Exploring Billboard for Quadraphonic Information

[par4ken]

Yet another problem has been the "nearsightedness" of 4-channel promotion. “It was rather unfortunate that the public was led to assume that all you could play on 4-channel equipment was 4-channel." He said in the promotion of 4-channel, one of the key elements was overlooked—its "forward compatibility," that is, the fact that it enhances 2-channel and does not obsolete libraries. He said in Motorola automotive products advertising this year—for the first time in years going into such consumer books as Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated—he has made sure this point of forward compatibility is not overlooked.

I fully agree, The enhancement of 2-channel should have been pushed more. The idea that a 4-channel system can only play 4-channel is ludacris, but was a common belief of much of the public!

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 17, 1973

WEA-JVC
Pact Effect

By HIDEO EGUCHI

TOKYO
Announcement of the CD-4 licensing agreement between the Warner-Elektra-Atlantic (WEA) Group and the Victor Company of Japan (JVC) here Feb. 20 was received by the Japanese music-record-tape industry with a traditional calm since it had been anticipated by the SQ matrix licensees and the RM users in this country from the beginning of the New Year.
Nevertheless, the WEA Group's selection of the "compatible" discrete 4-channel disk developed by JVC is bound to have a significant influence on the future popularity of a&r in Japan. It will also spur

CD-4 Licensing Agreement Met With Calmness in Japan

the Japanese manufacturers of phonograph records and home stereo equipment to reconsider the decisions that they had made following the adoption of the CD-4, SQ and RM systems as standard in April 1972 by the Japan Phonograph Record Association and the Electronic Industries Association of Japan.
Prior to the WEA Group's decision to induct CD-4 technology the "balance of power" between the Japanese licensees of the discrete quadrasonic system and the SQ matrix system was about equal in the number of manufacturers and the number of record selections released.
In fact, 9 Japanese manufacturers and exporters of home stereo equipment are both CD-4 and SQ licensees, namely Akai, Cybernet,
Hitachi, Nippon Columbia, Onkyo, Pioneer, Sanyo, Toshiba and Trio.
The other CD-4 licensees in Japan are Brother, Matsushita,
Mitsubishi, Sansui and Sharp, for a total of 15 discrete quadradisc hardware manufacturers and exporters including JVC. The manuFacturers and/or producers of CD-4 quadradiscs in Japan are Nippon Phonogram (Phillips-Matsushita/ JVC joint venture), Polydor (initial production suspended), Teichiku Records (a member of the Matsushita group) and Victor Musical Industries (software arm of JVC).
The 4 phonograph record manufacturers have released over 144 CD-4 selections to date.
Meanwhile, the other CBS SQ matrix system licensees in Japan are Aiwa, Nikko, Roland (Rotel), Sony and Standard (half-owned by Superscope), for a total of 14 including the 9 already mentioned.
In addition, 4 phonograph record manufacturers have released over 144 SQ selections to date, namely CBS/Sony Records (114), Warner-Pioneer (27), Canyon (2) and Trio (1).
As a result of the WEA-JVC agreement, Warner-Pioneer will shortly release its first CD-4 selections, pending since mid-1972.
They will feature the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Bread, Carly Simon and Japan's own Rumiko Koyanagi.
Nippon Phonogram which was issuing 2 more CD-4 (Philips label) albums March 5, will release at least 3 a month.
Teichiku, in addition to its Japanese artists and repertoire, is expected to produce CD-4 albums from masters owned by Pye and BASF, while Polydor will more than likely resume CD-4 quadradisc sales in Japan as soon as possible. And these will augment the formidable roster of artists and repertoire already available
On JVC's international labels: Globe, MCA, Paramount and, of course, RCA, among others.
As previously mentioned, Nippon Columbia (a member of the Hitachi group) and Toshiba are licensees of both the CD-4 and SQ systems. The record division of the former company has continued to adhere to its QX version of the RM system and has never produced a CD-4 quadradisc or an SQ quadraphonic record. Toshiba Musical industries, a Toshiba-EMI/Capitol joint recording venture, revealed toward the end of last year that it would release its first CD-4 album this coming spring but has remained mum about SQ ever since EMI/Capitol announced in favor of the CBS system in January 1972.
Meantime the joint venture adopted the standard RM designation for its QM (QuadMatrix) system and started importing Impulse albums.
However, since Warner-Pioneer is switching from SQ to CD-4, it is now more than likely that Toshiba Records will give top priority to production of SQ qauadraphonic albums from EMI/ Capitol masters, whose arrival was reported to have been delayed.
As for Nippon Columbia, the traditional arch rival of JVC and more recently CBS/Sony, choice of CD-4 and/or SQ would mean considerable "loss of face" in the highly competitive Japanese music-record-tape industry though its
PCM recording system could prove to be a technological asset in the manufacturing of CD-4 and SQ masters.
Among others Japanese users
of the Sansui regular matrix and similar RM systems, King Record is technically capable of manufacturing CD-4 quadradiscs and could go into commercial production as soon as a decision is made. The manufacturer is a longtime Japanese licensee of Decca (London) and Telefunken, and more recently A&M and Vanguard among others.
And, of course, if these international recording affiliates decide to adopt the SQ matrix system, King is prepared to go SQ, too.
The other manufacturers who are powerful enough to change the balance of power between the CD-4 proponents and the SQ advocates in Japan are Nippon Crown and Tokuma Musical Industries, Shinsekai, the Japanese licensee of USSR Melodiya, and Tokyo Records, which has no international labels, are corporate affiliates of JVC.
Along with the signing of the
CD-4 licensing agreement by Jac Holzman, president of Elektra Records, and Yoshiro Kitano, president of JVC, it was disclosed that 250 CD-4 lacquer masters could be produced per month starting this spring by JVC Records Inc. which is being set up with a capitalization of $200,000 in Hollywood, Calif.
In Japan, the race between the CD-4 developers and the SQ licensees to produce the "music" IC chip for the discrete disc system demodulator and the logic matrix decoder (Billboard, Feb. 17. 1973) will vie with developments in the record manufacturing industry.
More than anything else, however, Japanese audiophiles are now asking whether or not the CD-4 "compatible" discrete 4-channel high-fidelity home stereo systems.
They will be looking for the answer to this question at the 4th Kansai Audio Show in Osaka, April 18-22, if not the 10th Tokyo International Trade Fair, April 20-May 7.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 17, 1973

