Steve Hoffman forums full of CRAZY stereo obsessed people!

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Hey, let's stay above the fray and not trash other forums. There are some really GREAT SHF members, many of them good friends (and members here). Casting bad vibes is not good for us or you. I myself have "left there" because of the seemingly anti-surround feeling over there, but that does not mean there is not good info and good people to be found there.

Enjoy this place, enjoy that place. It's a big internet, and remember the #1 rule on the internet - You will NEVER get everyone to agree with you, and the harder you try, the more it will make your life miserable.

In the words of Ringo "Peace and Love, Peace and Love"

Thank You to all the QQ'ers (especially those that post frequently and the moderators) that maintain a friendly vibe here. I owe so much listening enjoyment to this place. :eek:
 
Just looking at the title of the thread,
If a similar thread appeared at SH 'QQ forums full of CRAZY surround multichannel obsessed people!' I guess we would wear that as a badge of pride :banana:
Thank goodness we are all not the same, it would be nicer to have a few more on board the multichannel wagon to reach that critical mass of consumers for the industry to properly listen to our desires though.
 
the example I cited was on the HFPA Blu-ray thread (a great thread actually with many great contributions from lots of nice guys) where nobody had mentioned surround for the longest time and then out of nowhere someone waded in saying the failure of uptake of Hi-Res/Blu-ray was attributable to surround because its "crap". that's when I saw red.
 
Don't forget you still have some otherwise sensible audiophiles who can't stand mono despite there being very strong reasons for having certain mono titles (recent reissues of things like the Beatles and Dylan albums have softened things, though, especially as some highly respected folks have praised them). As a collector I've got plenty of everything, but there are quality titles in all styles and formats to justify a more open mind. SH.tv is just a big place compared to this smaller one, and the likelihood of disagreement and mayhem is increased accordingly. That doesn't make it bad, just a bit wild at times.

ED :)
 
I find it annoying when a duophonic song (for example on Beach Boys Endless Summer) is replaced with a mono version. It's like duophonic is illegal now.
 
Rechanneling existed only because to charge a buck more for a stereo pressing, labels felt obligated to 'enhance' a monaural recording and try to sell it to the public as an' improvement' over the original source, though 'bastardization' was the actual truth, regardless of whether you liked the sound or not. Most listeners didn't care (same then as now), but audiophiles did, and by the late '80s in the compact disc years old albums with rechanneling were put back to their proper mono sound as applicable. As for anyone who actually likes the old rechanneled sound, well, it ain't hard to find a copy of PET SOUNDS or ENDLESS SUMMER for a few bucks on vinyl or tape.

ED :)
 
I find it annoying when a duophonic song (for example on Beach Boys Endless Summer) is replaced with a mono version. It's like duophonic is illegal now.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion. My preference is to listen to multichannel (surprise!) Stereo is obviously multi, although much less than four or six. I've always HATED electronically rechanneled or Duophonic. It's simply two channels of slop. Neither channel is full-range. It SHOULD be illegal. IMHO, mono is preferable to phony stereo. Where stereo masters don't exist, I rejoiced when CD's were released in mono.

Although I've bought many mono reissues and used LP's in recent years, the stereo and surround (where available) release has always been my choice, despite being $1 more. Mixes with less channels (mono, stereo) are things I regard as a novelty. Sometimes they're a different take, or things are added or more prominent in the mono mix. Some mono mixes have a more "solid" feel, i.e. the mono early Beatles. Still, I prefer listening to them in estereo.

QQ is the ONLY audio forum I belong to. I don't have time for the others. Lately, I've opted out of many physical groups I belong to. Several of those I ran. Too much drama. Plus, they often took me away from Joe. I visited one yesterday. It was nice to simply be another participant for a change. QQ is also the only thing I help to run today. After over 25 years of running not-for-profits and physical groups, it's nice to concentrate on me and my relationship for a change.

My heart has always been in surround sound. With one or two exceptions, everyone here has been welcoming, polite and friendly to me. My opinion and knowledge have been both utilized and respected, unlike many mechanics who automatically think I'm stupid, simply because I'm a woman. And, I've learned a whole lot from other QQ members!

