INVOLVE SQ - IS HERE

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Hi Chucky,

Apologies in advance if this is isn't the correct thread to ask, but for the upcoming surround pre-amp, has Involve considered a Dolby compatible surround mode, be it official decoding or unofficial "movie mode" with no Dolby fees :)

Would be curious to see this option with Involve 3 band decoding with the thousands of titles MP encoded titles available.. Many will never be released in discrete 4.0, or will be botched 5.1 remixes.
 
I am having trouble finding the eval boards on the shop page. Please point me to the link where the eval boards are listed.

Thanks

Ahoy there!

Sorry, no the evaluation boards aren't up on the shop site yet. I'll prod those responsible with a few thousand volts.

As for SQ - no, these boards are designed as evaluation for the Involve encode and decode process as a useful format, it's not an official part of our consumer-facing products.

Once they're available I'll post back in here again. Sorry for the confusion / delay.

Cheers
~D
 
Hi Chucky,

Apologies in advance if this is isn't the correct thread to ask, but for the upcoming surround pre-amp, has Involve considered a Dolby compatible surround mode, be it official decoding or unofficial "movie mode" with no Dolby fees :)

Would be curious to see this option with Involve 3 band decoding with the thousands of titles MP encoded titles available.. Many will never be released in discrete 4.0, or will be botched 5.1 remixes.

Ahoy there,

FWIW the Involve decode is actually the Dolby compatible surround mode. We did a bunch of testing with a few Dolby techs and their encoded files, particularly PL-II we did a more even circular decode of their stuff than their own decoder. Involve particularly does well on Pro logic / PL-II stuff as well as regular stereo, and we have found some examples of our decode being more enjoyable (and sometimes accurate) than the deliberate 5.1 mix that came with the DVD release.

Our SQ mode does do a great job with the rear content in PL-II created content, but that's largely because PL-II has an SQ basis anyway. Truthfully though I find the regular Involve mode better anyway as the resulting extraction of ambience is just more...I dunno - I hesitate to say "involving" without my company shirt on - let's just say pleasing. Or encompassing. Yes. That.

~D
 
Ahoy there,

FWIW the Involve decode is actually the Dolby compatible surround mode. We did a bunch of testing with a few Dolby techs and their encoded files, particularly PL-II we did a more even circular decode of their stuff than their own decoder. Involve particularly does well on Pro logic / PL-II stuff as well as regular stereo, and we have found some examples of our decode being more enjoyable (and sometimes accurate) than the deliberate 5.1 mix that came with the DVD release.

Our SQ mode does do a great job with the rear content in PL-II created content, but that's largely because PL-II has an SQ basis anyway. Truthfully though I find the regular Involve mode better anyway as the resulting extraction of ambience is just more...I dunno - I hesitate to say "involving" without my company shirt on - let's just say pleasing. Or encompassing. Yes. That.

~D

Hi Everyone,
I'm interested in whatever the latest version of this setup might be. I saw earlier that there were about 20 units sold but that reply is now six years old. Is there a place I can go to see/hear one or is it online only?
Where can I purchase one? (IF I can afford the ask...) Thanks!
 
Best way is Google..."Involve SQ decoder", and it will spit out Involveaudio.com.
To hear one I'd think you would need to know someone who has one, or live near a member of QQ who generously offered you an invite.
I don't think there is any multi-channel streaming demo, though I could be wrong.
 
Hi Everyone,
I'm interested in whatever the latest version of this setup might be. I saw earlier that there were about 20 units sold but that reply is now six years old. Is there a place I can go to see/hear one or is it online only?
Where can I purchase one? (IF I can afford the ask...) Thanks!

Hi. Quadly McQuadmeister

I am pretty shore the Surround Master is out off stock, but they are working on a up grade. a new metal box & new added features so hopefully in the next view months we will see a new unit....
 
Hi. Quadly McQuadmeister

I am pretty shore the Surround Master is out off stock, but they are working on a up grade. a new metal box & new added features so hopefully in the next view months we will see a new unit....

Their web site actually states that there are 3 units left, unless that's not been updated lately.
 
