Everything you thought you knew was wrong

[Obbop]

Wasn't that the title of a Firesign Theater LP???

Well, just as we were informed that quad LPs were nuthin' but phony recordings containing gimmicky stereo effects we now have a sage informing the masses that CD-4 was an early player in the quad days and that discrete tape came after quad on vinyl!!!

http://www.deadmedia.org/notes/30/309.html

Exerpts:

In 1970, JVC pushed forward with a new 4-channel technology, demonstrating its "CD-4" quadraphonic disk (not to be confused with the current Compact Disk). (CD-4 was introduced to the public in 1972 according to every report I have read)

Besides the CD-4 system, the most popular quad formats were the Electro-Voice system (later called "RM" or Regular Matrix) (I have read too many times that RM is directly related to QS)

By 1973, two more formats had been added, this time on tape. RCA in that year began to offer its first "Mark 8" quad 8- track systems, and several record companies offered discrete four-channel recordings on reel-to-reel tape. (Reel-to-reel tape preceded quad on vinyl)

By the end of 1975 most large electronics chains began discounting quad equipment by up to 50 per cent in order to clear it out. (maybe where that guy lived but NOT at the audio stores I visited!!!!)

As late as 1979, the audiophile press was still hyping quad, (I have browsed MANY audio magazines in the archives of several libraries and almost universally the audiophile writers denounced quad)

Hey.... I admit to not being the all-knowing quad dude but, I have spent too many hours researching as many sources as possible to accept what some bloke scribbled on a screen.

Really no point to this post but it IS generally quad related and gives the masses something to peruse while wandering the bestest grooviest most nifty keen quad-related message board in all of Webdom.

And, remember kids, when it's time to buy from Djangos, Amazon or Buy.com use the links provided on the main page of this site. I'll do it when the time comes since doing so supports this site and does NOT add anything to the cost of the items bought.

Whadda' deal!!!!!!! :banana: Besides, someone's gotta' pay for all these dancing bananas!!!!!

:wave sooooo join the crowd :wave

Be cool :spot

Join the crowd rushing off to make that on-line purchase via the links provided here.

 

[JonUrban]

This guy is an ass!

RM/EV were 1970-1971+
Early QS came out in 1971+
CD-4 came out in 1972 (to the public)
SQ came out in 1972 (to the public)
RCA had Q8 tapes in 1970!! (no brag, just fact)

If you look at the labelographies, you can see that quad LPs were still being released in limited numbers in 1977, and I think that Angel SQ cirlce logo releases still were coming out in 1978.

By 1979, it was all gone to the cutouts, except for a few of the existing single inventory titles on Columbia, RCA, and the Doors LP.

The "audiophile press" was long past quad in 1979, with the only bits lingering were the dragged on tales of approving an FM Broadcast system for four-channe, which was too little and too late.

 

[timbre4]

title amended to correct Firesign Theatre nomenclature...

He's more off course than the SS Minnow I'd say.

My first taste was RCA Quad-8 on Fisher equipment in a music store glassed off room. It was so exotic and cool even if the demo music was lame & tame, the idea of multi-channel music was planted. This was the Fall of 1971.

Not long after, when I was in the May Company department store, the music department had quad gear playing, SQ discs & Q8 tapes. This was about Feb 1972, it would take until June to cajole my parents to buy me the receiver & Q8 deck from that same store.

1973-75 had to be the best years of the format because everybody started to release something. Do I wait for quad or buy stereo now? The daily dilema...

1976 was sad; quad releases dried up, I lost interest in the new quad receiver I'd put a deposit on at Pacific Stereo (traded the Panasonic quad setup for my first bass amp months before), so I sold off my quad tapes never dreaming I'd have it so good today.

2004 looks promising once the DualDisc issues settle...

 

[ClarkNovak]

I remember hearing my first Quad in 1972. It was, of all places, my parents' tax preparer's office. He had a Columbia Masterworks setup with the integrated Q8 player and the four spherical speakers playing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" over and over again... it was joyous, especially for a 10-year-old who'd just really discovered the radio

Clark