"The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" Q8 issues.

[sukothai]

I recently received the Joe Walsh "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" Q8 and immediately proceeded to do a conversion. I have the Q8 already, but it is a little beat up and I was hoping for a better copy. I record my conversions through a MOTU 828 mk3 with Adobe Audition and monitor the progress through headphones on the fronts. After the capture was complete, I cleaned up the files with some conservative hiss reduction and muting between tracks where necessary and finally exported 24 bit 96K tracks to create a DVD-A with Cirlinca HD-Audio Solo Ultra. I burned the DVD with ImgBurn and put it in my player to hear for the first time.

The first song is "Rocky Mountain Way" and I knew something was wrong right away. The opening guitar riff was bouncing between front and rear speakers. Having heard both the QS and Q8 before, I knew this wasn't right. I turned it off and loaded the .wav files in Audition to see what was going on and found the front channels on program 1 were delayed by .375 seconds. I then checked program 2 and found the rear channels delayed by .750 seconds.

I couldn't imagine how this could happen, but I figured I must have messed up when I captured the Q8; so I started over and ended up with the exact same result again. Has anyone else ever seen this problem on any Q8? The tape serial # is 7023-50140H. My other copy that doesn't have this problem has serial #: C 7023-50140. I understand a Canadian version exists also.

Here are snapshots showing the delay of program 1:



and program 2. Note: program 2 Front-Left and Rear-Right don't have much going on at first and the timeline is a different scale than program 1.

 

[Q-Eight]

YES!!! About 2 years ago I came across a blue GRT/Arista cartridge of Eric Carmen's self titled album and I immediately noticed a problem very, very similar to this. Now, I don't convert nor do I digitize stuff, I just like to play Q8's so I couldn't tell you exactly what the delay length was but it was serious enough to make the entire tape un-listenable. I later sold it on ebay highlighting this flaw in the auction.

Also, since you have a C and an H version, do both cartridges have correct channel placement or is one incorrect? If one is incorrect, which cartridge?

 

[sukothai]

Both the C and H versions have the same channel placement and are correct as far as I can tell. The lead vocal and most of the rhythm guitar and keyboards are in the front. The rear is used for a very discrete variety of instruments, an occasional lead guitar riff and chorus vocals. The synth swirls around all four channels from time to time.

I adjusted tracks for the delay and burned a new DVD-A. It is not my best Q8 conversion sound quality wise, but is very listen-able to me. I would say it is one of my favorites. My previous C version was OK, but had accordion tape disease in a couple places.

Does anyone have the Canadian version of this? How does it compare?

 

[66Grandeguy]

I have a copy I bought in Canada in the 70s and i still play it once in a while when i want to hear on of the best guitars riffs ever. Im playing it now and, as usual, WOW! Its a red RCA cart but it doesn't say Made in Canada on it. I'll attach a picture of it and my Candian copy of The World Is a Ghetto which I also heard is better sonically that the US versions (but i wouldn't know) I have been buying them here in Canada since the 70s. I have bought some on ebay recently and you know they all sound pretty good to me, but then I am 54..

 

[cupboy]

View attachment 3416I have a copy I bought in Canada in the 70s and i still play it once in a while when i want to hear on of the best guitars riffs ever. Im playing it now and, as usual, WOW! Its a red RCA cart but it doesn't say Made in Canada on it. .....

Don't red cartridges indicate RCA Music Service made the tape? Even says that on it.

 

[66Grandeguy]

Im not an expert on carts but i do have some other red carts that do say made in canada on them, Like I have two Nilsson Schimilssons, both red carts but only one says made in Canada. Maybe someone can give me the lowdown on Canadian Q8's. I have seen references to the fact (rumour?) that they sound better but i have never seen anything authoritative.

 

[sukothai]

It must be the Canadian version. The Quad Discography indicates the Canadian Cat. No. is CTQ-40016; which is what is on yours. Thanks for posting the picture. Now I know what I'm looking for. It will be interesting to find out if the mixes and/or quality are different.

Here's a pic of the the 2 different US versions.

- Ben

 

[66Grandeguy]

Ah now I get it. I have a couple of the GRTs alright that I bought on ebay and the sound quality is not that great(Steely Dan and Tommy James)