The Difference Between Quad People and 2 Channel People

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Ever had your consciousness raised? Eat a quality hamburger and imagine your next trip to the drive-through. Sawdust!

Most don't know/care about Quad/5.1. Competing formats have done it a HUGE disservice. A quagmire! Quad had far better promotion and visibility than SACD/DVD-A/Dual Disc, etc. ever had! Lots more MC titles, too! A GF born in 1970 knew about Quad before meeting me. Perhaps they'll finally get it right with Blu-Ray!?!

Quad is a pain to operate. With a wired remote, my Marantz requires more getting up to be changed than either of my kids. SQ/QS/synth from 2ch/mono/CD-4. Power up the 4DD5, flip to radar, switch to disrete input. On second thought, power it all down, 'cause now I need a nap! At least 5.1 auto switches based on software and/or inputs. "Hey, does side 2 use the same decoding/demogitating format as side 1?"

Computer speakers, earbuds, HTIB (home theater in a box) have brought low-fi to millions. At the other end, few monobloc tube amp owners are doing Q/5.1. Both are off-topic, though only slightly. I'D RATHER LISTEN TO HIGH-END 2CH THAN 5.1 HTIB! Blasphemer! High end Q/5.1 is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

"P*ssywhipped?" NOT ME! My spouse and partners understood my need for Quad/5.1/CD/LP/equipment was stronger than for fashion, salons and SHOES!! BTW, Kap'n, have you considered changing your motto to "at your cervix, ma'am"?

Linda
Cracking the Whip
 
Ever had your consciousness raised? Eat a quality hamburger and imagine your next trip to the drive-through. Sawdust!

Most don't know/care about Quad/5.1. Competing formats have done it a HUGE disservice. A quagmire! Quad had far better promotion and visibility than SACD/DVD-A/Dual Disc, etc. ever had! Lots more MC titles, too! A GF born in 1970 knew about Quad before meeting me. Perhaps they'll finally get it right with Blu-Ray!?!

Quad is a pain to operate. With a wired remote, my Marantz requires more getting up to be changed than either of my kids. SQ/QS/synth from 2ch/mono/CD-4. Power up the 4DD5, flip to radar, switch to disrete input. On second thought, power it all down, 'cause now I need a nap! At least 5.1 auto switches based on software and/or inputs. "Hey, does side 2 use the same decoding/demogitating format as side 1?"

Computer speakers, earbuds, HTIB (home theater in a box) have brought low-fi to millions. At the other end, few monobloc tube amp owners are doing Q/5.1. Both are off-topic, though only slightly. I'D RATHER LISTEN TO HIGH-END 2CH THAN 5.1 HTIB! Blasphemer! High end Q/5.1 is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

"P*ssywhipped?" NOT ME! My spouse and partners understood my need for Quad/5.1/CD/LP/equipment was stronger than for fashion, salons and SHOES!! BTW, Kap'n, have you considered changing your motto to "at your cervix, ma'am"?

Linda
Cracking the Whip

LOL. Linda, spot on....!!! I agree with Winopener too, GREAT QUOTE!!
And yes, I had considered changing it, but in these times of EXTREME PC, I prefer to be a Gentleman!!!
BTW...stronger than SHOES...YES; you are a REAL WOMAN!!! ;)
¡Salud!
 
Don't think is exactly the place to post this question but I reckon it's as good as any unless someone can direct me elsewhere!

Is anyone aware of a poll that like the Hi-Rez poll which covers hi-rez stereo recordings?

This is not an instead of (multi) but as well as.
 
Don't think is exactly the place to post this question but I reckon it's as good as any unless someone can direct me elsewhere!

Is anyone aware of a poll that like the Hi-Rez poll which covers hi-rez stereo recordings?

This is not an instead of (multi) but as well as.

I kinda just brought that up to Jon...

Anyway... I was into Quad at the onset of it which is why I have so many LPs!
You have only 2 ears but you hear in 3D (kind of) Just as you would have 2 eyes but see depth as well.
If not everything would look like a magazine page to you. Same for surround.
Put a "stereo only" guy in a jungle with something roaring behind him and by the time he realizes where it is, he's a gonna get et!

As for the .1 argument... I think it has it's place in movies but in music, no.

-B
 
Anyone who would willingly take nearmono over surround would surely reach past the T-Bone steak for the hamburger.
 
Anyone who would willingly take nearmono over surround would surely reach past the T-Bone steak for the hamburger.

Ah yes but is it better to eat hamburger than starve?

Sometimes only the hamburger is available in Hi-Rez and sometimes, just sometimes, a well cooked hamburger beats a fatty, grissle laden steak hands down!
 
Let me use a different analogy: 2 Filet Mignon beats 4 crappy sawdust hamburgers. Perhaps I'm restating what OppoFood said. I would rather listen to 2ch seperates through 2 speakers than a Home Theater in a Box. I sold HTIB and have one that I inherited. Even QUALITY MONO trumps 4/5/6 transistor radios filling the room with slop.

There are over 500 Quad LP's, over 200 Q8's (semi slop) and several hundred digital 5.1 mixes in my collection. There are others here that are as rabid as I am. I doubt anyone is more rabid about software. Thankfully, I have dozens of modes to synthesize Quad/5.1. Yet, NOTHING beats the real McCoy.

Sure, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. More is not better. Lifelike is better. The typical 21st Century "hi-fi" is ear buds or computer speakers. Most people today have no clue that music can sound real. You CAN have it all! Killer fidelity in 4/5/6 channels. If modern seperates are beyond your budget, buy some vintage Quad gear. It's better than ALL the entry level modern stuff. Or would you prefer 4 computer speakers?

Linda


Anyone who would willingly take nearmono over surround would surely reach past the T-Bone steak for the hamburger.
 
