Suggestions for Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACD Releases

[jaybird100]

We can make all the suggestions we want, but it all becomes a matter of whatever they have readily available to them. I'd say we should appreciate whatever they can get for us, and if it's not on any of our lists, so be it. We still need to support them however we can. I'd much rather have an SACD than a download, anyway. A hard copy isn't subject to loss due a computer crash. And all the backups you do can't guarantee it won't be lost.

 

[Q-Eight]

I'd still like to see the Raiders Indian Reservation album come out. It's hard enough to find on CD and I don't believe what does comes from the master tapes. It's a good album with a couple solid tunes. The Quad mix is worth the title track alone; but I'm still a big fan of other songs like "Birds of a Feather", "Eve of Destruction", and "The Turkey".

Actually, 'The Turkey' is a great 4-channel demonstration track. That song is mixed uber-aggresively with nothing but Mark's lead vocals in the phantom center. Guitar in each corner. Percussion, organs and simple drum (just hi-hat and snare) also mixed hard in the corners. Believe it or not, a mix that aggressive still manages to gel together nicely.

I can't imagine the licensing would be too hard/expensive to get now? Unless there's a mess of stuff tied up with Uncle Paul's estate....

 

[rtbluray]

I'd still like to see the Raiders Indian Reservation album come out. It's hard enough to find on CD and I don't believe what does comes from the master tapes. It's a good album with a couple solid tunes. The Quad mix is worth the title track alone; but I'm still a big fan of other songs like "Birds of a Feather", "Eve of Destruction", and "The Turkey".

Actually, 'The Turkey' is a great 4-channel demonstration track. That song is mixed uber-aggresively with nothing but Mark's lead vocals in the phantom center. Guitar in each corner. Percussion, organs and simple drum (just hi-hat and snare) also mixed hard in the corners. Believe it or not, a mix that aggressive still manages to gel together nicely.

I can't imagine the licensing would be too hard/expensive to get now? Unless there's a mess of stuff tied up with Uncle Paul's estate....

I don't think it would be hard for AF to get the licensing for that album at all, but if they are so concerned about sales vs expenses, I doubt this is a title that would help them in that endeavor.

 

[kap'n krunch]

I'm just happy that they are releasing stuff in QUAD!!!!, especially unreleased gems like the Laura Nyro one!!!! (and the Billy Cobham one, although we did get a "teaser" with the 2001 DVD-A)..

There won't be ANY bitching coming from me regarding titles...I get ONLY the ones I like...

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I'm just happy that they are releasing stuff in QUAD!!!!, especially unreleased gems like the Laura Nyro one!!!! (and the Billy Cobham one, although we did get a "teaser" with the 2001 DVD-A)..

There won't be ANY bitching coming from me regarding titles...I get ONLY the ones I like...

Spot on Kap'n...I'm just amazed that AF would resurrect a technology from the 70's and give it a shot...it's been awesome for me...to hear members on here talk about these old quad releases and not having experienced them was interesting..BUT..then to actually be afforded the chance to hear them was incredible for me...almost "dream like" in my mind....and you have the right mind set...buy what you like..that certainly cuts down on buyers remorse...

This quad look back in time forced me to find out more about surround music in general...I was unaware of the infamous GAMES FOR MAY concert by Pink Floyd in 1967 at Queen Elizabeth Hall prior to the release of The Piper At The Gates of Dawn...it is credited as being one of the first surround concerts ever held.....and the first concert in Britain with a light show and quadraphonic sound...the equipment was crude..a joystick connected to an organ which could move sounds around the venue....and some of the sound effects consisted of band members chopping wood on stage...they had a man dressed as an admiral handing out daffodils...and they had a machine that produced bubbles during the show that stained the furniture in the Hall and Pink Floyd was banned from the venue.

AF afforded this member a glimpse of what Quadraphonic sound was all about...something I missed out on "back in the day"..and I will be forever grateful to Marshall for this piece of music history I was able to revisit

 

[skherbeck]

I will buy EVERY AF quad sacd that is released, even if I think it's not "my type" of music... what I've come to realize is that QUAD is my type of music! I listened to Judy Collins on Youtube when AF first announced the release of her greatest hits, and I determined it wasn't for me. Well, I ended up buying it anyway, and when heard in quad, my opinion was changed completely! And this isn't the first time I've experienced this "Quad effect"... I couldn't stand The Carpenters, but once I heard a quad conversion of "The Singles", I was blown away (this is now my "go to" surround music when I want my wife to hang out with me!). Bring on Laura Nyro!... I've got know idea who she is or what her music is like, but IT DOESN'T Matter... it's QUAD!!!:banana:

 

[Q-Eight]

I don't think it would be hard for AF to get the licensing for that album at all, but if they are so concerned about sales vs expenses, I doubt this is a title that would help them in that endeavor.

