Greetings from Spain

[EMR]

Following Snood's suggestion, I am reposting here something I said elsewhere.

First of all, I must say that I first listened to a quadraphonic record back in 1974 or 1975. It was Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown. Even though I am a classical music lover, I was astounded when I heard Sundown. Unfortunately, I never purchased quadraphonic hardware myself, and no records, reels or tapes either. However, a few months ago we set up a Home Cinema system and purchased a Sony 4K Blu-ray player capable of playing High-res Audio (both DVD-A and SACD), multi-track FLAC files, et cetera.

I decided to download some test quadraphonic FLAC files and see how well they played. The result was disappointing. Perhaps as a result of my Onkyo's amplifier setup, the sound of the rear tracks was lost. Then it occurred to me that the Onkyo might be treating tracks 3 and 4 as "middle" loudspeaker sound and, since I don't have any "middle" loudspeakers, it had nowhere to send the relevant data, so it was lost. Perhaps if I somehow managed to insert two blank tracks between tracks 2 and 3, thereby creating a hexaphonic FLAC, I would get a valid custom-made quadraphonic FLAC. I did that with Audacity for macOS and it worked! In the last three days I've listened to one particular record (whose relevant FLAC files I got via a roundabout route) a lot of times. It sounds wonderful, probably better than it sounded in the 70s.

This success in recreating one particular quadraphonic record for a modern Home Cinema has whetted my interest in getting hold of more quadraphonic media. Considering I don't actually own any such media, or the relevant hardware to play it, and being aware that DVD-A, SCDA and, presumably, BD-A may totally fail as commercial ventures, is there any realistic hope that some of the recording labels will sell quadraphonic Country/Classical/Rock FLACs to audiophiles in the foreseeable future?

Lastly, is there any hope that recording labels will eventually release albums such as the aforementioned Sundown as DTS CDs or similar physical media?

 

[mlrocker]

I'm playing FLAC files from a computer with VLC media player routed to a Yamaha receiver via HDMI - working fine.

 

[Fourplay]

Hey EMR - Welcome to QQ. Glad to have you here, and I believe you will rapidly find much of the surround joy you are seeking.

You can start with Dutton Vocalion here: https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/categories.php

They have both popular and classical titles from the quad era.

Then there is a series of releases from Audio Fidelity which feature a diverse mix of popular and obscure quad titles. http://www.sa-cd.net/search/Audio+Fidelity

There are fans making conversions of old titles such as Sundown. Someone around here should be able to direct you to the best option for such conversions, but we generally keep discussions of the distribution of those offline (via private message), since technically it is redistribution of copyrighted material.

Good luck and happy listening!

 

[Fourplay]

Oh, and since you are into classical, check out the Tacet Real Surround series, where they make an effort to record an orchestra with more than just hall ambience:

http://www.sa-cd.net/search/Tacet

 

[César]

Greetings from Spain too (Madrid). Your receiver/player should be able to play 4.0 flac files without having to do any tricks. May I know which files exactly you're trying to play?

 

[EMR]

Greetings from Spain too (Madrid). Your receiver/player should be able to play 4.0 flac files without having to do any tricks. May I know which files exactly you're trying to play?

Hey! We're almost neighbours. I live 40 kilometres north of Madrid. I tried playing pure quadraphonic FLAC files with some compositions/arrangements by Isao Tomita. Only the front channels would play. The rear (middle) ones were lost into oblivion. Perhaps if I were to set up the Onkyo Home Cinema differently I wouldn't have to fiddle with the structure of my FLAC test files. As I said, by simply adding two empty channels between channels 2 and 3, I created a fake hexaphonic structure that happens to be just right for my current set up. I currently have front left and right channels, front left and right ATMOS channels, one subwoofer and rear left and right channels. The Tomita FLAC files play wonderfully now! Muchas gracias por tu interés, amigo.

EDIT: I forgot to mention I also have a front centre speaker.

