Software decode of QS

[Paul_White]

Hi Folks,
I have one QS quad record - Dark side of the moon.
On its first play I recorded it at 96K 24B.
I have been using AVS4You AVS Audi Editor and this has a 2/2

Whilst this sounds different from the original stereo I am not sure if this software is decoding as it should and I can get no answer from their support about what "2/2 - quadro" actually does.

So I have been reading about alternatives. There is a lot about Adobe Audition and using a script.

I have a copy of Audition 3.0 I do not have version 1.5 or 2.0.

What current software can I buy which will do the decode?

Your advice please.

 

[sjcorne]

Welcome to the forum!

First off, are you sure your copy is the QS-encoded version? The QS LP of Dark Side Of The Moon was only released in Japan (EMZ-82005), labeled as "RM 4-Channel". It is extremely rare. All other quad LP versions (U.K., Germany, etc) are SQ-encoded.

You are correct in that it's highly unlikely the decoding software you're using will properly decode QS. An easy way to tell is if the cash registers in the intro of "Money" move from speaker-to-speaker around the room.

SQ and QS decoding scripts are available for Audition 3, they can be found here.

A good alternative would be the Involve Audio "Surround Master" Decoder, which decodes SQ and QS accurately. They are in the process of releasing an updated version of said decoder.

If you're willing to go the vintage route, the Sansui QSD-1 and QSD-2 are probably the best the QS decoding units out there.

Also, if you're not aware, the discrete quad mix of Dark Side Of The Moon was released on a Blu-Ray Disc in this box set several years ago.

 

[The56Kid]

Jonathan to the rescue! How could you not love and appreciate what’s on offer here at QQ? This site is beyond irreplaceable.

 

[Paul_White]

Thank you very much for the information on Audition 3.
I have had a look at the album cover and you are correct it is SQ.

 

[Paul_White]

OK...
Something is wrong.
The script stops with the error "script stopped"
I have looked at the script and removed what looks like corruption:
1: 1056,ëåÁëåÁŀķëåÁX{¨ľLëåÁĎĽ}AAAAAAÁAAÁAAÁAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAAAAÁAAA

This line is very long so this is not all of it.

Where I have found this type of issue I have kept just the numbers before and after the colon for example for this line 1: 1056

But I still get the "script stopped" error message.

Is there an "idiots guide" as I am clearly missing something and it is probably quite simple.

Thanks

 

[sjcorne]

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...-audition-for-new-converters-start-here.7939/

 

[monarchee]

All those characters after 1056 are not corruption. They are part of the script. Have you altered the script so it points to the correct path of your audio files?

 

[Paul_White]

I have edited the script changing the directory from "I" to "C", The first file loads "temp.wav" but that is as far as it gets. The error message is not really helpful.
The file is rather large at 845MB and it contains tags would either of these cause a problem?
Any help you can provide I would be very grateful.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

It's been about 8 years give or take since I've decoded SQ/QS, but I remember needing to change drive "I" to "C" about 4 times in the script. Script needs to be in proper folder and and not changed except the drive name. Sometimes I had to start all over again with the original script, making sure file extension kept the same name, again in proper folder. You have to make sure Adobe Audition recognizes the script your using within the program. Been a long time since I've done this, so I forget a few things.

 

[monarchee]

Paul_White. Can you give a link to which script you are trying to use.

 

[Paul_White]

This is a link to the page that has the script
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...-audition-for-new-converters-start-here.7939/I am trying to use the scipt within SQdecoding_7_AK_96kHz.zip

 

[monarchee]

Reading what goes before it, I think that script needs Audition 1.5. You'll notice there is none of what you thought was corruption in your first attempt at using scripts, in it. Not at my PC just now but I don't think it is compatible with Audition 3.0. Where is the script you were trying to use the first time?

 

[Old Quad Guy]

Yes, there are three versions of the AA Scripts, and they only work with the version of Audition they were written for. The three versions being, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0. With AA 3 you have to add the "Center Channel" extraction software to the program, as Adobe originally dropped that feature until we complained about it to them. They were quick and good about adding the software patch. But you need it in order to decode Quad.