Sony Bows 3 IC
Set for Matrix

By HIDEO EGUCHI

TOKYO
Sony Corp. quietly unveiled its first set of 3 IC's for an SQ matrix 4-channel full logic decoder here Feb. 27, exactly a week after the joint announcement of the CD-4 discrete 4-channel licensing agreement between the Victor Company of Japan and the WEA Group.
The Sony set comprises the CX-050 SQ basic IC decoder, CX-049 SQ full logic IC and CX-718 SQ gain control IC.
The Sony CX-050

Sony Bows Set For SQ Decoder

IC is claimed by the Japanese manufacturer to function instantaneously at the flick of a switch as a universal matrix decoder, for example, the Sansui QS regular matrix decoder.
It is being offered to the 55 audio manufacturers of the SQ "family" at 3,000 yen or less than $12 at the floating rate of currency exchange. In Japan, this development will not only influence the production plans of the nine audio manufacturers who are both CD-4 and SQ licensees but also the decisions of the 4 companies which also have a direct interest in record manufacturing, namely Nippon Columbia, Pioneer Electronic,
Tokyo Shibaura Electric (Toshiba) and Trio (Kenwood). Sony told Billboard last week that its first home stereo system incorporating the new set of ICs will appear on the Japanese market this fall for the Christmas-New Year sales season.
According to comparison made by Billboard's Tokyo news bureau, a printed circuit board comprising the new set is less than one fifth the size of conventional SQ decoder which uses 2 boards.
Consequently the Sony set offers unprecedented savings in the number of discrete components, assembly time and labor costs besides an unbelievable reduction in size. However, Sony's tiny new set of ICs for a full logic SQ matrix
4-channel decoder will spur development of a miniature CD-4 discrete disk demodulator by JVC/ Nivico or its parent company, Matsushita Electric, and its electronics affiliates.
Among the record manufacturing companies still sitting on the fence, King Record Co., Ltd. told
BILLBOARD last week that it was weighing the situation very carefully from both technical and commercial points of view. In this respect, the Japanese mechanical licensee of London Records and A&M, among others, said that problems still exist in both the SQ and the CD-4 systems.
Meanwhile, Sansui, which was believed to be working on a IC decoder for its QS regular matrix system, is planning to revamp its entire audio line, 80 percent of which has been exported to the United States and Europe, as a result of the dollar devaluation and
"de facto" yen upvaluation.
In fact, the monetary crisis last week overshadowed Sony's SQ breakthrough.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 17, 1973

