Sony SQD-2020

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The cables plugs and clutter are the fun part
 
Cables, plugs and switches are the drawback to my systems. Still, if I'm lazy and use digital sources, which I do most of the time, my main system is so simple to operate. Pop in some discs or fire up the DVR and it plays. It's when I use the old analog gear that it becomes a pain to operate. And with 37 pieces, I have far more invested in cabling than most folks have spent for their systems!

The "Home Theater in a Box" which I inherited from my Dad is self-contained, easy to operate and even plays SACD's. Nothing but a modern-day CRUMPACK. I wouldn't trade my component systems with their decoders, demogitators, turntables and tape decks for anything in the world. And they play EVERY format!

Now you know why they call us Audio Piles!! lol!!

The cables plugs and clutter are the fun part
 
Well folks... I got JVC 4DD5 already. Someone on Craig's List was selling one that he said had been tested, cleaned, and sprayed down with some anti oxidation stuff (I have no idea). I paid 100 bucks for it with a "money back gauruntee." Anyway, it's hooked up and calibrated and seem to work perfectly! I'm playing Doobie Brothers "What were once vices..." and it sounds perfect. At first blush, this is a better preamp than what's in the HK, though sure wish I hadn't recently dropped 180.00 to have two repair shops fail at fixing a weak channel on the HK's preamp board -- both shops said it was bad solder, but it's not. I finally gave up and cut my losses. Doesn't matter now, anyway.

As a side note, my AT12S cartridge with the built-in demodulator was horrid. Distortion city. I replaced it with an AT440mla, which worked perfectly (no near perfectly), with the built-in HK demodulator. As an experiment, I'm now trying Doobies for a second time with the AT12S and there's no distortion so far, which leads me to think it was the HK causes the sandpaper quad and not the cartridge.

So let's recap:

180.00 split between two repair shops = waste of money
100 bucks for a gently used AT440mla = waste of money

Total waste of money in past six weeks = $280

Oy vey. On well. Fug it. I have two good carts now in addition to my grado.

Don't really like how the JVC looks on top of the receiver, but other than the floor, there's no other place for it.

IMG_20130312_123657_198.jpg
 
Nice looking setup. I would be more worried about the fact that the vent on the HK may try to cook it. Receivers get toasty fast. Probably not an issue but you never know over time.
 
Thanks!

Maybe I'll move the preamp to the floor.

After 8 months of trial, money, and heartbreak and tragedy, I've finally achieved awesomeness. Now I can go back and re-play my Sinatra quads, which is how all this mess started to beginning. you know, to hear his version of "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" in quad.
 
This format (CD4) really does sound good when setup right - better than multichannel SACD I think. But there's no doubt why it didn't catch on. Too many variables involved. Too many formats. It's just "too much" for the lay person to have wanted to deal with.
 
Putting together your own audio setup is a gratifying feeling. Especially when it was a journey of "trial, money, heartbreak and tragedy". Which I have a feeling is the case with almost everyone's audio setup.
 
Yeah... probably so. I think I'm done for now. I'd like to get a Tate eventually, but I'm satisfied with the 2020. Oh... one last question (for now). I'm not using the two channel direct outputs on the JVC preamp. When I set the dial on that to stereo - sending just a stereo signal to the receiver - and then go out to the SQD-2020 from the receiver, is the squid decoding the right signal? Meaning, the preamp and the HK aren't cooking the original stereo source?

I don't think it is. It's my understanding that when the dial is set to 2 channel on the JVC, it's just sending the same stereo signal front to back. So when I send a stereo signal out from the HK to the squid, that should just be the original stereo signal that's on the LP. Does this make sense?

The little meters on the squid all seem to be jumping around different, so I think it's OK to set it up this way.
 
