Quad LP/Tape Poll Aerosmith: Rocks [SQ/Q8]

[steelydave]

I'm guessing they probably had intentions of doing a 5.1 remix after how well the 5.1 SACD of Toys in the Attic came out so they probably recalled the few thousand copies of this stereo SACD and had them destroyed. It seems like a handful must've ended up in the distribution center of one of those music wholesale blowout companies, and from there to the wider public. I've heard a bit of this SACD and to anyone lusting after it, I'd say save your energy (and money) - it was mastered for SACD by Dave Donnelly )the same guy that did the over-loud Chicago expanded CD remasters for Rhino) and it has at least 2dB of dynamic range lopped off compared to the old CDs. Whatever he did to the SACD didn't improve it, it just exaggerated the boxy, midrangey sound of the original mix.

To bring this back on topic, I've noticed that every version of the quad mix, including the SQ LP, the Q8 and the quad version on Tidal has a very noticeable treble response issue in one of the front channels for the final two songs (Lick and a Promise and Home Tonight) which makes the lead vocals, amongst other things, lead heavily to one side. I used to think it was just an issue with the copy of the Q8 I had, but given that it's even on the Tidal version I have to conclude there must've been some kind of tape alignment issue or something during the quad mix. So if you're doing your own conversion or remaster of the quad mix, look at treble-matching (ie make the bad one sound like the good one) the front channels for the last two songs, it greatly improves the sound of the mix.

 

[Dynamic Editor]

I'm guessing they probably had intentions of doing a 5.1 remix after how well the 5.1 SACD of Toys in the Attic came out so they probably recalled the few thousand copies of this stereo SACD and had them destroyed. It seems like a handful must've ended up in the distribution center of one of those music wholesale blowout companies, and from there to the wider public. I've heard a bit of this SACD and to anyone lusting after it, I'd say save your energy (and money) - it was mastered for SACD by Dave Donnelly )the same guy that did the over-loud Chicago expanded CD remasters for Rhino) and it has at least 2dB of dynamic range lopped off compared to the old CDs. Whatever he did to the SACD didn't improve it, it just exaggerated the boxy, midrangey sound of the original mix.

To bring this back on topic, I've noticed that every version of the quad mix, including the SQ LP, the Q8 and the quad version on Tidal has a very noticeable treble response issue in one of the front channels for the final two songs (Lick and a Promise and Home Tonight) which makes the lead vocals, amongst other things, lead heavily to one side. I used to think it was just an issue with the copy of the Q8 I had, but given that it's even on the Tidal version I have to conclude there must've been some kind of tape alignment issue or something during the quad mix. So if you're doing your own conversion or remaster of the quad mix, look at treble-matching (ie make the bad one sound like the good one) the front channels for the last two songs, it greatly improves the sound of the mix.

I think I may have spotted the issue. I have a rip my dad made of his LP and it appears that the back left channel is in the wrong polarity across the album's mix. I don't know if this was an issue with how he ripped it, though, so it may not actually be an issue in the mix itself. It's an incredibly simple fix if you have a digital version, which is to invert the polarity of that channel. I don't notice anything off about the front channels of those two tracks you mentioned, though.

 

[sjcorne]

I have a rip my dad made of his LP and it appears that the back left channel is in the wrong polarity across the album's mix. I don't know if this was an issue with how he ripped it, though, so it may not actually be an issue in the mix itself

There's so much odd phase information in an SQ decode that I doubt you'd be able to tell if there was a polarity issue in the discrete master.

 

[Dynamic Editor]

There's so much odd phase information in an SQ decode that I doubt you'd be able to tell if there was a polarity issue in the discrete master.

There's some phase relationships. You can hear some difference if you invert the back left channel. Whether there was an issue on my dad's rip or if it's an issue on the release itself is a different question.

 

[Quad Linda]

Perhaps someone who has owned this on Q8 might comment on the bass phase issue.

My first copy was the SQ as a new release. Also my most played. Had not noticed this. If I had, likely I'd have dismissed it as an SQ anomaly. Marantz SQA-2b and Sony SQD-2020 decoders used.