Having sold high-end hi-fi for many years, I get where the 2 channel heads are coming from. Surroundaholic that I am, I would prefer listening to a quality stereo system to "Quadracrap." IF your budget is meager, a QUALITY 2 channel system sounds so much better than a Quad "crumpack" with a crappy SQ (Sorta Quadraphonic) decoder. Still, there is no greater audio thrill than listening to a "discrete" surround mix. It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on! And, if you're a musician, it is so much easier to crank up an individual musician to better hear what he/she is playing. Mono gives no hope of doing that. Stereo is nearly as limited.

SACD 5.1 and DVD-A have not caught on because they lacked true visibility and confused consumers with competing formats (shades of Quad.) Still, multichannel music is alive and well. Blu-Ray-A holds much promise, and we may finally have an end to "format wars." Although an uphill battle, I'm optimistic about surround's future, as well as QQ's future. Thanks to all here for simply being your wonderful selves.
:51banana:
 
I find it annoying when a duophonic song (for example on Beach Boys Endless Summer) is replaced with a mono version. It's like duophonic is illegal now.

If you'd been around in the 1983-86 period when compact discs were young, as a fan of fake stereo you might have been in heaven. I'm up later than I should be, but for some reason can't sleep, and I recall some fake stereo CD's of note. I'm not mocking your interest in them, just FYI, as I used to own them.

Elvis Presley, ELVIS' GOLDEN RECORDS. The 1958 album that was 'enhanced' in 1959 as an 'electronically reprocessed' title, and a sonic mess of appalling proportions, made it to CD in 1983 or '84. Some years later I put it on eBay and sold it for $200 to someone I was told was an 'Elvis completist.' This one probably is worth more today because 1982-84 'catalog' titles were at first pressed in limited numbers, labels uncertain if the format had a future.

The soundtrack of AMERICAN GRAFFITI was issued in Japan 'as is'--that is, with the same mono/stereo/rechanneled/early-faded/crap sound of the original 1973 MCA Lp (right from the master). Fool that I was (sweetie and I are both fans of the soundtrack, but she doesn't dig the film as I always have) went and bought it...but later, some kind of revisionist justice prevailed. When US MCA belatedly put out the CD reissue, it was completely remastered and reconstructed from better source tapes (mono or stereo, no buggery), full (and correct) versions of the songs, and (thanks again, Billy) very nice sound and 'punching in' of Wolfman Jack's occasional banter. Not honest, perhaps, but then, the soundtrack album didn't reflect the reality of the sound of the film, either.

I've found rechanneling in the strangest places but, bottom line, seek and ye shall find on CD all sorts of sound like that. Any original (non-remixed) album master with non-stereo on an otherwise stereo album will have a rechanneled master or two.

Maybe we should start a rechanneled tip sheet? :D

ED :)
 
I find it annoying when a duophonic song (for example on Beach Boys Endless Summer) is replaced with a mono version. It's like duophonic is illegal now.

If only that was true. What a wonderful world it would be.
 
the example I cited was on the HFPA Blu-ray thread (a great thread actually with many great contributions from lots of nice guys) where nobody had mentioned surround for the longest time and then out of nowhere someone waded in saying the failure of uptake of Hi-Res/Blu-ray was attributable to surround because its "crap". that's when I saw red.
While I do visit SHF often because of the plethora of news, sometimes the threads just become grandma b!tch sessions.
The thread on the new Quadrophenia is nuts. Oh yeah, don't forget 5.1 is a "gimmick".:rolleyes:
 
The thing that gets me most about two channel fanatics is that most of them feel you are not a serious music lover if you like multi-channel. You are just playing around.

All the while ignoring that two channel is an illusion too.

Doug
 
The thing that gets me most about two channel fanatics is that most of them feel you are not a serious music lover if you like multi-channel. You are just playing around.

All the while ignoring that two channel is an illusion too.

Doug

Too true! (y)

Its bad enough surround fans bickering amongst themselves.. but when Stereo zealots jump in it gets ugly! I'm always kind of wary of people who are so hugely anti something unless they have an agenda.. then you get the anti-surround crowd who probably haven't even heard a decent rig properly setup with a great surround or Quad mix playing on it :p They can hate surround on principal if they really must but to say its worthless or pointless or whatever is just unfair (and untrue).