Hehe. I guess when I started this thread, I didn't envision myself becoming hungry while reading through it.

Except hungry for more quad.

I am going to my mother's today and I just know there are some T-bones there waiting to be grilled...

:D

Doug
 
Hi,
Good posts here in this thread.
I think the main difference between 2 ch folk and surround folk is that 2 channel is the "default".
A lot of people I know think surround sound in music is a one off novelty.
I know people who have a real music collection and for whom listening to music is a part of everday life that for example have never heard of the SACD format.
I think surround fans are those that show an interest in what is available both in terms of hardware (equipment) and music ( formats etc), from this position of knowledge and experience we then have decided that we generally prefer surround to stereo, when given a choice.
CV
 
The reason we buy 2ch software is "DEFAULT" of inept marketing, competing formats, and lack of public awareness of surround. ALL TITLES RECORDED IN THE LAST 50 YEARS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AS MULTICHANNEL! Til then, go synthesize.

Linda
Get the Sound Around You

Hi,
Good posts here in this thread.
I think the main difference between 2 ch folk and surround folk is that 2 channel is the "default".
A lot of people I know think surround sound in music is a one off novelty.
I know people who have a real music collection and for whom listening to music is a part of everday life that for example have never heard of the SACD format.
I think surround fans are those that show an interest in what is available both in terms of hardware (equipment) and music ( formats etc), from this position of knowledge and experience we then have decided that we generally prefer surround to stereo, when given a choice.
CV
 
Firesign theater! I actually had a legitimate dvda of theirs. Listened to it a couple of times and sold it.
 
My theories about this is that the difference between "nearmono" people and true surround officianados is that surround officianados actaully listen more for the detail in music, or like to hear individual instruments - I think quite often because we have a music background in one way or another, e.g. having been in a band (or played an instrument) makes us more consciously (or unconsciously) listen to what the other instrument were doing...
 
I have always wondered why some people are/were instantly drawn to surround sound and most could care less.
When I first saw quad equipment I bought in (literally bought equipment) before I ever actually heard it! It just struck me intuitively that it had to be better.
Whether that was influenced by attending so many concerts, I'm not sure, but it just seemed "right".

Reading through again, I saw this and wondered, is there anybody here who wasn't instantly floored by quad/surround? Did it have to grow on you?

Because the very first time I heard quad, I thought, "That's IT!" And it really wasn't so much a thought as an instinct kicking in. And, like boondocks, even before I heard it, I remember reading about it and thinking, "Wow! Four amps and four speakers!"

I knew that's the way it HAD to be and immediately started working toward having it.

The term "Quadraphonics" became a magic word.

Oh, and another good point Mr. Morris... I mean LizardKing. :D

Doug
 
Reading through again, I saw this and wondered, is there anybody here who wasn't instantly floored by quad/surround? Did it have to grow on you?

Because the very first time I heard quad, I thought, "That's IT!" And it really wasn't so much a thought as an instinct kicking in. And, like boondocks, even before I heard it, I remember reading about it and thinking, "Wow! Four amps and four speakers!"

I knew that's the way it HAD to be and immediately started working toward having it.

I got into dvd-audio stereo first and even though, of course, the discs came with 5.1, I resisted going that route for quite a while. One day one of my sons convinced me to hook up his 5.1 receiver to some extra speakers we had. We put on a disc and we didn't want to move. We were glued to the sound that we were hearing. A profound life-changing moment.
 
Reading through again, I saw this and wondered, is there anybody here who wasn't instantly floored by quad/surround? Did it have to grow on you?

My first experience happened when I was in college and a friend had a Bose HT system in his room. We were listening to "The Downward Spiral" in DPL and started noticing that little music box at the beginning of "Closer" more pronounced in a rear speaker I've always said I've been chasing that moment ever since.

That's also how you become a surround fan without really being around, due to age, for the Quad era.
 
There is no logic. The same person who will enjoy the full multichannel sound experience at the cinema or on DVD/Blu-Ray at home seems to have no interest in audio-only MC. Simple as that.


ED :)
 
I've been saying that since I joined QQ. I've seen it firsthand in selling this stuff. With Quad, the reluctance came from either the expense or competing formats. Everyone said wow and was interested. Back then, ALL our custmers loved music. That's the difference.

Perhaps the name of this thread should be "what's the difference between 2ch and mono people?" One post might cover it: NOTHING. World gone mad.

There is no logic. The same person who will enjoy the full multichannel sound experience at the cinema or on DVD/Blu-Ray at home seems to have no interest in audio-only MC. Simple as that.


ED :)
 
On a surround (4.0-5.1) system the stereo should sound equally good. The front L+R are the corner stones of every decent music listening setup. You can compromise on the size of rears to a certain extend if the (room) situation calls for it.

Once you have that surround setup for music, you will enjoy films (movies) a lot more too. In my opinion a center and sub are not mandatory for music (as long as you stay somewhere in the sweetspot) if you have good FL+FR, but I prefer to have a center speaker (especially with movies).

Conclusion: surround people can have it all.
 
DKA, I hope I didn't seem to imply one had to be around during the original quad era to be hit by multi-channel because I didn't mean it that way. Your experience is exactly what I was talking about. Stuff coming out of those back speakers makes your head spin around and you say to yourself, "That's what I want!" It's a delight!

Same with your experience with your son, wavelength.

And Ed and Linda, I know what you're talking about too but some people these days just automatically tie multi-channel in with movies and don't really even consider listening to music that way. To me, it is a strange mindset.

They still stubbornly have that, "I only have two ears" attitude which is, of course, senseless.

Ge, you make sense too. With me, it is more of a secondary thing that I listen to movies through my quad system (and it is fantastic) but music is THE main reason for it.

Doug
 
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