Quad Receiver remote

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dsk3331/disc rider

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Jun 26, 2019
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I’m sure you get these all the time so here mine goes...

Short History and Background - I thought 4 track reel to reel was quad up until recently. Yep, I’m one of those...you see I had just picked up a Sansui QRX 3500 and 4 track reel to reel...put the reel to reel on...saw all the levels working and music coming out of the back speakers...sounded mighty fine to me. So Ya, quick learning curve there when it was revealed I’m sorta a Dumas and wasn’t hearing “quad” sound.

My main intention by picking up the Sansui and Reel to Reel was coping my records on the reel for preservation... so you know, I don’t drop them so much. :)

So where am I now? ...I have a bunch of old thrift shop reels, a degausser is on the way, a Stanton 881s with an original D81s stylus, and excited to start doing some recording.

Another learning curve - I thought I had more “quad” records in my stash but alas...Epic “radial” sound and other Colombia “360” sound records are something different. I seem to have a bunch of those...so you see...I was ready to give up all hope and decided to put on Brahms in SQ. I thought it was a long shot thinking the Sansui only really did QS...oh, BTW...nice way to really mix up some of dyslexic inclined types with that labeling folks :)

On goes Brahms and Hallelujah...Brahms showed me the light. It sounded BITCHEN! I felt I was right in the middle of the orchestra with hearing different instruments from different speakers. Loved it. I was grinning. Not to mention it’s a SQ too. So that little Sansui, from my understanding one of the much lesser models, sounded fantastic. I get it now...it’s in me.

Learning curve number “Big One” ...Quad reels are EXPENSIVE. I’ve bid on a few but it looks like it may be sometime before I own real pre-recorded Quad Reel. I didn’t think that it was going to be an issue like that. Holy Moly.

Learning curve QS and SQ - I thought they were more accessible too...I seem to recollect seeing that label on lots of my records...nope.

Didn’t his guy say something about questions...Oh yes..

1) I noticed that I’m hearing some snap, crackle and pops primarly in the rear speakers on some records. Does that mean my much beloved Stanton 881s is worn down on the rear speaker stereohedron part of the tip. It still plays beautifully on my main regular systems. Is it’s time coming to an end and playing it in a quad system is the first red flag of its getting ready to give up the ghost?

2) Reel to Reel question - there’s no instruction manual anywhere including Vinyl Engine, etc...so this machine has a 2 track selector and a 4 track selector. So I’m assuming if I try and record in 2 track, it’s not going to record 2 tracks across the whole tape width. Just two of the four? Should I even deal with recording in 2 track then?

3) When recording in 4 track...with a QS or SQ record (I don’t ever plan to deal with CD-4 at this point), does the reel to reel machine get the material to record before or after the processing? So does it matter if it is in QS synth, hall?

4) What is the discrete setting? Can I record on that setting? I tried switching to it while playing a reel to reel track and it was giberish.

Thanks for your help...






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Today at 10:11 AM




SurfRinsed said:


1) I noticed that I’m hearing some snap, crackle and pops primarly in the rear speakers on some records. Does that mean my much beloved Stanton 881s is worn down on the rear speaker stereohedron part of the tip. It still plays beautifully on my main regular systems. Is it’s time coming to an end and playing it in a quad system is the first red flag of its getting ready to give up the ghost?

2) Reel to Reel question - there’s no instruction manual anywhere including Vinyl Engine, etc...so this machine has a 2 track selector and a 4 track selector. So I’m assuming if I try and record in 2 track, it’s not going to record 2 tracks across the whole tape width. Just two of the four? Should I even deal with recording in 2 track then?

3) When recording in 4 track...with a QS or SQ record (I don’t ever plan to deal with CD-4 at this point), does the reel to reel machine get the material to record before or after the processing? So does it matter if it is in QS synth, hall?

4) What is the discrete setting? Can I record on that setting? I tried switching to it while playing a reel to reel track and it was giberish.

