Matrix H Articles

Would Involve or SQ Vinyl decoding give the closest approximation of the Matrix H surround sound field?
I can get the H matrix LP v.cheaply here, it's surprisingly common (did the album sell really well so there's a glut.. or has everybody just dumped their copies for CD/downloads in the years since the LP came out?) otoh, can't find a solitary SQ copy as of yet..

the French made it in SQ

But Involve will give a close Effect
But it is not HJ there was a small change made to a QSD2 to play HJ
It is a very hard to really tell just what you are supposed to hear
when it is just Ambiance in the rear

rustyandi said:

the French made it in SQ

But Involve will give a close Effect
But it is not HJ there was a small change made to a QSD2 to play HJ
It is a very hard to really tell just what you are supposed to hear
when it is just Ambiance in the rear

Click to expand...

You mean H I think, Ron.

QS DECODER with a 58 degree adapter will give the H decode.

HJ quad is slightly different.HJ quad was developed in order to accommodate the unison of NRDC'S ambisonic (45j) and the BBC'S Matrix H quad.

45j + Matrix H quad =MATRIX HJ QUAD

HJ quad contains a 10 to 20 degree shift but was considered somewhat compatible with both ambisonics and Matrix H quad.

And here is a page from HIFI NEWS AND RECORD REVIEW.

The Scheiber Sphere with QS and BBC MATRIX H , the two quad matrices with their locus illustration indicated.

fizzywiggs41 said:

GENTLE GIANT-GG AT THE GG (BBC Sight and Sound) MATRIX HJ from 1978

Still available cd and dvd (got mine from "Burning Shed").Only the concert from Jan 78 is quad encoded, approx,1 hour of MATRIX HJ QUAD.

Click to expand...

I finally got round to listening to this today, DD ProLogic-II Music did a reasonable job of decoding, obviously not ideal but as I don't have an H/HJ decoder it will have to do. It works quite well but seems to be poor Front-to-Back separation, but as my speaker set-up is '5.1 SACD insert style' and my chair is much closer to the rear speakers it worked better than I had expected. You could hear instruments in the rear which didn't seem to come from the fronts as well.

Duncan,

That's pretty much the way I hear it as well.There is a distinct difference in the front vs. Rears.I have this on cassette tape but the quality is no where near this dvd or cd.
And now we have video to go along with the live performance.

Good job BBC and great job Gentle Giant.

All,

As a companion to my BBC Radio Show Index originally posted In June, I have just posted a similar index focusing on the mid-'70's BBC quad radio broadcasts done in Matrix H and HJ formats. I have also posted significant updates to my other previous radio show indices from that date.

From some of the feedback I received from my first postings, I got directed to some forum threads and learned more of the nature and extent of these unique broadcasts. From this I initiated some research and received helpful input from others that encouraged me to create and just now post a specific index of these broadcasts.

As with my previous indices, I again honestly state that these are 'rough' versions that I plan to reformat later, though that effort could take me some time. So it may be worth checking back on it in a number of months, to view the improvements.

Should you be interested to check out this new addition, please follow the initial link at: http://www.eclipse67.com/bbchr.htm

If you follow the links in this main page, it will take you to the new index at www.eclipse67.com/bbch.htm, as well as the multi-page sections that are devoted to the King Biscuit Flower Hour and the BBC Transcription Services & BBC Rock Hour programs. These include the cumulative indices for these shows as well. As stated, these are intended to be 'works in process' and are not assumed to be completely accurate or totally comprehensive. There are acknowledged holes in them and my hope is that I will receive clarifying input from viewers, so that I can update and refine these pages over time.

Therefore, I would sincerely appreciate feedback on specific content, clarity of the format, and with any general comments regarding this effort.

Feel free to share this link with any others whom you feel would be interested.

I hope that you find these new pages enjoyable and informative.

mrfloydin

fizzywiggs41 said:

GENTLE GIANT-GG AT THE GG (BBC Sight and Sound) MATRIX HJ from 1978

Click to expand...

What format is the audio on the DVD? PCM or Dolby?

Neb-Maat-Re said:

What format is the audio on the DVD? PCM or Dolby?

Click to expand...

I believe it's Dolby 2ch.

