63 yr old newbie!

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nikomen

Senior Member
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Virginia
Hi,
I've collected most every type of music formats and restored many 60's-80's stereo equipment over the years, but I just bought an AKAI R2R and trying to figure out if it will play 4 track quad tapes, and if so, can I use my Yamaha receiver that supports Multi Channel Inputs, up to 7.1. The R2R has discrete front and rear outputs. Any help would be appreciated. I have 2 other R2R that I have restored and have a few Quad R2R consumer reels that I'd like to play.
 
Hi,
I've collected most every type of music formats and restored many 60's-80's stereo equipment over the years, but I just bought an AKAI R2R and trying to figure out if it will play 4 track quad tapes, and if so, can I use my Yamaha receiver that supports Multi Channel Inputs, up to 7.1. The R2R has discrete front and rear outputs. Any help would be appreciated. I have 2 other R2R that I have restored and have a few Quad R2R consumer reels that I'd like to play.
Ahoy there youngster!
You found the right place to dock. Nice intro & note there's a place in your profile to list your gear as it expands. Looking forward to getting to know you!
 
Hi,
I've collected most every type of music formats and restored many 60's-80's stereo equipment over the years, but I just bought an AKAI R2R and trying to figure out if it will play 4 track quad tapes, and if so, can I use my Yamaha receiver that supports Multi Channel Inputs, up to 7.1. The R2R has discrete front and rear outputs. Any help would be appreciated. I have 2 other R2R that I have restored and have a few Quad R2R consumer reels that I'd like to play.
You should have no problem playing the Quad reels on the Quad deck using the receivers multi channel inputs. Usually the tapes are stored tail out and so have to rewound before playing, although not always. Quad reels play in one direction only. What model is the R2R?
 
It’s an Akai 202D-SS. Technically it says it’s surround sound as opposed to Quad, but the outputs are listed as front and rear. Is it possible it’s surround sound and not quad, or was it Akai’s way of naming their Quad deck different than anyone else’s?
 
It’s an Akai 202D-SS. Technically it says it’s surround sound as opposed to Quad, but the outputs are listed as front and rear. Is it possible it’s surround sound and not quad, or was it Akai’s way of naming their Quad deck different than anyone else’s?
The term Surround Stereo was often used in the early days. Vanguard Quad tapes say Surround Stereo as does my Akai 280D-SS. The SS in the model numbers stands for surround stereo or surround sound.
 
Yeah, "surround sound" is kind of the catch-all term for any kind of multi channel (more than two) sound reproduction system.

Doug
 
Although Quad was popular when I was in middle and high school, I was too young to have enough money to buy any equipment on my own. In my 3 systems in my house, I do have 2 Yamaha integrated amps with many different Surround Sound "fields", but I'm wondering do the rear sources of most commercially made Quad releases from back in the day sound like 5.1 or 7.1 now, where they are more commonly lower volume, and more ambient types of music/sounds, or are they equal volume and discrete instruments, etc., like you would think that 4 channel stereo should be divided and sound?
 
Akai 202D-SS - I see 4 VU meters,that tells me it will play quad tapes. On the back you should have 4 rca pairs for outputing front Left, front Right, back left, and back right. So you need either 2 pairs of powered monitor/computer speakers, or a quad/surround sound amplifier with speakers hooked up,with the required rca input ports
 
Although Quad was popular when I was in middle and high school, I was too young to have enough money to buy any equipment on my own. In my 3 systems in my house, I do have 2 Yamaha integrated amps with many different Surround Sound "fields", but I'm wondering do the rear sources of most commercially made Quad releases from back in the day sound like 5.1 or 7.1 now, where they are more commonly lower volume, and more ambient types of music/sounds, or are they equal volume and discrete instruments, etc., like you would think that 4 channel stereo should be divided and sound?
While mixes can vary greatly, some are more ambient but many more quad's are like stereo x 2 (x 6, actually). The best mixes are very immersive (equal volume and discrete instruments, etc.), different sounds from each speaker all at about the same level. Newer 5.1 mixes are often more ambient and less satisfying, however many others like the Steven Wilson re-mixed stuff are also very immersive!
If you can play multichannel SACD's check out the Dutton-Vocalion website for many re-released vintage quads!

https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/
 
Although Quad was popular when I was in middle and high school, I was too young to have enough money to buy any equipment on my own. In my 3 systems in my house, I do have 2 Yamaha integrated amps with many different Surround Sound "fields", but I'm wondering do the rear sources of most commercially made Quad releases from back in the day sound like 5.1 or 7.1 now, where they are more commonly lower volume, and more ambient types of music/sounds, or are they equal volume and discrete instruments, etc., like you would think that 4 channel stereo should be divided and sound?

The first line is a splitter between the real old quaddies on the board and the follower, like me and you; a bit too late to be part of the real game in the real time. But the game isn't over, and it had a lot of recycling during the decades, so good old quad found out its way also in dts-cd, dvd-audio, sacd and bluray digital discs. Lot to explore, rediscover and enjoy.

BTW, a visit on the dutton vocalion website is highly recommended... you can find out some quad gem released as multichannel sacd, with the quad mix intact, at a very bargain price compared to the old media (record or tape).
 
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