Admiral New
SQ Licensee

NEW YORK -
The Admiral Corp., consumer hardware manfacturer, has signed an SQ licensing agreement with Columbia Records.
The agreement, along with the recently signed licensing agreements between Columbia and four other manufacturers, brings the total of audio hardware brands associated with SQ to 60.
Other manufacturers who recently signed SQ agreements with the label are APF Electronics Inc., New York; Dyn Electronics Inc., Miami; Ross Electronics Corp., Chicago; and Electron Inc., Franklin Park, Ill.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 17, 1973

JVC Teams
With Sansui

NEW YORK
Sansui has completed arrangements with the Victor Company of Japan (VC) to build in a discrete demodulator capable of playing the Quadradisc (CD-4) records now being issued by RCA Records and the Warner Bros., Elektra, and Atlantic Records group, according to Bill Kist, vice president of JVC.
Thus Sansui hardware sometime in the future may he capable of playing both regular matrix, the QS system pioneered by Sansui, as well as discrete product. No target date for manufacturing units combining both systems was announced. Sansui, of course, is moving ahead rapidly in regular matrix and will have professional encoders and decoders units available for purchase by record companies and recording studios later this year.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 17, 1973

1st Elektra 'Q'

LOS ANGELES -
Six albums are planned as the first 4-channel release by Elektra since adopting the JVC discrete system. They include "best of" LP's by Judy Collins, New Seekers and Bread, plus "No Secrets” and "Stardrive with Bob Mason.” The label's local recording facility has been adapted for 4-channel mixdown in Studio A.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 17, 1973

 

[kfbkfb]

..."forward compatibility," that is, the fact that it enhances 2-channel and does not obsolete libraries.


And something unique in the (attempted) transition from stereo to surround sound, I know of no attempt to try to create fake "stereo" from mono in home audio equipment in the 1960s (of course, the record companies had schemes to create fake "stereo" from mono).


Kirk Bayne

 

[Old Quad Guy]

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 24, 1973

Lafayette Ups
‘O' Software
To Back Eqpt.

By BOB KIRSCH

LOS ANGELES.
Lafayette Radio Electronics Corp., traditionally a hardware-oriented chain, is currently stocking all quadrasonic record and tape releases from all manufacturers in its 73 outlets.
"We stock 4-channel records in matrix and discrete as well as 4-channel tapes, and we try to keep up with each new release,” said Harold Weinberg, merchandising manager for the chain, “because we feel it is of the utmost importance to support quadrasonic hardware. We don't think traditional record and tape retailers are doing as much as possible."
Weinberg said that while the outlets carry a "mild selection" of stereo records and tapes,
"it is 4-channel that is significant for us. We do a tremendous amount of business in quadrasonic hardware and we don't want to leave our consumers without a place to get the software.
We don't want to count on other outlets to help us.”
Lafavette also displays quadrasonic material primarily in wire step-down racks because, Weinberg said, "it is a must that the consumer see the complete cover with 4-channel. A browser display is not suitable to give proper exposure to a new configuration and we want to show as many individual covers as possible. Displays are in the sound room and on the floor in other parts of the store." The firm is also preparing new display racks which will fit underneath the hardware displays.
Though Lafayette has been a strong backer of matrix 4-channel, particularly SQ, the chain carries a complete selection of QS matrix and discrete disks. Weinberg feels the 4-channel concept must be promoted. Quadrasonic disks listing at $6.98 are sold for $5.79.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

"STEREO QUADS, who being people and not machines, have no worry over the proprietary brand name of Accoustical Manufacturing. Anyway, these four Florida college students were plugging the first annual Miami High Fidelity music show.

