was mixed low.
Why a matrix ? Well I've been searching for a lossless version of the SBD soundtrack for years but never could. The proshot DVD surfaced some years ago but it suffers from hiss and distortion (3rd generation VHS). Furthermore, audio track was converted to lossy format. Yet I convinced myself it could be worth working on that.
SBD track comes from a 3rd generation VHS while audio has come through a 192 kbps conversion. That made a hard equation to solve : it needed some little remastering while I had to handle the knobs with caution.
As for the mix, I've chosen to set the AUD source rather low. AUD track is clear but distant. It fits quite well with the SBD recording (close but hissy).
Results are uneven throughout the matrix. It doesn't reach the quality of the other existing ZOO TV matrixes IMO (Rotterdam, E. Rutherford, Washington) but it's not too bad, it restores a bit of the soundtrack's prestige. Pre-introduction is SBD only and SBD finishes at the very end of With or without you, so you'll get an idea of what it's like with/without matrix.
A bonus track is offered for free ! It is there to honour the good old tradition when pressed discs bootleggers used to put (luckily... or not) additional songs...!
This bonus track is also a matrix work (Dublin 1993) to keep the whole project coherent. But don't expect a full SBD / AUD matrix for that concert (just a simple test, Dublin 1993 we all know is flawless and doesn't need a matrix treatment).
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TRACKLIST
Total running time : 02:06:34 (bonus incl.)
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01 Pre-introduction [soundboard only]
02 Intro
03 Zoo Station
04 The Fly
05 Watching TV
06 Even Better Than The Real Thing
07 Mysterious Ways
08 One
09 Unchained Melody
10 Until The End Of The World
11 New Year s Day
12 Dirty Old Town
13 Tryin To Throw Your Arms Around The World
14 Angel Of Harlem
15 Rain
16 When Love Comes To Town
17 Satellite Of Love
18 Sunday Bloody Sunday
19 Bullet The Blue Sky
20 Running To Stand Still
21 Where The Streets Have No Name
22 Pride (In The Name Of Love)
23 Zoo Confessional
24 Desire
25 Mr MacPhisto s call
26 Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
27 With Or Without You
28 Love Is Blindness [audience only]
29 Can t Help Falling In Love [audience only]
30 Numb [Bonus - Dublin 1993 SBD/AUD Matrix]
Quality : Very good
Sources :
- Dolby Digital audio from 3rd generation VHS proshot DVD (native bitrate : AC3 192kbps) : VG SBD
- Unknown Digital Generation AUD recording untitled "Travelling the World By Television" : VG AUD
Mix : SBD (75%) + AUD (25%)
Complete concert : Yes
N.B. : Pre-introduction = SBD only ; Love is Blindness and Can't Help = AUD only
[Additional track : SBD / AUD mix Live in Dublin 1993]
Quality : EX+ SBD (80%) + EX AUD (20%)
Sources : Zooropa 1993 silver bootleg (2nd or 3rd pressing) + Stadtfelder AUD recording (thanks !)
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AUDIO PROCESS (with Audacity 3.7.5)
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SBD soundtrack was extracted from the proshot DVD in FLAC files, so that it doesn't get more deteriorated. Output files were naturaly in FLAC format to preserve quality. Remastering was kept to its minimum in that same perspective. ie : hiss was reduced but is still present (mostly heard during the most silent parts) whereas you'll also hear distortion here and there.
SBD (soundtrack off VOB files extraction in FLAC) + AUD > Audacity in 32-bit float > AUD track speed : +0.25 tone > time-aligning (adjusments on AUD track tempo) > subtle remastering/editing* > tracksplitting > Export to 16-bits-FLAC
* Remastering/editing notes :
- SBD : declipping, noise reduction, HP filter, little EQ, soft limiter, normalization
- AUD : HP filter, slight EQ, normalization
- SBD + AUD : left (SBD 5%) / right panning (AUD 30%) + normalization
- Fades-in/out (ie. intro to Satellite of love and transition between Where the streets and Pride as AUD track was missing)
Additional notes : Dropouts at the start of Sunday bloody Sunday and at the end of Where the streets
I hope to find some more time to work on other matrix projects, it's damned time-consuming (even more with analog sources!!) so I really can't tell.
Anyway, I'm happy to give some contribution to this nice sharing spirit within the U2 community. Thanks you all !
This is made by a fan for fans. If anyone feels to patch the soundtrack over the proshot footage, then help yourself.
Before leaving, here is my ISO list (possible matrix purposes), that is EX AUD sources for :
- Washington 1981
- London 1987
- Adelaide 1989
- and of course a lossless version of Basel 93 SBD soundtrack if it surfaces someday
nov 15th 2025
portissol83 (aka billcarter)
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ORIGINAL SOURCES
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Traveling the World By Television
Zooropa Basel, Switzerland
30 June 1993
-Unknown Digital Generation-
Disc 1:
1. Intro
2. Zoo Station
3. The Fly
4. Even Better Than the Real Thing
5. Mysterious Ways
6. One/Unchained Melody
7. Until the End of the World
8. New Year's Day
9. Dirty Old Town
10. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around the World
11. Angel of Harlem
12. When Love Come To Town
Disc 2:
1. Satellite of Love
2. Sunday Bloody Sunday
3. Bullet the Blue Sky
4. Running To Stand Still
5. Where the Streets Have No Name
6. Pride (In the Name of Love) [fades in]
7. Video Confessionals
8. Desire/Macphisto Phone Call
9. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
10. With Or Without You
11. Love Is Blindness
12. Can't Help Falling In Love
NOTE: This is a very good audience recording of an excellent Zooropa concert.
Background and crowd noise are minimal and sound clarity is quite good.
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1993-06-30 - Basel (VHS 3rd gen Proshot)
01. Preliminary
02. Introduction
03. Zoo Station
04. The Fly
05. Even Better Than The Real Thing
06. Mysterious Ways
07. One / Unchained Melody
08. Until The End Of The World
09. New Year's Day
10. Dirty Old Town
11. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World
12. Angel Of Harlem / Rain
13. When Love Comes To Town
14. Satellite Of Love
15. Sunday Bloody Sunday
16. Bullet The Blue Sky
17. Running To Stand Still
18. Where The Streets Have No Name
19. Pride (in The Name Of Love)
20. Zoo Confessionals
21. Desire
22. Ultraviolet (light My Way)
23. With Or Without You
24. Love Is Blindness (audience)
25. Can't Help Falling In Love (audience)