 

[monarchee]

OQD. AA3 has the Centre Channel extraction integrated.

 

[Paul_White]

This is where I found a script for AA3
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...ds-adobe-audition-3-0-sq-and-qs-scripts.9553/
I think I have found the problem it was with the graphic phase shifter. I have overwritten the previous copy and re-refreshed the plug-in list and it is doing something now.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

I see, it was the Graphic please shifter that was missing from AA 3.0. Then, thankfully it was added back with the 3.0.1 patch, which is still found here:

https://supportdownloads.adobe.com/detail.jsp?ftpID=4237
I'm not seeing the AA 3.0 free download anymore, I think.

Edit: I found the link from another QQ thread, but looks like Adobe pulled the plug on it, if I'm not mistaken.

Edit 2: Found two PDFs at the top of this user Google search; AA 3 User guide and a Help Center Trouble shooting guide:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Web...ericamovil-us&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
Also, a Adobe message board regarding AA 3 download:

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2179724

 

[Paul_White]

You can currently download AA3 using this link.

http://163.21.31.9/~liao/computer/pcknowledge/Adobe - CS2 Downloads.htm
or Google the filename ADBEAudition_ESD1_WWEFGJIS.exe

 

[ndiamone]

Eight years after the original post and 2 yrs after the last reply.

Lots of mostly QS to decode of strange bands nobody ever heard of where the master 4-track mix tapes are long since deteriorated along with the multis so you can't even remix from scratch.

Under ``Graphic Phase Shifter''
Of course none of the 3.01 patch links are any good anymore
and may not download/add to the program if they were.

Under ``Correct Folder to Put New Scripts In''
I had to put it in C: Documents/Adobe/Audition/3.0/Scripts
before it would show up as that's the only choice under
File/Scripts/Add New Script

Under ``Save File Twice''
When trying to save the two copies of the file as
C:\QS Data\LF Rs.wav or
C:\QS Data\Ls RF.wav
it says ``This filename is not valid'' probably because of the colon or slashes.

The test track (as requested by the guy who's trying to get me to teach him when I barely know myself - I would have just told him to get a QS decoder and just record onto a 4-channel soundcard into ProTools) is Anne Murray - Snowbird.

Originally he was having me do fill-in tracks for his AEI tapes he gave me all the half-inch bin-loop masters for (and the quarter-inch 10-1/2 4-track mono) - so of course the fill-in tracks have to also be mono.

With some sides a little on the short side - he gave me a list of songs to put at the beginnings and ends to make up the time and this was one.

I thought I was just going to be able to take an average of both tracks in the Channel Mixer BBZZZZZTTTTTT.

Man, the trash that came out of there was UNBELIEVABLE.
But then I seem to recall when this was all over the FM radio in kindergarden - the automatic L+R mix you got then from the FM matrix was just as bad.

So the first thing I put it through a phase analyzer and the ``cloud'' that popped up was amazing - like the QS had been put there on purpose which if course can't because being recorded A) in 1969 and B) in Canada there's no way.

But the ``cloud'' is there just the same - and the 45 played through the QS-1 sounds AMAZING.

So OK the original problem was how to get a decent mono mix where nothing is lost (the intro guitar and strings get swallowed up the regular fold-down way)
1 Extract Center Channel (remove vocal 10dB down) and save
2 Reduce rhythm guitar (right) track by ~ 3dB and save again
3 Blend to Mono and save
4 Undo all that and Extract Center Channel (enhance vocal 7dB up) and save
5 Blend #4 to Mono
6 Load each mono track into multitrack and mix down
creating a sort of Mid-to-Side conversion
7 Take about 28 tries to balance the Mid and Side
8 Take the bass down (50 and 80 down 3, 63 down 5)
9 Take the treble up (4 and 6.3 3dB and 5 at 5dB)

So now if it's that much work to make a decent mono mix since the mono/stereo promo 45 is scarce as hens' teeth - I'd like to figure out a way to get these (or any) 3.0 scripts working in 2021.