March 31, 1973

Miami Show Plugs ‘Q'
for 55 Mfrs, Stores

By SARA LANE

MIAMI-
The Miami High Fidelity Music Show held at the Sheraton Four Ambassadors here Mar. 23-25 represented three years of planning by Teresa and Robert Rogers and marked a first for the South Florida area. There were four full floors of displays and exhibits containing the product line of 55 top manufacturers including such outstanding names as Altec-Lansing, Panasonic, BSR, Fisher, Garrard, Sony-Superscope, Cerwin-Vega, Bang and Olufsen, Teac, Pioneer, Marantz, Toshiba and Akai.
The show also includes participation by Miami retail organizations as Burdines, Luskins, Hopkins-Smith, Hi-Fi Associates, 21st Century, and Kennedy and Cohen. The Rogers, who produced their first sound show in 1954, are responsible for highly successful Washington, D.C. and Atlanta shows.
Kicking off the festivities were Jim Langer, Miami Dolphin center, and the "Stereo Quads," who opened the show as official hosts and hostesses. The "Stereo Quads," four students from the University of Miami and Miami Dade-North Campus, were chosen to visually represent "Quadrasonic."
A regularly-scheduled "Hi-Fi Show Magic Bus," sponsored by radio station WBUS was used from the municipal parking lot in downtown Miami to the Four Ambassadors and played continuous quadrasonic music to get visitors in a musical mood.
Quadrasonic sound was a major feature of the show with continuous exhibitions by major manufacturers and seminars given by the Audio Engineering Society. Radio station WTMI broadcast total 4-channel sound shows from the hi-fi show and WBUS hosted a hospitality suite in which continuous 4-channel rock concerts by local rock artists were in progress throughout the show. WBUS deejays were on hand to talk to show visitors and the station conducted live recording and mixing sessions of local groups on the most modern quadrasonic recording equipment available today.
Other features of the show included a special laboratory and audio clinic conducted by SEH Electronic Service, a Miami professional audio service company. Commending the show for its contribution to the entertainment and education of Miami's sound conscious public, Mayors David Kennedy, John B. Orr and Chuck Hall proclaimed the week of the show as "Music Over Miami Week.”

 

[Old Quad Guy]

To Make Ouad
Records Better …
We Developed
Q-540

MAKING STEREO AND MONAURAL RECORDS BETTER
WAS A SIDE BENEFIT.

After you've worked with the best sound technicians, used the finest studio and the most advanced recording equipment . . . and put your heart and soul into making the very best record you possibly could . . you assume it will be pressed on the finest compound available.
Before you assume anything again, you should know about a revolutionary new record compound called Q-540.
Q-540 has a unique capability to blend 4 discrete channels of sound and reproduce them with greater clarity and brilliance than has ever before been possible. It is expected that Q-540 will greatly accelerate the move to CD-4 recording.
It is also anticipated that most records in quad, stereo or monaural will be pressed on Q-540 in the future. Here's why:

GREATER BRILLIANCE - you have to hear
Q-540 to appreciate its incomparable clarity and brilliance.
LONGER WEARING - with ordinary compounds, the 30,000 cycle carrier channel required for CD-4 recording wears off with repeated usage.
A record pressed on Q-540 - whether in quad, stereo or monaural - will reproduce the sounds with total fidelity and lasts up to 3 times as long as ordinary compounds.
ANTI-STATIC - less surface noise, simple to keep the grooves clean, less susceptible to dust attraction.
FAST-FLOWING - increases production rate by decreasing pressing cycle. Fills better than ordinary compounds. Less susceptible to warp at faster cycle rate.
ECOLOGICAL - easily surpasses FDA and Public Health Service requirements through 1974.

Now that you know about Q-540, we think you'll want to specify it for your future recordings.