Hi All

The truth is somewhere between these answers. We are out of stock of the "perfect" cased units but have found a bunch of cases that are not 100% visually perfect (but good), due to our recent move we thought we were out of electronic boards but we have found a few more. So yes we have stock for less than probably 10 units at a discount price. Dave the Bitch is designing the pre amp/ Involve surround unit but it is say 3 months away.

Regards

Chucky

Their web site actually states that there are 3 units left, unless that's not been updated lately.
 
. Dave the Bitch is designing the pre amp/ Involve surround unit but it is say 3 months away.

Regards

Chucky

Hi Chucky - We're all desperate for that, but in the meantime would it be possible to get my SM reprogrammed to the SQ LP specific variant?
Thanks.
Soundfield.
 
Ahoy there,

FWIW the Involve decode is actually the Dolby compatible surround mode. We did a bunch of testing with a few Dolby techs and their encoded files, particularly PL-II we did a more even circular decode of their stuff than their own decoder. Involve particularly does well on Pro logic / PL-II stuff as well as regular stereo, and we have found some examples of our decode being more enjoyable (and sometimes accurate) than the deliberate 5.1 mix that came with the DVD release.

Our SQ mode does do a great job with the rear content in PL-II created content, but that's largely because PL-II has an SQ basis anyway. Truthfully though I find the regular Involve mode better anyway as the resulting extraction of ambience is just more...I dunno - I hesitate to say "involving" without my company shirt on - let's just say pleasing. Or encompassing. Yes. That.

~D

Thank you for the response and​ apologies my delayed reply- Lots of work currently on my plate, and more unexpectedly dropped in after my post.

SQ as you noted is much closer to the Dolby MP matrix. The only x-factor for me is Dolby's somewhat nebulous ("nebulous" as documentation is limited) interior channel. In the original Dolby MP matrix, material encoded with a 90 degree phase shift was designed to emanate from all channels, and most interestingly for me, also was not supposed to interfere with the logic action of most full logic Dolby decoders.

Overture, do you know how your SQ decoding handles this? I know SQ uses 90 phase shifting for hard left rear and right rear, but not much after that.

Before Dolby ever came out with consumer logic decoders, decades ago I had used SQ full logic in my beloved but long gone Marantz 4400 quad receiver on Dolby MP encoded laserdiscs. The catch there (besides the lack of a center channel out) was Marantz's given implantation of full logic decoding. While Marantz's full logic SQ circuitry could occasionally offer exciting separation, it also often introduced very noticeable pumping artifacts and reduced fidelity in a number of areas.


What I know of the given quad formats is from the published equations and interviews of those who designed them. Given I no longer have full logic SQ or QS decoders, the closest thing I could presently test to find out is doing the reverse, by running QS and SQ test tones through a DPL-2 decoder and looking at the wav files in Audition. It was very very interesting (and can eventually provide screenshots if anyone is interested). When it came to the decoding of QS test tones, DPL-2 decoding essentially decoded the rear portion of the QS sound field almost perfectly, while the front part of the sound field showed noticeable leakage / smearing in the three front channels. On the other hand, SQ decoding was the opposite via DPL-2, offering essentially perfect decoding in the three front channels, but the SQ encoded rear sound field channels were smeared, with the exception of SQ's center back, thankfully being the same as Dolby MP's (DPL-1) mono surround channel.

Based on these tests it appears with DPL-2 encoded material, SQ and QS decoding each would bring something to the table, just not all in one system. SQ would seem the most accurate with DPL-1, while QS would correctly decode the split surrounds of DPL-2, while still having leakage issues with DPL-2 in the front.

Thanks again for the previous reply, as I've always found the matrix formats fascinating.
 
Hi Soundfield

Your wish is our command .....just contact David directly or via our website.

Regards

Chucky

Hi Chucky - We're all desperate for that, but in the meantime would it be possible to get my SM reprogrammed to the SQ LP specific variant?
Thanks.
Soundfield.
 
Hi all

Was not quite sure where to post this one - so apologies if this is the wrong place.

Here is a unbiased review of the SQ version of the SM against the Tate and Oxford Dickies software decode. I really understand what "Quadcast" is saying - basically no clear winners in all cases. We really struggled with the SQ misery but I think the end result we came up with was weighted towards our preference to a strong "image" . I think congratulations to OD and Tate for their efforts also. Be nice to see how Shadow Vector goes one day.



Regards

Chucky
 
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