Newbie: choosing a quad decoder/preamp?

I am finally getting around to adding quad to my obsessive plan to be capable of playing (and recording, where possible) any obscure and obsolete A/V format. Don't know why it took me this long.

I need help identifying which quad decoder/preamp(s) to seek out. I hate to sound rich and snobby (I'm definitely not the former; the latter is debatable), but I want the most accurate & clean sound possible. If this means I need separate SQ, QS, and CD-4 decoders, so be it.

Other desires:

• No integrated amp/tuner/etc. unless this is the only way to get a better decoder. I like having one physical device do one thing only. It's easier to upgrade or reconfigure later.
• Form factor suitable for rack mounting or sitting on a rack shelf. Everything I have is in racks. A giant wooden console will be an ergonomic nightmare in my "master control" room.

I'll be playing Q8 initially (I picked up a Wollensak 8080). If my turntables will work for quad (separate thread posted here), vinyl will follow shortly. Reel is deferred for a while due to space issues, but it's coming eventually.

Cheers!

jazzop said:

I am the OP and I have no idea what is going on with this thread. My post is gone, and the existing replies don't seem relevant to my original question. I didn't ask for help on the devices downstream from the quad demod. At this point I am only soliciting advice on how to get the quad source medium into four discrete analog signals.

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Involve Surround Master SQ and a quality preamp with multichannel inputs is certainly a direction I would at least consider to start.

Hi. himey

You have picked wisely there, the new Involve Surround Master SQ & QS unit is the only way forwards for a modern peace of gear but remember this unit is analog in & out the only thing digital is the processor in the unit , so you will need a modern day receiver with 5.1 or 7.1 auxiliary inputs or go vintage, this will make you ready for SQ+QS+Stereo synth Quad and DTS+Dolby5.1.
Bill..

himey said:

Involve Surround Master SQ and a quality preamp with multichannel inputs is certainly a direction I would at least consider to start.

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bigbillquad said:

Hi. himey

You have picked wisely there, the new Involve Surround Master SQ & QS unit is the only way forwards for a modern peace of gear but remember this unit is analog in & out the only thing digital is the processor in the unit , so you will need a modern day receiver with 5.1 or 7.1 auxiliary inputs or go vintage, this will make you ready for SQ+QS+Stereo synth Quad and DTS+Dolby5.1.
Bill..

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Ideally, a preamp with multiple multichannel inputs and multichannel bypass. Or a reciever with a "clean" multichannel input. My old school multichannel preamp has 5.1 bypass and two 5.1 inputs but it is long out of production, Sony P9000 ES. Doubt too many are around these days. I'm sure there are other brands but I haven't looked recently. I don't have an Involve yet but I will someday when the time is right. Between my PC and my Oppo I am good for now. If I was just starting out, the Surround Master SQ would be one of my first purchases but I went a different direction long long ago...

It can all ways be a future acquisition.............

himey said:

Ideally, a preamp with multiple multichannel inputs and multichannel bypass. Or a reciever with a "clean" multichannel input. My old school multichannel preamp has 5.1 bypass and two 5.1 inputs but it is long out of production, Sony P9000 ES. Doubt too many are around these days. I'm sure there are other brands but I haven't looked recently. I don't have an Involve yet but I will someday when the time is right. Between my PC and my Oppo I am good for now. If I was just starting out, the Surround Master SQ would be one of my first purchases but I went a different direction long long ago...

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bigbillquad said:

It can all ways be a future acquisition.............

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Did the OP delete his post? I am on my tablet and my reply to his question is now the first post...I guess I should have quoted his post so it wouldn't look so out of place. Oh well, maybe he was looking for something different.

himey said:

Did the OP delete his post? I am on my tablet and my reply to his question is now the first post...I guess I should have quoted his post so it wouldn't look so out of place. Oh well, maybe he was looking for something different.

Click to expand...

I am the OP and I have no idea what is going on with this thread. My post is gone, and the existing replies don't seem relevant to my original question. I didn't ask for help on the devices downstream from the quad demod. At this point I am only soliciting advice on how to get the quad source medium into four discrete analog signals.

jazzop said:

I am the OP and I have no idea what is going on with this thread. My post is gone, and the existing replies don't seem relevant to my original question. I didn't ask for help on the devices downstream from the quad demod. At this point I am only soliciting advice on how to get the quad source medium into four discrete analog signals.

Click to expand...

Well I edited my post that is now the first post.

Sorry if I offered up too much information for your liking. The Surround Master will need a multichannel channel input on your reciever or a preamp a multichannel input. Your original post was somewhat vague and now it is gone anyways. Sorry your first post got deleted some how and again I am sorry we couldn't give you the answers you are looking for. A forum is give and take and involves the OP, which is you, to get specific when your not getting the answers your looking for...

