Quadraphonic Records and Sound Systems

drewnice

Does anybody have experience with quadraphonic set-ups?What does it sound like, any "better" than stereo?Should people without quad equipment avoid buying quad records?If so, why? Is it any less enjoyable then a regular stereo recording?Plaese to drop some knowledge...I'm curious.

hcrink

Quad records will just play in normal stereo if you don't have 4 speakers. I'm pretty sure my stereo plays in quad, but I don't have the speakers set up like I should. Plus, I've yet to "quad out" my Simon and Garfunkel collection.

LaserWolf

There were compeating quad formats. Some perform better than others when played on a stereo system. There are quad enthusists. I am sure they have web sites that will tell you all you need to know.

You should always pick up quad pressings of records you like because; the mixes are different, fewer were pressed (in most cases), collecting obscure artists is so done, today we collect only variations of records we like.

El Prez

You should always pick up quad pressings of records you like because; the mixes are different, fewer were pressed (in most cases).

hcrink

OK, dumb question, but does just having 4 inputs = QUAD? Or, do you need a special quad stylus or something?

pickwick33

OK, dumb question, but does just having 4 inputs = QUAD?

I don't think so. I'm assuming you'd need an actual quad system.

I tried this with a set of extra speakers (to go along with the two I had) and a quad copy of The Best Of B.B. King...sounded no different through four speakers than it did through two.

fejmelba

i recon it needs a special needle ?
since its about four signals instead of two not ???

graham

I don't think its a special needle. I believe you need a quadrophic receiever which is able decode the quad grooves.

spelunk

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadraphonic

Listening to Quadraphonic records the way they were supposed to be listened to is a real hassle, as there are a bunch of formats that all require different encoders. Plus it never sounded all that great. But there are some Quad records that are amazing because they'll have drums on one channel and everything else on the right, so you can pull drum loops from tracks that you couldn't before.

unrelated, but I've heard there's a version of James Brown: Live at the Apollo that's mixed with drums on one side and other buisness on the other. Anyone have this copy?

bboyparkz

Loads of good Japanese stuff I have is pressed up for Quadraphonic shit which is a bummer as some of it sounds strange playing on a normal stereo.
The thing that I found best (on my system, which happens to be a load of crap anyway) is to switch the mixer to mono. This seems to mix the 4 channels together.
I also find a few of these (Japanese Quadraphonic) records to be real clear pressing but they are quiet (I guess they are not quiet through a quad set-up).

bull_ox

Loads of good Japanese stuff I have is pressed up for Quadraphonic shit which is a bummer as some of it sounds strange playing on a normal stereo.
The thing that I found best (on my system, which happens to be a load of crap anyway) is to switch the mixer to mono. This seems to mix the 4 channels together.
I also find a few of these (Japanese Quadraphonic) records to be real clear pressing but they are quiet (I guess they are not quiet through a quad set-up).

Thats odd, the quad pressings made in America play normally on a non-quad system

The Japanese are BOUT some damn quad though... put that special edition Robin Trower online and watch them fight over it!

bboyparkz

Loads of good Japanese stuff I have is pressed up for Quadraphonic shit which is a bummer as some of it sounds strange playing on a normal stereo.
The thing that I found best (on my system, which happens to be a load of crap anyway) is to switch the mixer to mono. This seems to mix the 4 channels together.
I also find a few of these (Japanese Quadraphonic) records to be real clear pressing but they are quiet (I guess they are not quiet through a quad set-up).

Thats odd, the quad pressings made in America play normally on a non-quad system

The Japanese are BOUT some damn quad though... put that special edition Robin Trower online and watch them fight over it!

Some of the Japanese stuff plays fine to, some are fine while some are weird sounding. Sadly one of my favourite joints falls into the 'weird sound' categoury.

pickwick33

there are some Quad records that are amazing because they'll have drums on one channel[/b] and everything else on the right[/b]

...and what's on the OTHER TWO speakers?

m_dejean

Loads of good Japanese stuff I have is pressed up for Quadraphonic shit which is a bummer as some of it sounds strange playing on a normal stereo.

Thats odd, the quad pressings made in America play normally on a non-quad system

Hmmm, I'm on the "sounds strange" team too. I'm generally not a fan of how those quad mixdowns sound on stereo equipment.

I just did an A-B test of three random Columbia releases I have in both quad and regular stereo versions (EW&F "Keep Your Head To The Sky", "That's The Way Of The World" and Azteca S/T), and the quads have a strange distant and "phased out" sound that doesn't really do the music justice. Plus they often add a shitload of reverb. They just lack the sonic punch of the stereo versions. Some of the quad mixes even have parts that are absent from the stereo mixes. I noticed that the quad version of "Shining Star" had an organ part that was not present at all in the stereo mix.

I've never heard quadrophonic records played on quad equipment. Probably a completely different experience. Even though I don't like to play them end-to-end, I still keep quad versions for curiosity and sampling purposes (different sound + channel separation).

spelunk

there are some Quad records that are amazing because they'll have drums on one channel[/b] and everything else on the right[/b]

...and what's on the OTHER TWO speakers?

There are no other two speakers when you play a quad record on a stereo system. The quadraphonic information is extracted from the original signal by a decoder. Without the decoder, the record is in stereo, but it's mixed strangely.

Mjukis

there are some Quad records that are amazing because they'll have drums on one channel[/b] and everything else on the right[/b]

...and what's on the OTHER TWO speakers?

James cursing out the band and fining them. IN STEREO.

salvia

there are some Quad records that are amazing because they'll have drums on one channel[/b] and everything else on the right[/b]

...and what's on the OTHER TWO speakers?

James cursing out the band and fining them. IN STEREO.

Hahahaha

But yeah, i'm wondering about the sound of quad records too. I've been trying to pick up a B&O Beogram 6000 & Beomaster 6000 (which decodes quadraphonic discs) on the cheap but had not much luck so far. The 4002 & 4004 models (same models but without quad) are way more common.




I really like the design of those early 70's B&O products too.

pickwick33

there are some Quad records that are amazing because they'll have drums on one channel[/b] and everything else on the right[/b]

...and what's on the OTHER TWO speakers?

There are no other two speakers when you play a quad record on a stereo system. The quadraphonic information is extracted from the original signal by a decoder. Without the decoder, the record is in stereo, but it's mixed strangely.

Oh, okay, my mistake. I thought you meant quad records played through an actual quad system.

The quadrophonic albums I have are very few...the only one I have with any significant sound difference is the B.B. King album on ABC that I mentioned up above...it appears to be mixed in a way that it really does sound best at top volume.

Fatback

You need a quad system. Sansui was the industry standard.