I had a whole back and forth earlier today with someone on sa-cd.net, who clearly is not anti-surround music.. but was trying to lecture me on what MLP and PPCM mean after a whole load of going around in circles about how the Tull 5.1's are not lossless.. but they sound great, so what's the big kershizzle!?

its so daft and needless imho and actually gets in the way of fun discussion about the music when we get so hung up on PCM this, DSD that, 96k blah blah, 24bit doodah..!

I wouldn't have minded so much (and I'm the last one to point the finger about going off topic! :eek: ) but it was a discussion about Audio Fidelity's rumoured moves into doing Surround SACD and that seemed a lot more interesting than the way it was all headed!

"..Woah oh oh.. Listen to the music..
Woah oh oh.. Listen to the music..
All the time..."
:D
 
While I do visit SHF often because of the plethora of news, sometimes the threads just become grandma b!tch sessions.
The thread on the new Quadrophenia is nuts. Oh yeah, don't forget 5.1 is a "gimmick".:rolleyes:

Right on! (y) (y)

I'm having a load of fun over at the SHF these days talking about Elton (since the Yellow Brick Road 40th Anniversary) but as soon as it starts to get tech-y over there or contentious, I duck right outta there!
 
Too true! (y)

Its bad enough surround fans bickering amongst themselves.. but when Stereo zealots jump in it gets ugly! I'm always kind of wary of people who are so hugely anti something unless they have an agenda.. then you get the anti-surround crowd who probably haven't even heard a decent rig properly setup with a great surround or Quad mix playing on it :p They can hate surround on principal if they really must but to say its worthless or pointless or whatever is just unfair (and untrue).

I had a whole back and forth earlier today with someone on sa-cd.net, who clearly is not anti-surround music.. but was trying to lecture me on what MLP and PPCM mean after a whole load of going around in circles about how the Tull 5.1's are not lossless.. but they sound great, so what's the big kershizzle!?

its so daft and needless imho and actually gets in the way of fun discussion about the music when we get so hung up on PCM this, DSD that, 96k blah blah, 24bit doodah..!

I wouldn't have minded so much (and I'm the last one to point the finger about going off topic! :eek: ) but it was a discussion about Audio Fidelity's rumoured moves into doing Surround SACD and that seemed a lot more interesting than the way it was all headed!

"..Woah oh oh.. Listen to the music..
Woah oh oh.. Listen to the music..
All the time..."
:D

I gotta say the music "tips" I get here are priceless. QQ is my #1 resource for surround music info and my little collection just keeps growing :sun
 
Right on! (y) (y)

I'm having a load of fun over at the SHF these days talking about Elton (since the Yellow Brick Road 40th Anniversary) but as soon as it starts to get tech-y over there or contentious, I duck right outta there!

Bet that Fredblue has the popcorn out watching the show he starts each time lol...........fly that 5.1 flag proudly buddy :banana:
 
The thing that gets me most about two channel fanatics is that most of them feel you are not a serious music lover if you like multi-channel. You are just playing around.

All the while ignoring that two channel is an illusion too.

Doug

And of course there is no better illusion than mono, since that the one thing even a one-eared person understands: sound is not 'flat' and it sure isn't two-sided, but full of multidimensional aspects that go around all around you.

The smart way to go is simply to find what you like and enjoy. Me, if it's great music I'll take whatever mix comes along.

ED :)
 
And there used to be virulent anti-mono members there, too, but as time went on and many of us--including Steve--raved about the interesting mixes being reissued, including the Beatles and Dylan--some came around to realize that there are fine and unique mono albums and 45's well worth owning even if you are stereo-centric. And for alternate approaches to the original stereo, there are many quad mixes like that, too. Why sell yourself short just because of preferences?

ED :)
 
5.1 is not natural according to some of them. Stereo only is the way:mad:@:

These are the type of nut jobs who throw a fit when a title is remixed as if that makes one not be able to get the original forever.

Insane!

Apparently you haven't come across the mono obsessed folks there yet!

I like the Hoffman forums, but those people wear me out sometimes. I can only take that place in small doses.

I'm relatively new to the joys of 5.1 so consequently I'm new to this forum as well. Been lurking for awhile, but I enjoy it so far! I only wish there was more 5.1 music out there....:(
 
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