imagine it would start with your quad output source (cd-4 demodulator, Q8 track player etc) plugging into the Behringer. I see no "rca" inputs so I imagine you would have to get 4 adapters (rca to ??).
On the back of the unit on the far right there are four 1/4 inch headphone jacks labeled "inserts". Your vintage quad source goes into those- you'll need four 1/4 inch to RCA adaptors. Like these:
https://www.amazon.com/ZTOP-Audio-Molded-Female-Adapter/dp/B01AI07KMM/ref=sr_1_23?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1537388192&sr=1-23&keywords=1/4+headphone+to+rca
You then plug the Behringer into your laptop via USB cable, correct ?
Correct
At this point, does the Behringer come with its own software, or do you have to purchase that separately ?
The ASIO drivers I believe are on the behringer website. It does come with this very basic audio software called "tracktion" that will record your 4 channels at once. I ended up using Adobe Audition 3 instead, which I believe can still be downloaded for free. Info about that is in another thread I have to go fishing for, so we'll get back to that.
Does the 4 channels of music get stored on the Behringer, or does it end up being stored on your computer as some sort of audio file ? (my guess is the computer).
The 4 channels are passed from your quad unit through the behringer, where it's converted from analog to digital, and then through the USB into your computer. I usually record my tape/LP as one big gapless chunk. Once you're done recording, you have to export it to a type of audio file that supports multichannel sound. As I said before, most members here use .FLAC. FLACs are popular because they offer high defintion (lossless) sound, are easy to convert to, and supported by various software and hardware.
I'm pretty much with you up to this point, but here's where I get confused. How do you playback these 4 channel audio files on your vintage quad equipment ?? I would need 4 RCA outputs from the computer (right front, left front, right rear & left rear). How would I accomplish this ?
There are a number of ways you can do this. Here's my way:
First thing you need is an open-source music program that plays back the multichannel files. Foobar2000 is popular if you're on PC (
https://www.foobar2000.org/). Vox is a good one for Mac (
https://vox.rocks/mac-music-player). VLC media player is super basic but will do it as well.
Next, you need an external USB device that will pass the multichannel signal out of your computer into 4 RCAs that you plug into your receiver. Basically the opposite of the behringer unit. This goes from USB to 4 channels of RCA. Here's the one I use (
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Bla...sr=8-1&keywords=creative+soundblaster+5.1+xfi).
If you're working with a modern day receiver you can simply use HDMI to pass the multichannel signal. Or optical.
Some Blu-Ray players (Oppo for example), will play the .FLAC files off a USB stick.
Yes, you're gonna need to spend a little $$$, deal with some wires and adaptors, but once you get through the initial setup it's worth it. Any more questions you have I'll answer.