Requesting Updates for the Quad Radio Broadcast Discography

QuadraphonicQuad

Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I have a few of the King Biscuit original 2 track stereo reels with matrix SQ encoding. I was always curious about the fact that they are 2 track stereo vs the more common 4 track stereo (not to be confused with 4 channel quad reels.) My assumption is that few folks out there have original 2 track stereo reel to reel decks. So, can a 2 track SQ matrix reel (or QS matrix reel for that matter) be played back properly on a 4 track stereo reel to reel?

2 channel across the entire 1/4 inch tape is a professional mastering format. It wouldn't surprise me if this were a 15 inches per second tape, I believe that was the preferred professional mastering speed.
 
I'm starting to go through my old reel-to-reel tapes - though the machine needs to be serviced before I can listen to them, sadly no means to do a Matrix HJ decode.

I've come across a BBC Matrix HJ Quad transmission from 1978, Be-Bop Deluxe, 4 tracks recorded for Alan Freeman's Saturday Session.

Somewhere I also have BBC Matrix HJ transmissions of the Genesis June 1978 Knebworth Festival, & another Alan Freeman's Saturday Session from Lone Star (Sept./Oct.? 1976).

Edit: All recorded from UK BBC Radio 1.

I believe Matrix HJ is an ambisonic format like UHJ, so after matrix decoding to B format it would go through an ambisonic renderer like the ones from Dr. Bruce Wiggins.

I second the view that Oxford Dickie would be very interested in these tapes. PM me about it if you wish, I'm in regular email contact with OD.
 
2 channel across the entire 1/4 inch tape is a professional mastering format. It wouldn't surprise me if this were a 15 inches per second tape, I believe that was the preferred professional mastering speed.

I'm not home to check, but I'm fairly certain the KBFH reel tape programs I have are 7 1/2 ips. I have played them back and my Akai's don't have a 15 ips option.
Found an online image of a 79 Genesis KBFH show and it confirms it was recorded at 7 1/2 ips. 4728356253.jpg
 
I believe Matrix HJ is an ambisonic format like UHJ, so after matrix decoding to B format it would go through an ambisonic renderer like the ones from Dr. Bruce Wiggins.

I second the view that Oxford Dickie would be very interested in these tapes. PM me about it if you wish, I'm in regular email contact with OD.

For interest I've stuck a scan of an article on Matrix H under https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?19991-Matrix-H-Articles&p=233166#post233166
 
Duncan,
I'm not sure that the HJ stuff would need the renderer step you are mentioning, although OD would definitely know better than I. From what I understand, like any other matrix, BBC HJ stuff is all about having a clean master and the correct math info to work with. I have found the H and HJ encoding info to be very delicate and even more prone to corruption than SQ and QS, so the quality of the source is especially critical. Pretty much all of the existing versions of the Genesis knebworth show are unusable due to encoding info being corrupted one way or another, sadly. The Gentle Giant show from early 78 has the encoding info much more intact.
 
I have a 2 track reel that I have used to transfer my KBFH tapes. If I can help with the transfer to digital so they then can be decoded, let me know.
Although it has been mentioned that KBFH reels were distributed in discrete quad 4 channel, All I have ever seen are 2 track SQ matrix tapes at 7-1/2ips.
 
I have a 2 track reel that I have used to transfer my KBFH tapes. If I can help with the transfer to digital so they then can be decoded, let me know.
Although it has been mentioned that KBFH reels were distributed in discrete quad 4 channel, All I have ever seen are 2 track SQ matrix tapes at 7-1/2ips.

Good to know Mark. I don't have large collection of the KB reels and I know at least a couple of them are stereo only, not SQ matrix tapes. I'll see what I have when I get home from the holidays.
 
Hi Mark-
I found a quad recording of Genesis that I did not see on your discography. This seems to have been out there for a while - You probably already know about this.

1. Artist- Genesis
2. Date of Broadcast- Recorded live at The Empire Pool, Wembley, London, 15th April 1975.
3. Quadraphonic Format (Discrete, SQ, QS)- SQ
4. Program name (King Biscuit, Etc.) or radio station (unknown)
5. Country of origin (U.S., U.K., etc.) and city - UK
8. Any comments that might be helpful. I found this being torrented.
feel free to PM me for further info
 
Last edited:
I've come across a BBC Matrix HJ Quad transmission from 1978, Be-Bop Deluxe, 4 tracks recorded for Alan Freeman's Saturday Session. Somewhere I also have BBC Matrix HJ transmissions of the Genesis June 1978 Knebworth Festival, & another Alan Freeman's Saturday Session from Lone Star (Sept./Oct.? 1976).

A conversion of Lone Star '76 is already "out there".

Be-bop Deluxe '78 and particularly Genesis @ Knebworth would be fantastic.
 
I've come across a BBC Matrix HJ Quad transmission from 1978, Be-Bop Deluxe, 4 tracks recorded for Alan Freeman's Saturday Session.
Somewhere I also have BBC Matrix HJ transmissions of the Genesis June 1978 Knebworth Festival, & another Alan Freeman's Saturday Session from Lone Star (Sept./Oct.? 1976).
Edit: All recorded from UK BBC Radio 1.