I disagree. It was a multi-platinum album, and the title song topped the US Charts for several weeks in 1971. It is considered by some to be a quintessential 1970's album. You're telling me that Judy Collins, Billy Cobham or Herbie Hancock would outsell the Raiders? I don't hear any of them on the radio today but you do occasionally hear "Indian Reservation" from time to time. Dare I say it's a song that is still in the public lexicon.

But also consider, that this album has NEVER been released on SACD, but I believe the most recent release (on Raven Records) as a two-fer with "Collage"; did not come from proper master tapes. I noticed "Collage" still has some mixing errors that were present on the original LP, and the fidelity wasn't the absolute best on "Reservation". I wouldn't be surprised if they got LP masters for these two albums and EQ'd the heck out of them. Since AF has a good relationship with Sony, I'd be hoping they could find some low generation Master Tapes for the stereo SACD layer.

No sir, I think this would be a good selling album. Not the best, but - baby steps, you know? Wouldn't take much to license and would be a moderate to good seller. Lots of stereo people would buy this I'm sure.

Would be interesting to troll the archives at Sony as well. I've been told by a little birdie that "Collage" and also "Country Wine" may have been considered for Quad back in the day as well.

 

[quicksrt]

I'm just happy that they are releasing stuff in QUAD!!!!, especially unreleased gems like the Laura Nyro one!!!! (and the Billy Cobham one, although we did get a "teaser" with the 2001 DVD-A)..

There won't be ANY bitching coming from me regarding titles...I get ONLY the ones I like...

Me too, I'll buy what I like, and pass if I don't. I have a feeling that the requests for quad masters to the labels have for the most part been submitted. What has been found in the vaults, and what is available to license has likely been decided. Things do sometimes change, but I'm betting the next dozen releases in 4.0 have been decided. That is if they decide to do a dozen more. And then tapes for missing albums can sometimes surface like we saw with Full Sail which was such a nice piece of good news.

For me it's time to sit back and enjoy the AF 4.0 releases as they come.

 

[Franklin]

I'd still like Kraftwerk's Autobahn. I think they're currently licenced to Mute, but would probably need to be approached directly via Ralf Hütter at Kling Klang.

 

[cupboy]

In the USA I think they're on Universal.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Q~8 posted: Steve Hoffman once hinted that for every Quad album that was released, there were probably 3 to 4 others we don't even know about that were prepared, mixed and sit on the shelf.[/QUOTE]

That's quite a revelation in itself. And I'm sure the same applies to the other majors. Stockpiling but never releasing QUAD material is such a waste and I wonder if the reissue companies are privy to that info. Imagine releasing '70 QUADs that were NEVER released in ANY format? Unless the Majors are saving these QUADS for future multichannel downloads, I wonder if they'll ever have a physical disc release?

Perhaps bmoura could shed some light on this.

 

[bmoura]

Remember, AF has access to the actual Sony vaults. So, if the Laura Nyro tape was in the vault (which it was) we get it direct from the 1/2" Master that would have produced the 2nd generation 1/4" Mike Robin Reels. No more bootleggin' for us!

I know it's not possible, but it sure would be fun to know what else is sitting in the vault unreleased. Steve Hoffman once hinted that for every Quad album that was released, there were probably 3 to 4 others we don't even know about that were prepared, mixed and sit on the shelf.

That's correct. The Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACDs are made with the Sony Quad Tapes, not the Mike Robin copies.

Part of my earlier discussions about titles to consider included sending AF the Mike Robin list from QQ.
So AF is aware of the potential titles mixed to Quad.

As for unreleased Quad titles, so far there have been far more rumors and rumored titles than albums actually found that were mixed to Quad but unreleased.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

That's correct. The Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACDs are made with the Sony Quad Tapes, not the Mike Robin copies.

Part of my earlier discussions about titles to consider included sending AF the Mike Robin list from QQ.
So AF is aware of the potential titles mixed to Quad.

As for unreleased Quad titles, so far there have been far more rumors and rumored titles than albums actually found that were mixed to Quad but unreleased.

I suspected this was the case...