What quad sourced medium are you talking about? Your post that got deleted didn't specifically mention discrete sources so maybe that is why the posts aren't helping?

himey said:

Well I edited my post that is now the first post.

Sorry if I offered up too much information for your liking. The Surround Master will need a multichannel channel input on your reciever or a preamp a multichannel input. Your original post was somewhat vague and now it is gone anyways. Sorry your first post got deleted some how and again I am sorry we couldn't give you the answers you are looking for. A forum is give and take and involves the OP, which is you, to get specific when your not getting the answers your looking for...

What quad sourced medium are you talking about? Your post that got deleted didn't specifically mention discrete sources so maybe that is why the posts aren't helping?

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No worries; things just got weird. I'm looking for tips on standalone decoders/demods for every quad format, but mainly SQ, QS, & CD-4. I eventually want the capability to decode the rare ones llke UD-4, Matrix H, etc. My guidelines are:

• Quality/accuracy trumps the convenience of multiple formats is one unit.
• 19" rack mountable preferred; rack shelvable is fine; anything wider than 21" strongly discouraged as I have nowhere convenient to put it
• Discrete units strongly preferred; units built into a tuner/receiver/amp only if the logic is superior to any standalone demod
• If a modern device, it should not do a bunch of A/D & D/A conversion or signal manipulation.
• Bonus points for XLR/balanced outputs
• Bonus points if the device also encodes for recording. But not at the expense of playback quality.

I consider recommendations on devices downstream from the decoder/demod to be off-topic, unless I am ignorant of some technical details that make the 4-channel analog output of the decoder incompatible with standard amp technology. For the short term I plan to route the 4 channels through a 7.1 analog input on a Sony ES receiver; but I am making rolling upgrades across the board, which is why I like individual boxes that serve one function only. My paradigm for how an A/V system should be set up is shaped from my past career in broadcast radio & recording studio, where no appliance did more than one thing. (That's what the human at the patch panel and mixing board is for!)

Perhaps this is too much to ask in a single thread, but I didn't think it was appropriate to flood the forum with 5 different threads on my first day.

http://involveaudio.com/product/surround-master/

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?18022-INVOLVE-SQ-IS-HERE

Involve Surround Master SQ for SQ and QS. Neither format is discrete surround sound.

CD-4 is closer to discrete. Setup your turntable for CD-4 (other thread) and use the Surround Master for the others.

Your Sony multichannel input will be fine.

No decoders have balanced connections.

Glad your original post showed back up, that was strange.

Sounds like the Involve is a great way to get started. Is there any similar modern hardware out there to handle CD-4?

jazzop said:

Sounds like the Involve is a great way to get started. Is there any similar modern hardware out there to handle CD-4?

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Involve is going to try to release a CD-4 unit after they finish the project they are working on now. Price and timeframe is yet to be determined. No other modern hardware ATM.

himey said:

Involve is going to try to release a CD-4 unit after they finish the project they are working on now. Price and timeframe is yet to be determined. No other modern hardware ATM.

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It sounds like Involve is closely "involved" with this forum. Are they planning the CD-4 unit to decode QS/SQ matrices as well? I understand the thin profit margins in niche equipment like this and that they need folks to buy their current products in order to fund development of future ones. But I'd be more willing to buy the Surround Master now if they had a track record of allowing customers to trade in and upgrade for a discount.

jazzop said:

It sounds like Involve is closely "involved" with this forum. Are they planning the CD-4 unit to decode QS/SQ matrices as well? I understand the thin profit margins in niche equipment like this and that they need folks to buy their current products in order to fund development of future ones. But I'd be more willing to buy the Surround Master now if they had a track record of allowing customers to trade in and upgrade for a discount.

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I have no idea, sorry.

himey said:

Involve Surround Master SQ and a quality preamp with multichannel inputs is certainly a direction I would at least consider to start.

Click to expand...

Lexicon MC-4 for USD390

This high-quality preamp can be configured for two stereo analog/digital inputs and two 5.1 analog inputs.

proufo said:

Lexicon MC-4 for USD390

This high-quality preamp can be configured for two stereo analog/digital inputs and two 5.1 analog inputs.

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This is what I am using. One excellent feature is when powered off, or even unplugged, it will be bypassed and your multichannel processor signal will pass through. Plus it has two 5.1 inputs and a 2.0 bypass. Very solid unit.
http://www.stereophile.com/solidpreamps/700/#FlPhbx4W4w1SOt7D.97

Over the years I have brought the Sony SQD 100 then the SQD 2020
then the TATE SQ
No company has ever had a trade in for an upgrade in Quad