Is This Record Quad? ENVIRONMENTS 4 LP QUADRAPHONIC

[Old Quad Guy]

I was wondering if this record is Quad or not? And if so what other ENVIRONMENTS records we're Quad?

I don't recall these records as being Quadraphonic.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ENVIRONMENTS-4-...904QQihZ001QQcategoryZ306QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I believe this is the record number:

Environments - Totally New Concepts in Sound - Disc 4 -
Syntonic Research Records (SR) - SD-66004

 

[jdmack]

It is my understanding that all of the Environments albums on the SR or Syntonic label are some sort of matrixed quad (at least, that's what the liner notes say). I have read online that they are mixed for DynaQuad. The same albums issued on the *Atlantic* label are just stereo.

Using software, I have experimented with QS decoding and my own script for DynaQuad decoding of these albums. Each method works to some degree, but differently.

J. D.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

Thanks for the info J. D. I just bought a sealed copy of this record (from a different vendor) and I am waiting to receive it. But after buying the record something clicked in my mind that these we're not Quadraphonic releases and yet maybe they we're. Thanks for clarifying the record release issue.

Some of these "Environments" records we're released on CD. I'm not sure which mixes they used.

 

[callmez]

Just picked this one up today (#4), there's a sticker on the shrinkwrap that says "Contains Synthetic Silence".... oooooo, there's a concept! @:

Spine reads "STEREO/Q".

Label: "Stereo/MQ" and "...in stereo or quadraphonic, a 'sound field' is produced which can be tailored to your psychological requirements at the moment."

On the inner sleeve: "[Syntonic Research] releases are encoded with a special matrix coding for playback in quadraphonic, compatible with SQ, QS, and RM matrix systems."

Mmm.. not very convincing. Maybe it's in DynaQuad but the initial release date was 1974, isn't that a little late?

Mark Z

 

[JonUrban]

I seem to recall that these LPs, expecially the later pressings, were in fact some sort of matrix'ed surround sound. I would lean towards guessing RM or DY as someone has suggested.

Columbia required licensing for SQ recordings, so I doubt they are SQ.

 

[Flaquad]

Even some of the Environment cassette tapes claim to be encoded. I have had several over the years but only found one this evening. The liner notes on the insert of the Environments 4 ENGLISH MEADOW cassette tape reads in part " ENVIRONMENTS tapes are matrix-encoded for quadraphonic playback, if you have such a system,although they are completely compatible with all mono and stereo machines"

This one is dated 1979 and indicates it is a STEREO (Q) cassette tape.

Tom in Florida

 

[Bob Squires Jr]

Even some of the Environment cassette tapes claim to be encoded. I have had several over the years but only found one this evening. The liner notes on the insert of the Environments 4 ENGLISH MEADOW cassette tape reads in part " ENVIRONMENTS tapes are matrix-encoded for quadraphonic playback, if you have such a system,although they are completely compatible with all mono and stereo machines"

This one is dated 1979 and indicates it is a STEREO (Q) cassette tape.

Tom in Florida

I have Environments 1 (Slow Ocean) on cassette that offers up the same statement on the inside cover that yours does. I have yet to play it through anything as I'm in the process of re-doing my house. (hence my probably little noticed absence from the group ) - My tape is 30 mins, same thing on both sides and marked 1987 Syntonic Research SC99001

-Bob

 

[johmbolayaSQ]

One of the Environments albums on Atlantic made it possible to listen to it at all speeds (16, 33, 45 & 78). I always thought that was interesting.

 

[QuantumGuitar]

Hey, I just stumbled across these on Discogs looking at the latest quad listings. Any thoughts on whether this was actually sourced from a quad master? Any other thoughts about the encoding or decoding?

I just purchased a mint copy for almost nothing, since I can't resist a good field recording (Thanks to the one and only Brad Miller...)

 

[fizzywiggs41]

Hey, I just stumbled across these on Discogs looking at the latest quad listings. Any thoughts on whether this was actually sourced from a quad master? Any other thoughts about the encoding or decoding?

I just purchased a mint copy for almost nothing, since I can't resist a good field recording (Thanks to the one and only Brad Miller...)

To the best of my knowledge , all Syntonic Research recordings were recorded in a type of Dynaquad (miked ) process.
This includes the Atlantic label pressings as well.

Noteworthy, is the Raymond Erickson lp , clearly identified as quadraphonic as opposed to the Environments SR releases that had the letter " Q" added , ie STEREO Q.

 

[Mark Anderson]

I seem to recall that the Atlantic pressings are not encoded only the SR pressings

 

[fizzywiggs41]

If they (Atlantic ) were recorded with the same field mic , why would they be any different ?

 

[Mark Anderson]

It does not make any since to me either but this is what I recall and why they did not show up in the Quad Inc 2nd edition. I suspect they just went back to the master before encoding as Atlantic had given up on quad by then.
I have not done a comparison as I avoided the atlantic pressings.

 

[quicksrt]

It’s stuff like this that gave quadraphonic a bad name in the first place. Nothing wrong with good Atmospheric/ Environmental recordings, but piggybacking on real quad content like one other lower budget labels - did not help the format along.

Brad Miller got serious when his stuff was coming out on Warner Brothers CD-4 format. Or reels if they got Q4s of that stuff out on WB.