Thanks for your help...

Click to expand...
Since no one else has responded yet, I'll try to provide some answers... Other, more experienced folks will likely jump in with more detailed info.

1) Its probably not the cartridge. SQ and QS are matrix based systems where the rear channel information is encoded into a stereo signal on the LP. On playback the decoder uses balance and phase differences (as embedded into the stereo signal by the encoder) to separate the stereo signal into an approximation of the original 4 channels that fed the encoder to begin with. Its not a discrete decode, as there is always some front to rear bleed that occurs, the degree of which it highly influenced by the specific logic of the decoder used. What you are probably hearing is an artifact of the decoding process, The stylus tip has no "rear speaker part".

Indecently, there are many digital quad conversions "out there" that offer better fidelity and separation than what you are likely to achieve with your present equipment. By digitizing, it opens possibilities for judicious use of modern EQ and de-click software to render, what is for me, a better overall quad experience, Even many of the Q8 conversions can sound quite good.

2) I could be wrong here, but the deck either has separate 2 track and 4 track heads or a combo head that can facilitate both. I believe the full tape width is used whether playing stereo or quad. The wider track generally yields better audio performance. With some decks (4 track, Quad) there may even be a way to record two stereo programs in quad format, thereby doubling the effective tape length. Theoretically, taking the above idea one step further, you could also record your Quad LPs as stereo tracks and decode those on playback. The thing that may stop you is the receiver not switching in the proper decoder when a stereo line level signal (ie: not a phono source) is selected as an input. But it would certainly help out with your archiving goals.

3) Using the 4 channel monitor loop, the deck will get the signal after the processor. I believe if you record synthesized quad in 4 channel mode it will record 2 channels each of primary and synthesized signal. What comes out of the tape loop should mirror what come out of the decoder at the time of playback without any tonal, balance or loudness adjustments. But you could just as easily do this by synthesizing the stereo signal on playback.

4) You would use the discrete setting on the receiver if you were playing or recording a discrete source. So if you were to dub from a Q8 or Q4 reel to another Q4 reel, or when playing a back a Q4 or Q8. The decoder is switched out of the signal path completely when in discrete mode. Quad inputs are routed to quad outputs.




Last edited: Today at 11:25 AM



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SurfRinsed
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Joined Aug 3, 2019 Messages 3 Reaction score 3 Points 3 Location Sandiego




Today at 2:24 PM




Stellar...Thanks for the reply and info.

I know this is opening a can of worms but I’m not familiar with the digital realm. Are you referring to copying my records to a computer with Audacity (I’ve never used before) and then burning them to a dvd? Or getting a Universal Blue-ray/SACD player like an Oppo, or Both?

If the Oppo is the case, then the Oppo would still go into the Sansui aux? Or at that point it doesn’t matter, any modern A/V system will provide the separation to the speakers from the disk/Oppo style player.

I just realized how green I am.






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Joined Jul 1, 2016 Messages 336 Reaction score 359 Points 96 Location Daytona Beach Fl




Today at 2:57 PM




My quad reels are relatively affordable, and I haven't made a sale yet this weekend.




:rocks:dance...Authentic Original Artist Quad Reels and Surround Digital on Ebay <=click



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SurfRinsed
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Joined Aug 3, 2019 Messages 3 Reaction score 3 Points 3 Location Sandiego




Today at 3:23 PM




:) I recognize you... I have two quad reels from you on the way. Concrete Brunette and Gerry From Scottland. They will be my first quad reels. Looking forward to them.






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mlrocker
300 Club - QQ All-Star



Joined Jul 1, 2016 Messages 336 Reaction score 359 Points 96 Location Daytona Beach Fl




23 minutes ago




1st time I've listened to those groups in depth as well, so it was pleasurable.




:rocks:dance...Authentic Original Artist Quad Reels and Surround Digital on Ebay <
 
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