Thanks for the info on these shows as I neglected to add them to the discography. If you have any further details like broadcast date, please let me know. If not I will use what you have.
I agree with the other comments, please send a copy to OD for proper decoding, he has done some really fine work.
 
Hi Wissing, Thanks for the info.

This show is listed in the quad radio discography as

Genesis - Stereo Pop Special 98 '75 Record # CN2302/SQ (SQ) 60 Minutes Empire Pool,
Wembley, London, 4-15-75
Genesis-Stereo Pop Special 98 '75 Record CN2302.jpg
 
I believe Matrix HJ is an ambisonic format like UHJ, so after matrix decoding to B format it would go through an ambisonic renderer like the ones from Dr. Bruce Wiggins.

I second the view that Oxford Dickie would be very interested in these tapes. PM me about it if you wish, I'm in regular email contact with OD.

According to OD matrix HJ is not ambisonic, it is a conventional quad matrix like H. I stand corrected, I assumed incorrectly that the 'J' meant more than it does. There were bodges to make HJ produce ambisonic results, but they sacrifice accuracy apparently.
 
Thanks for the info on these shows as I neglected to add them to the discography. If you have any further details like broadcast date, please let me know.

For the Genesis show, this comes from the Complete Guide to Genesis Live Radio Shows:

"In 1978 Genesis headlined the annual UK Knebworth Festival. The BBC recorded the show on the Island Record mobile studio and a week later (1st July 1978) broadcast some of the show in quadraphonic on the fifth anniversary of Alan Freeman's "Saturday Afternoon Show" between 4:00pm and 5:30pm. The BBC master of this initial broadcast was a 90 minute edit of the show held on quad reel-to-reel tape, though no subsequent broadcast has been in quadraphonic sound."

http://www.genesis-movement.co.uk/genesis-rshow-v09/genesis-rshow-v09.html

A digital clone from 48KHz DAT copy of BBC master is held on 2 CD-Rs at the British Library.
 
For the Genesis show, this comes from the Complete Guide to Genesis Live Radio Shows:

"In 1978 Genesis headlined the annual UK Knebworth Festival. The BBC recorded the show on the Island Record mobile studio and a week later (1st July 1978) broadcast some of the show in quadraphonic on the fifth anniversary of Alan Freeman's "Saturday Afternoon Show" between 4:00pm and 5:30pm. The BBC master of this initial broadcast was a 90 minute edit of the show held on quad reel-to-reel tape, though no subsequent broadcast has been in quadraphonic sound."

http://www.genesis-movement.co.uk/genesis-rshow-v09/genesis-rshow-v09.html

A digital clone from 48KHz DAT copy of BBC master is held on 2 CD-Rs at the British Library.

I had been at Knebworth and seen them in June 1978, I went back to University to collect my Reel-to-reel out of storage, lugged it all the way home on trains and the London tube, just to record the show. Mid-way through some WWII aircraft flew over my parents house with unsuppressed engines - I cursed somewhat! I haven't found the reel-to-reel tape yet, its in the pile somewhere. But I have found a DAT with Genesis 14/07/07 on it - which I think is the Knebworth show rebroadcast.
 
I've been digging around in boxes.

I have found a flood damaged cassette (some very fine river silt on & in it!) with,

Side 1: BBC Session Phil Manzanera's 801 in Matrix HJ from 1977, and BBC Session of Racing Cars in Matrix HJ from 1977. They both came from Alan Freeman's Saturday afternoon show I think.
Side 2: BBC In Concert, Gentle Giant,1978, Matrix HJ - (I also have a BBC CD of the same concert of 01/03/78 released in 1994 on the Windsong label - is it in Matrix HJ?).

The tape does not look too bad, so it might be salvageable, but it was recorded on cassette, and from an old Rogers valve FM radio back in 1977/78.

I've found the Be Bop Deluxe Matrix HJ BBC session on reel-to-reel from 1978.

No sign of the Lonestar HJ session.
 
Thanks for the info on these shows as I neglected to add them to the discography. If you have any further details like broadcast date, please let me know. If not I will use what you have.
I agree with the other comments, please send a copy to OD for proper decoding, he has done some really fine work.

Unfortunately the index cards I had written at the time (I was a very geeky student!) only record the year. I'm going to endeavour to transfer all the recordings I can to my PC (I've just got a Creative X-Fi HD box) and I'll get in touch with OD to see what he can do with them.
 
The CD (WIN CD 066) has a concert from 05-01-1978 recorded at the Hippodrome. Booklet says "The live set on this discwas recorded for BBC in1978 and though late in the band's career, marked their first appearance on British television."

cover_11216922005.jpg

Did British TV broadcasted in quad?

-Kristian
 
The CD (WIN CD 066) has a concert from 05-01-1978 recorded at the Hippodrome. Booklet says "The live set on this discwas recorded for BBC in1978 and though late in the band's career, marked their first appearance on British television."

View attachment 16875

Did British TV broadcasted in quad?

-Kristian

I didn't have a TV then, student life being as it is! The BBC used to do a lot of simultaneous Sight & Sound In Concerts, with TV and FM radio, so it might be. Until I can salvage the music from the cassette I won't know.
 
Back
Top