Bad Q-8's (Mixes, not music)

[JonUrban]

After not doing a Q8 conversion in almost 6 months, I figured I would try the TOMMY Q8 that has been sitting near my computer for a long time. I figured, hey, it's got Ringo and Rod Stewart on it, it can't be that bad.

I recorded it, then looked at the wav files and listened!

UGH! I can see nor hear any surround. It may as well be stereo. BIG disappointment.

I guess the A&M and ODEs were the worst, although some of the Carole Kings are pretty good.

What Q8's are on YOUR bad list???

:-jon

 

[berninahusq]

I agree...when I bought my A&M Q8s in the 70s, all of them sounded like A&M was lazy and took the stereo masters and packaged them as Q8s after running them through a cheap passive matrix processor to get the rear channels. I bought 14 or so of these duds until I realized that was their general practice.

 

[timbre4]

Many titles were/are weak mixes in A&M's quad canon. A Canadian Herb Alpert/TJB Q8 was derived from a lot of 3 channel masters and sometimes the channels are swapped so as to be wrong. Yikes...

I would offer that the Rick Wakeman Q8 titles were very discrete, more so as the releases went on. (Myths & Legends would have greater degree of separation and bolder panning on some elements than Six Wives of Henry VIII)

Sorry, I really want to own/enjoy Journer To The Center of the Earth (album in between) But that guy's voice drives me away. Sure I'm not the only one? Great music otherwise...

I hope Carole King's Tapestry is re-mixed from scratch for SACD. The old Q8 mix was just reverb beyond recognition.

Timbre4

 

[Marcsten]

I have never heard the Tommy London Symphony Orchestra on Q8. For the most part, I think classical on 8 track tape is rather problematic. Anyway, I was able to buy a copy of the Tommy in QS new way back when. I play QS through my Space and Image Composer (Tate) with the Composer setting adjusted so as to come pretty close to correct placement. I played my copy for the first time after a long time tonight after I read these posts. The QS is a rather pleasant mix. Not startling, but then the material doesn't really lend itself to this. There is certainly surround including center back, as well as ambience. Could the Q8 be different than the QS?
NOTE: Just listened to side two; not nearly as good as side 1. Side 2 is pretty much ambience and nothing else, ala Angel classics. Side one was more interesting.
Marc

 

[bmoura]

I don't remember the Tapestry Q8 mix from the '70s. But the new Multichannel/Stereo SACD of Tapestry does indeed have a new 5.1 Surround Mix on it.

It was done by Paul Kingberg who is best known as the engineer on the Earth, Wind & Fire recordings.

>>I hope Carole King's Tapestry is re-mixed from scratch for SACD. The old Q8 mix was just reverb beyond recognition.<<

 

[timbre4]

Thanks for the confirmation that Tapestry was given a fresh multi-channel mix. Normally, I have no problem with 1970's quad mixes at all, but the one for this album should just fade away...

Timbre4

 

[Marcsten]

I am currently on a business trip in Vancouver BC, and picked up a mint copy of Carol King Music in QS. Since I am gone, I haven't had the chance to play it yet, as my laptop doesn't do QS. However, interestingly, this came with the original inner sleeve which shows the speaker assignment for all of the instruments and voices! Apparently Ode didn't want you to have to listen too hard to figure out where everything was! Little doubt that this is NOT a stereo all type mix!
Marc

 

[QEight]

I'm relatively new to the quad scene, matter of fact this is my first post!! But I too have noticed on my small collection of Q8's that the quality of the recording really depended on the imagination of the man in the control room.

I have Jim Croce's "Photo's & Memories" on GRT/ABC Q8, and it is rather pathetic. Stereo up front, with a piano overdub in right rear and echo in left rear. It actually sounds better when I run it thru the onboard SQ decoder!!

On the opposite side of the spectrum, are my cartridges from Epic/Columbia. Edgar Winter, Chase, Paul Simon, and Sly & the Family Stone are quite nicely engineered with the Sly Stone cartridge being the best (second to the Chase album).

I should mention though, the tapes from GRT/ABC are a crapshoot. While the Jim Croce tape left a LOT to be desired, the generic "Quad Sampler" (Q-7101-101) is actually a good tape with EXCELLENT mixes. Mississippi Queen is actually a different mix from the stereo version and I was rather impressed by it! I just hope my incomming "Grass Roots" Q8 from GRT/ABC is just as good as the sampler!!

Anyway, I should hush now, but Q8's are great! :rollin:

 

[oblio98]

SOmeone once said that the Canadian Croce Quad 8 tapes have better separation. Maybe a Canadian member can verify this.

 

[Marcsten]

As I recall, the Grass Roots is quite a good mix. And its a long tape too. Stay away from fast forward. As far as the Croces, I have I Got a Name, and its pretty good. I don't think that your Edgar Winter mixes would sound too good on a Jim Croce ballad, but then there's those Steely Dan mixes...Don't get me started. I think those are the ones that are better north of the border.

 

[QEight]

Well, I recently picked up a "COMMAND-QUAD" album of Jim Croce's "Life & Times".....it's just dual stereo.
Rather dissappointed in that. Just got my Raiders "Indian Reservation" tape from ebay, that's a good one too!!

Still waiting for my Grass Roots tape, guess the Holidays have slowed down the mail considerably

 

[QEight]

My Jim Croce tape is a Yankee tape. Says right on the front MFG/Printed in USA. I will admit, it's a way better mix when compared to the CQ tape I just got <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":\">

 

[Dougi]

I just heard Carole King - Tapestry m/c for the first time last night. It was Excellent. I was very impressed.
Also heard Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells m/c, that was a different listening experience which i liked.
Heard Boston - 2 Channel , very clean sounding.
Meatloaf m/c - Arrrggghhh new vocals in some spots.
Stay away from this one.