I haven't tried this yet cause I haven't connected my 4dd5 yet. But here is what should be done. The 2 channel direct output switch on the back passes through audio directly from the TT without preamplification when the switch on the back is in the on position and the switch on the front is in the 2 channel position. When the switch is in the off position in the back, and the switch on the front iss in two channel, it sends out 4-channel stereo from the quad jacks, and according to Quad Linda, 2-channel preamplified signal from the 2 channel jacks. The manual doesn't say that, but I believe Quad Linda. So if you have the two channel jacks connected to the stereo in on the SQD-2020, and the 4-channel jacks in the 4-channel discrete on the 2020, and theswitch on the back of the JVC off, you should never connect anything to the phono input on the HK. All phono amplification handled by the 4dd5, switching done through the 2020. Does that all make sense?
 
The two channel direct outs on the JVC have to go to the receiver first. It's only sending out a pre-amplified signal. I've run out of inputs on my receiver to run that to.

But since the four channel outputs only output a stereo signal (double front and back) when not in CD4 mode, I'm thinking I'm OK with the way it's set up now for SQ:

* 4 channel out of the JVC to 4 channel in on the receiver
* 2 channel tape monitor out on the receiver to 2 channel in on the sqd</l>
* JVC dialed to "stereo" mode
 
That sounds like it would work. Are you sure the 4dd5 doesn't pipe 2-channel phono amplified signal out of the 2-channel output when the switch on the back of the 4dd5 is set to off?

I'll quote QL:

The JVC does have phono preamplification. Currently, I use it with a B&K preamp, which has no phono section. I've had the 4-DD5 for nearly forty years and sold dozens of them. It either does/doesn't preamplify depending on the position of that 2 CH direct out (called 2 CH pass through on Sylvania labelled model) on/off switch. That outputs through the 2ch connections. Since the 4 channel outputs are designed to be hooked to an auxiliary, it is preamplified through those as well. So, yes you can use one TT through your receiver's phono inputs and the other as CD-4 and matrix with no additional phono input(s.)

That is from:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...-SQD-2020-SQ-Decoder/page2&highlight=sqd-2020
 
It does, but I can't run that directly into the squid. I have to run that first into the receiver and I don't have any more inputs unless I disconnect a DVD-A player I have hooked into it. I guess I can do that if the way I'm patching cables now is effing with my SQ.
 
Why can't you patch the 2-channel out on the 4dd5 directly to the two channel input on the squid (making sure the passthrough switch on the back of the 4dd5 is set to off)?
 
That sucks. That kinda puts it back to square one with the HK phono section trying to pick up CD-4. I guess you could always put a little phono preamp between the 2 channel out on the 4dd5 and the 2 channel input on the squid.
 
I'm nearly certain it's fine the way it is, since the JVC - when dialed to 2CH - is just outputting the smae stereo signal to the fronts and backs straight into the receiver. Then, I'm going out l/r to the squid. It shouldn't be altering the sound in any way. And I could always disconnect the DVD-A player and plug the 2-channel output from the JVC into those inputs if I wanted to be sure (and add more cables).
 
Sometimes I just don't know about the SQ business (at least with the sqd-2020). I have a Vanguard SQ demonstration disc that conveniently showed up from eBay today. I "think" I'm hearing different stuff in the speakers and the meters on the squid dance around differently, but when I put my ear up to the front/back speakers, it pretty much sounds the same. It was like this before the addition of the JVD 4DD-5.

You know what this means? Time for Tate or Lafayette SQ-W.
 
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but I wanted to comment since it proved to be helpful.

I recently got a great deal on an SQD-2020, a Fisher CP-100 Q8 player, and a bunch of Q8 tapes. All were originally owned by a friend's father and were in my friend's basement for a decade or so. As expected, the Fisher's belt had disintegrated, but I found a replacement online today.

Unfortunately, the Sony makes some noises from the rear speakers when in SQ mode, but after reading the original posts in this thread I loosened the main board and manipulated the connections and was able to stop and start the noise. The decoder wasn't connected to a receiver, but I could see the noise come and go on the rear VUs.

When I reinstalled the main board, I propped one end up slightly, which eliminated the noise and finally allowed me to properly test the decoder. My next step will be to resolder as needed, but at least now I know the decoder can work well.

Thanks for the info!

LH
 
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