 

[fredblue]

That's correct. The Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACDs are made with the Sony Quad Tapes, not the Mike Robin copies.

Part of my earlier discussions about titles to consider included sending AF the Mike Robin list from QQ.
So AF is aware of the potential titles mixed to Quad.

As for unreleased Quad titles, so far there have been far more rumors and rumored titles than albums actually found that were mixed to Quad but unreleased.

I blame the internet for all these routers.. I mean rumours..

 

[fizzywiggs41]

That's correct. The Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACDs are made with the Sony Quad Tapes, not the Mike Robin copies.

Part of my earlier discussions about titles to consider included sending AF the Mike Robin list from QQ.
So AF is aware of the potential titles mixed to Quad.

As for unreleased Quad titles, so far there have been far more rumors and rumored titles than albums actually found that were mixed to Quad but unreleased.

I know of one quite likely quad title.

Thanks to Thomas Mowery, we know Columbia Records provided Simon And Garfunkle's " Mrs.Robinson " in quad for use with the Scheiber Matrix Demo tape.

Boy, would this quadraphile ever like to visit/sleuth those vaults !!!:teleport:

 

[Q-Eight]

I know of one quite likely quad title.

Thanks to Thomas Mowery, we know Columbia Records provided Simon And Garfunkle's " Mrs.Robinson " in quad for use with the Scheiber Matrix Demo tape.

Boy, would this quadraphile ever like to visit/sleuth those vaults !!!:teleport:

According to the engineer Jim Reeves, he mixed the entire "Bookends" album in Quad. He also mentioned Laura Nyro's "Christmas and the beads of Sweat" as being his work.

 

[4-earredwonder]

According to the engineer Jim Reeves, he mixed the entire "Bookends" album in Quad. He also mentioned Laura Nyro's "Christmas and the beads of Sweat" as being his work.

Supposedly, Paul Simon has NO interest in releasing his back S&G nor SOLO albums in surround. His ONLY Warners album on DVD~A 5.1 "You're The One" probably slipped through the cracks and is admittedly not among his best.

Graceland has a 5.1 remix sitting in the vaults and one could only imagine how BOOKENDS, one of my very favorite S&G albums would sound in QUAD.

As for Laura Nyro's Christmas and the Beads of Sweat...another Nyro masterwork that would surely benefit from the QUAD treatment.

What I would love are Art Garfunkel's two wonderful solo albums Angel Clare and Breakaway.......already remixed in QUAD and just rotting in the vaults.

 

[cupboy]

Unless Paul Simon owns the record company he should have no say in what is put out and on what format.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Unless Paul Simon owns the record company he should have no say in what is put out and on what format.

I totally agree, C~boy but I suppose someone of Paul's considerable clout does have final say as the record companies do need HIS final approval to release his back catalogue in surround....or don't you think they would've been released by now?

As for Art Garfunkel, IMO, his solo albums Breakaway and Angel Clare would sound spectacular in 4.0 and I have No idea what his stance regarding surround is these days.

But then again, Warners DID release Van Morrison's Moondance [Scheiner's 5.1 remix] without his approval and as the story goes, he was royally pissed!

So perhaps there IS hope.

 

[steelydave]

Unless Paul Simon owns the record company he should have no say in what is put out and on what format.

Paul Simon (like Chicago) owns his own masters, hence why they were on Columbia originally and then moved to Warner Bros. Therefore he has all the say in what is or isn't released.

I think artists who even only own a portion of their catalogs have similar leverage, because the label doesn't want to risk pissing the artist off and having them move the part of their catalog they own to another label. Van Morrison is a perfect example - Warner owns his first three albums (Astral Weeks, Moondance, His Band And Street Choir) outright, and distributed all his (30+) albums after that (which are owned by Morrison) for decades. Despite owning those first three albums they never did special editions of them, and even shelved the DVD-A of Moondance in the name of keeping Van happy. It wasn't until Van took his back catalog to Polydor (UMG) in the late 90's and then later Sony and they'd decided that their bridges with him were well and truly burnt and finally put out the deluxe set of Moondance a few years ago (which earned a strongly worded rant from Morrison on his website in response) and expanded editions of Astral Weeks and Street Choir last year.

Labels are in the business of making money, and they're not going to risk losing access to a lucrative back catalog that they can sell (and re-sell) in perpetuity in whatever crappy new lossless format comes down the pipe in the name of selling a few thousand copies of a surround mix to a niche market.