Q-540
Makes the best sounds better

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 24, 1973

Customers Support Builds Equipment, Software Sales

By ANNE DUSTON

CHICAGO
Talking to the customers resulted in a 30 percent increase in February sales of car and home equipment and a trip to Hawaii for Stereo City store manager Sharon Smith.
Miss Smith's sales exceeded the quota set by a company contest that included all 11 Stereo City stores in the Chicagoland area. The next closest store exceeded quota by 8 percent.
Miss Smith, who works at the chain's original outlet and her four salespeople, ranging in age from early to late twenties, followed a philosophy of "Don't let anyone walk out of the store without a package" to accomplish the increased sales figure.
Another factor helpful in creating more sales was the remodeling of the store last November. The store was expanded to allow separate departments for tape, compacts, car and home equipment.
"We are now able to display all of our equipment and that aids sales tremendously, especially in home equipment, which accounts for 35 percent of sales at the present time," Miss Smith said.
Car tape units and installation accounts for 65 percent of business. "The in-dash units by Audiovox, Craig and others have increased sales because people who were reluctant to buy car units because of the possibility of theft, now feel confident in buying this configuration," Miss Smith said.
By talking to customers, especially while units are being installed, the salespeople were able to find out what other equipment the customer had, and educate them to what else is available. For example, tape decks that plug into home equipment could be sold on the basis that the customer had already bought the tapes for the car unit.
In-store sales and package deals made up specifically for the contest month also helped boost sales.
Some examples include a discount on tape-carrying cases with a sale of three tapes: discount on car burglar alarms with the purchase of car stereo and installation; and free installation of a second set of car speakers.
While the 2,500 tape titles remained at the $5.88 price level ($4.88 for Billboard's Top 50 in a separate case), salespeople were trained to suggest other titles available within the customer's taste choice. Tapes are displayed in plexiglass-fronted cases with hand holes to eliminate theft. The 600 cassette titles are displayed in glass-topped drawers. The store does not handle records.
Miss Smith stressed personal service and friendliness as the keys to selling fair traded products. “We will hunt down specific equipment for a customer, sometimes deliver it in person if we know the customer, or order special tapes.
Miss Smith sees a difference in sales techniques between selling car stereos and selling compacts and components.
"The car unit is sold by price. With home equipment, you have three kinds of buyers, those who don't know very much about the equipment where you have to do a lot of explaining, those who need some guidance but know basically what they want, and the audiophile who knows exactly what he wants and buys by specs. Compacts usually sell in the area of $150-$200, while the average car unit sale including installation is $100-$150.”
Miss Smith noted that 4-channel equipment is not selling as well as anticipated, although customers want equipment with the capacity for 4-channel. Brands carried include Pioneer, Craig, JVC. Sony, Harman-Kardon and Marantz. It is possible for customers to listen to any combination of equipment in the new home equipment department.
Accessories also received an enthusiastic push by salespeople. Miss Smith believes the customer is not always aware of what is available. and needs to be educated to fill all his needs. Accessories offered include headphones, head cleaners and cases.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 24, 1973

1/3 MARKET
NOW DISCRETE

NEW YORK-
Following the decision by the WEA group to sign a licensing agreement with JVC to adopt their compatible discrete 4-channel system, CD-4, and the previous signing of RCA "over one third of the U.S. record market is now committed to the discrete JVC system,” said Takashi Masuda, president of JVC America Ltd.
Masuda was holding a press conference to introduce JVC
America and announce a series of JVC dealer previews before the summer Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago.
JVC stated that the New York "preshow" show would be at the Terrace on the Park (March 20-21), the new Atlanta distribution center (26-27), Los Angeles Conrad Hilton Hotel (April 2-3), the new Houston distribution center (9-10) and the Hyatt Regency O'Hare hotel (15-16).

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 24, 1973

WB Uses New
Label Design

NEW YORK–
Warner Bros. Records will begin using a new label design, featuring a palm and eucalyptus, with its April releases.
Pictures on the new label epitomize the flora and fauna of Burbank, Calif., home of Warner Bros. Records.
The new label will apply to Warner Bros. product only. Reprise and other custom labels of the firm will keep their own labels.
The firm's stock of old labels will be used on catalog albums until the supply is exhausted.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

March 24, 1973

 

[Old Quad Guy]

 

[Old Quad Guy]

 

[Old Quad Guy]