How many matrix LPs and CD releases were there (guesstimates please)?

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Off the top, I would estimate the total number of releases at around 7000 worldwide. I have cataloged almost 6000, but have a lot more that I am aware of but not yet entered fully in the database. In terms of matrix encoding, they break down like so:

Vinyl: SQ 2360, QS 843, CD4 836, DY 24, RM 19, EV 14, UHJ 12, UD4 10, QX 2, unknown/undetermined 37, mix (example side A is SQ, side B is QS) 5

8-tracks: 1382

Reel: 408


Then there are the "assumed but not necessarily proven" releases. Most commonly, these are stereo releases in tape form that may not say quad anywhere on the label specifically, but logic leads one to believe that the it contains a matrix mix which (in theory) could be decoded. Of these, I count 46 8-tracks, 16 reels, and over 200 cassettes.

Numbers are subject to change as research continues, but the margin of error is probably only 10-15%.
 
Hi Boojidad,

7000! That's a lot more than I had expected, thank you. It shows that my count was heading in the right direction. It would be cool to see what is on the database at some point. I am guessing that there are some real hidden gems.

I am guessing that there may be a few more Denon QXs (BMX/QMX). I have come across 14 so far: Youguo (?) Hara and Hozan Yamamoto "22" (I think that's the title - not sure), The "Love" album (compilation, I think), Hiroshi Ihimaru conducting the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra "Joy of Music + Concrete"(QB-9008), The Vivaldi Ensemble "Four Seasons of Japan"(QC-9009), Japan International Aerospace Show (Q(E)-9017), Kaolu Iiyoshi's "Feelin' Good" (Q(D)-9016), Jiro Inagaki & his Soul Media with the Tokyo Cuban Boys "Quad Dimensions: Rock'n Latin" (QB-9001), Sharp Five "Big Operation for 4 Channel" (QB-9003), Tokyo Latin Boys "Dynamic Latin" (QB-9002), QX Record Demonstrating 4 Channels (TD-3010), Sound Free Sound (ST-4001), Multiple Guitars of Les Thatcher (Q(P)-9015-ML) and 101 Strings "The Sould of Spain" (Q(P)-9014-ML) and "The Flight of the Bumble Bee and Attack on" ... (The photo I have seen of this doesn't show the title very clearly). All of them have the Denon (Nipon-Columbia) Mastersonic QX stickers on them. I think that Quad First might know of a lot more, he is the source of most of this information.

I guess that, over the years, people have lumped them in with QS (obvious) and UD4, so I guess that they are hidden in your figures already.
 
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I guess that there must be quite a few UHJ LPs and CDs out there - there was a label that made a few (Nimbus?).
 
Its all gone quiet ...

I haven't found any more but Mark Anderson is updating his discography, so more might be on the way.
 
A few corrections:

1. What about Dolby Surround on CDs? That should now exceed all other formats (if unlabeled soundtrack albums are included). And I have at least 6 records labeled as Dolby Stereo or Dolby Surround and a few classical CDs in Dolby Surround.

2. QMX and UD4 are the same thing when referring to records.

3. UMX and BMX are the same thing, but are not the same as QX. QX is a regular matrix format predating BMX.

4. UHJ and Ambisonic are the same thing. I have two UHJ CDs and one cassette.

5. There were very few Matrix H recordings made. Most did not leave the BBC studios except over the air.

6. I have encountered a few records that seemed to be in H, but with the j and -j phases traded. I called them HR. Possibly they were BMX. I can't test them anymore because my friend who had them moved back to Singapore.

7. Nobody mentioned the Vox classical QS discography. I have at least 5.
 
Off the top, I would estimate the total number of releases at around 7000 worldwide. I have cataloged almost 6000, but have a lot more that I am aware of but not yet entered fully in the database. In terms of matrix encoding, they break down like so:

Vinyl: SQ 2360, QS 843, CD4 836, DY 24, RM 19, EV 14, UHJ 12, UD4 10, QX 2, unknown/undetermined 37, mix (example side A is SQ, side B is QS) 5

8-tracks: 1382

Reel: 408

Albums released on CD-4 Quadradisc, Quad 8 Track Tape and Quad Reel are all discrete Quad releases (4 separate channels), not matrix encoded (4 channels, phase encoded into 2 channels).
 
A few corrections:

1. What about Dolby Surround on CDs? That should now exceed all other formats (if unlabeled soundtrack albums are included). And I have at least 6 records labeled as Dolby Stereo or Dolby Surround and a few classical CDs in Dolby Surround.

2. QMX and UD4 are the same thing when referring to records.

3. UMX and BMX are the same thing, but are not the same as QX. QX is a regular matrix format predating BMX.

4. UHJ and Ambisonic are the same thing. I have two UHJ CDs and one cassette.

5. There were very few Matrix H recordings made. Most did not leave the BBC studios except over the air.

6. I have encountered a few records that seemed to be in H, but with the j and -j phases traded. I called them HR. Possibly they were BMX. I can't test them anymore because my friend who had them moved back to Singapore.

7. Nobody mentioned the Vox classical QS discography. I have at least 5.

On 4, I am just being pedantic but whilst UHJ is ambisonic, ambisonic is not necessarily UHJ, which is a matrixed version of B-Format ambisonics.

On the numbers, the Nimbus Records catalogue can be added and is still available to buy on line. I am not quite sure how many titles they have in UHJ but all the NI 2000 series are and plenty up to their 7000 series, mainly classical and world music.
 
Off the top, I would estimate the total number of releases at around 7000 worldwide. I have cataloged almost 6000, but have a lot more that I am aware of but not yet entered fully in the database. In terms of matrix encoding, they break down like so:

Vinyl: SQ 2360, QS 843, CD4 836, DY 24, RM 19, EV 14, UHJ 12, UD4 10, QX 2, unknown/undetermined 37, mix (example side A is SQ, side B is QS) 5

8-tracks: 1382

Reel: 408


Then there are the "assumed but not necessarily proven" releases. Most commonly, these are stereo releases in tape form that may not say quad anywhere on the label specifically, but logic leads one to believe that the it contains a matrix mix which (in theory) could be decoded. Of these, I count 46 8-tracks, 16 reels, and over 200 cassettes.

Numbers are subject to change as research continues, but the margin of error is probably only 10-15%.

curious as to what the 5 titles are which are split/mix SQ-encoded on one side and QS-encoded on the other side? are they promos/demos or test discs?
 
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