For those of you interested in QUAD matrix broadcasts, hell even those just interested in Quad...........any and all should check out the BBC quad broadcast info sites "MRFLOYDIN" has updated.

You owe it to yourselves to know what the BBC actually broadcast in Quad, as a collector these are a must view.

Excellent work and research has been acquired to help inform all QQ members of the wealth of QUAD that was and in very few cases (unfortunately) available from this massive undertaking by the BBC during their quadraphonic broadcast years.The years of MATRIX H and MATRIX HJ broadcast and experimentation (1976-1978) are of particular note if only for the shear volume of music broadcast!

Thankyou Mrfloydin,

I most definitely enjoy your contribution,





Derek

fizzywiggs41 said:

I believe it's Dolby 2ch.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I suspected that.

I was just looking at the BBC R&D papers published and came across this one from 1977, Quadraphony : Developments in Matrix H decoding 1977-02

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/reports/1977-02.pdf

Neb-Maat-Re said:

What format is the audio on the DVD? PCM or Dolby?

Click to expand...

A further note;

As per my Bluray display.....LPCM 48 K 16 BIT

And it of course is on the GG'S Alucard label, with great menu's by Shulman's Isonic Team

fizzywiggs41 said:

As per my Bluray display.....LPCM 48 K 16 BIT

Click to expand...

Thanks, that's more promising.

Derek,

I just was reviewing this post tonight and happened to notice that underneath the David Bedford LP, was a copy of the now rare Quadrafile, double LP issued in 1976 by the UK magazine Hi-Fi News and Record Review. I searched for years to finally get a copy. Nice find.

I also have a double A sided test pressing of the CD-4 side of this set, that was made at the RCA record plant in Indianapolis, Indiana. A fellow collector who knew I looked for Pink Floyd items, actually brought it to my table at a local record show I was set up at. It is a really unique item too.

mrfloydin

Mrfloydin,

Yes I lucked out on that aquisition back in the early 80's.

Post #988 in latest matrix disc gives a good view of that disc from HIFI NEWS AND RECORD REVIEW.

I wrote them a letter back then and asked if I could possibly still purchase the disc as per a 76 advert and their reply was no...it was comlimentary.
My cheapest quad purchase, I would have to conclude.

Arriving through the post this morning two remastered CDs from Lonestar, 1st album & Firing On All Six, both with bonus BBC sessions. It looks and sounds like the 3 tracks on Firing On All Six are in surround from the sessions on 25th June 1977. I can't play them via an H/HJ decoder so I went for DD ProII Music, and things were happening in the rear speakers, including some movement front to back. So the million dollar question, are they the Quad tracks broadcast? See mrfloydin's great web page http://www.eclipse67.com/bbch.htm

The CD cover below gives the date but not whether its Quad.

Disc 13 has the three quad HJ encoded songs from the Alan Freeman Show broadcast

Alex Harvey-Last Of The Teenage Idols.

-thanks to QQ'S krkier for the scoup:sun


http://www.universalmusic.ca/press-releases/33522/

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band was one of those brilliant acts to see live, which I'm lucky enough to have seen quite a few times.

But I'm not sure it is in HJ as Alex Harvey had a band called Quad - though I'd love them to be!

From Super Deluxe Edition "Disc thirteen features Rock Drill (1977), SAHB’s last album, and is expanded to include two extra tracks by the band, including rarity No Complaints Department, which was omitted from the original album at the last minute. To segue into Harvey’s post-SAHB career, three songs with his next band Quad, performed for Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman’s Radio 1 Show in March 1978."

http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/alex-harvey-the-last-of-the-teenage-idols-14cd-box-set/

From the Universal site "DISC THIRTEEN: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – ROCK DRILL (1977) – Expanded & QUAD

14 songs including the final Sensational Alex Harvey Band album, Rock Drill which has been expanded to include the non-album B-side, Engine Room Boogie and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band rarity, No Complaints Department, which was pulled from the album by Alex at the eleventh hour. Also included are the only three existing songs from Alex’s first post-SAHB band, Quad, recorded for the BBC Radio 1 Alan Freeman show in March 1978."

Most unusual indeed, Duncan


Two of the HJ songs are from Rock Drill, but not those you mention.



thanks for clarification.