Difference betwenn SQA-1, 2 and 2B

Hi, just a quick question regarding the Marantz plug in modules. I know the SQA-1 is front/back logic and the SQA-2 is full logic, but what of the 2B? Cannot find anything on the web that explains what explains what they did to warrant that magical SQA-2"B" version!
Can anyone help?

Dave.

Oh, that would be the Tate logic version.... No, just kidding, but don't you wish!

I don't know.

The Quadfather

Info is hard to find. Awhile back I did find mention that the SQA-2B would only fit the receivers specifically designed to accept it.

Does that mean earlier receivers using the plug-in modules would not accept it? Were the receivers designed to to accept the SQA-2B also capable of accepting the earlier modules? Was the information I found faulty? Not sure.

I did find a list price of $80. Considering inflation the current approximate equivalent of late 1970's dollars would make the price around $200-$300 today. Eeeeeek!!!!!

The 2B is very rare. I believe it came out as quad was declining.

Here's the quote:

""plug-in full logic module for receivers built to accept this; 42xx/41xx amps/44xx series" There was more info but I didn't copy all I came across back then..... I was going to various libraries and digging through old magazines trying to find as much info as possible. Copying by hand was tedious so I only wrote down the bare minimum of what I found. Of course, I wish now I would have been more thorough!!!!!

I've bought a Marantz 4140 amp with an SQA-2B fitted. It will be interesting to see how it fairs against the SQA-2 model. I wonder if they did any tweaks to it?
The SQA-2 was noted to have quite good "directionality" but sounds rather harsh, particular on "ambient" recordings.
I'll let everyone know how I get on, maybe someone would like to add the comments to their web page?

I just got a decent 4140 with no decoder in the pocket. I was into these when I had a 4270 about 2-3 years ago, but sold off the extra decoders. I had an SQA-2B in the 4270 plus two spare SQA-2's bough in a fit of speculation and later given away. LOL

Seems like I scanned the "instructions" they ship with these, I'll try to locate and post if possible.

Tim (timbre4)

I just got crisp practically new original service manuals for the Marantz 4140 and the SQA-2B module. The SQA manual makes for interesting reading. The decoder uses a Sony HX 101 "basic" decoder chip, coupled with the good ol' Motorola MC 1314 chip as the voltage controlled attenuator (amplifier) and the MC 1315 chip as the signal detecting and evaluating logic unit. Additionally a variable "blend" (realised by an field-effect-transistor) is implemented to improve the performance. However, despite all this, according to the specfications at the back of the book it achieves 20db separation front L-R and only 12db in all other directions. This puts it's performance on par with a Sony SQD-2020, which had of course discrete circuitry instead of IC's. So the questions is, why did they go for the Sony decoder chip instead of the Motorola MC 1312 ?
Performance wise I doubt it would make a lot of difference, but it seems strange not to have "kept it in the Motorola family" so to speak.
Indeed it also mentions the fact that the SQA-2B module is only suitable for **certain** models of receiver/amplifiers and that "damage will result from installation in any other model to which Marantz are not responsible" - however it is a little vague on exactly which models are supported. Incidentally, if there is any interest I might create a .PDF file of the manual as it is fairly short.

Interesting reading...

Can't help with the first part, but the latter half is simple. Somewhere around here, I still have the SQA-2B instructions scanned for future reference.

As I recall, that last part infers that only Marantz models with the pocket will work with these decoders. Anything else? Don't call us!

Hi Tim,

If you do find that information , I would like to get a copy of it , if i could.

Len

Has anyone ever tried taking one of these apart and converting it to have wires to allow one to wire in a tate? Perhaps service manuals would provide necessary information on how to wire for this purpose properly? Thoughts?