[Glathannus]

There is a difference between MP3s on an iPod with earbuds, versus FLACs on a Cowon D2 with 50mm-driver headphones. I think AAC has "caught on" among iPod users because it has a strong coloration or sonic bias that counter-aims for the iPod's (and earbud's) many shortcomings. Perhaps those factors would be enough to tip the scale on your judgment of which concerts sound better or worse on-the-go.

If I have any gripes about Electric Mole's sound, it's that the bass is a bit overbearing. I don't have a problem with the way Dynamite Out sounds, other than it having the usual live atmospheric blurring effect you don't hear from a studio recording - though I find this blur somewhat refreshing (or possibly 'smooth') compared to the unnatural edginess of the original Kyoiku recordings, or Ukigumo's guitar.

Zazen Ecstasy has the most instrument separation out of any of the concerts, but to what end? I'm among the slim minority at EMF who prefer the studio guitarists of Shouso Strip over Yayoshi. He can't meet or exceed any of the organized chaos I want to hear on songs such as Sakana. Keyboards trying to sound like pianos, are also fail - though Gekokujyo Xstasy was much worse about this. I could listen to HZM on a grand piano all day (with or without being able to watch him), and since he was somewhat held back in Dynamite Out, The HZM Unleashed Experience in Electric Mole makes up for the overbearing bass. Plus, Electric Mole was the busiest Hata has ever been out of any of the overall concerts - but you might never know it from only paying visual attention to him, or audibly dwelling upon only his solos. Zazen Ecstasy had the next-most-underrated drumming among the concerts.

It's kinda nice to just listen to Just Can't Help It without any of the off-site camera distractions, but you could also say the same thing about Electric Mole - which almost destroys Just Can't Help It from purely a listening-to-the-performance standpoint.

Are we comparing performances here, or just the sonic textures?

I cannot stand the high-pitched whatever-the-fuck-it-is, during some moments of Ringohan, though I shouldn't fail to mention that Hasegawa Kiyoshi comes through crystal clear. I also think that with three bassists and some very underground production values, Hatsuiki Status is at least as 'noisy' as Electric Mole.