 

[César]

Just a guess, but you may have connected your rear speakers in the surround back rears, making your onkyo believe you have a 7.1 floor configuration, but without the rear speakers. I would start by checking the physical cabling and the amp settings.
You can upload some pictures of the back of your onkyo and a screenshot of the amp config and we will surely be able to help

 

[EMR]

Just a guess, but you may have connected your rear speakers in the surround back rears, making your onkyo believe you have a 7.1 floor configuration, but without the rear speakers. I would start by checking the physical cabling and the amp settings.
You can upload some pictures of the back of your onkyo and a screenshot of the amp config and we will surely be able to help

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to check that and get back to you. Taking a picture is not very easy right now, as that would involve moving around some furniture elements, but I'll definitely make sure it's connected as it should.

 

[César]

Yes, that will help you avoid making any changes to files. Audissey calibration may be freaking out with your setup too!

 

[4-earredwonder]

First and foremost, EMR, welcome to QQforum.

As pertains to your last question regarding Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown. The Quad masters of both Sundown and Lightfoot's Cold on the Shoulder are owned by Warner/Rhino and both have UNSUCCESSFULLY been petitioned for release over the years and since Warners doesn't license their QUAD masters, AT PRESENT, to ANY of the reissue companies for release on hi res physical disc, we are all hoping that at some juncture, Warner/Rhino sees fit to release BOTH of them.

IMO, Sundown and Cold on the Shoulder would make a splendid BD~A TWO~FER!

BTW, EMR, this is a GREAT source for Classical Stereo/Multichannel SACDs/ BD~As and also provides purchase links: https://www.hraudio.net/music.php

 

[HomerJAU]

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to check that and get back to you. Taking a picture is not very easy right now, as that would involve moving around some furniture elements, but I'll definitely make sure it's connected as it should.

I have a Denon AVR won’t play pure quad (4.0) FLAC as quad. It only plays in stereo. I have to add a silent centre (5.0) although 5.1 (silent centre and silent LFE/subwoofer) will also work. I think this is a common issue with other AVR brands too.

 

[kap'n krunch]

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to check that and get back to you. Taking a picture is not very easy right now, as that would involve moving around some furniture elements, but I'll definitely make sure it's connected as it should.

Hola EMR, Que tal, tio???? Perdona que no use acentos pero en gringolandia los ordenadores son asi...ajo, agua y resina (no , I am not a Spaniard but I lived in Madrid for a VERYYYY LONG TIME! AAMOF , in the north like , 34 kilometers from MAD...are you in El Molar by any chance?)...anyway, thanks for your visit , this is my favorite forum...Cesar es un tio cojonudo and the gang here is the best you'll find.. look for all kinds of things on older threads and don't be afraid to ask for help... as you can see, you'll get help if you are cool...SALUD!!!!

 

[4-earredwonder]

Hola EMR, Que tal, tio???? Perdona que no use acentos pero en gringolandia los ordenadores son asi...ajo, agua y resina (no , I am not a Spaniard but I lived in Madrid for a VERYYYY LONG TIME! AAMOF , in the north like , 34 kilometers from MAD...are you in El Molar by any chance?)...anyway, thanks for your visit , this is my favorite forum...Cesar es un tio cojonudo and the gang here is the best you'll find.. look for all kinds of things on older threads and don't be afraid to ask for help... as you can see, you'll get help if you are cool...SALUD!!!!

Kap, rather than press the Like button for your post.......let me just say Me Gusto!

 

[kap'n krunch]

Kap, rather than press the Like button for your post.......let me just say Me Gusto!

Awesome!!
Well, we would need a "Spaniard Spanish slang Thanks button" which would be "Me mola!!"

 

[EMR]

Yes, that will help you avoid making any changes to files. Audissey calibration may be freaking out with your setup too!

OK, I've checked out my Onkyo's connections. Actually, my rear speakers are plugged into the middle connectors, because it seems the ATMOS speakers need to be plugged into the rear connectors. If I play pure quadraphonic FLACs, the rear channels do not sound at all, no matter the volume and, quite certainly, they don't come out of the ATMOS speakers either. I don't know if this might be due to some frequency filter or something like that. The point is I can only hear the rear speakers of a quadraphonic recording if those speakers play tracks 5 and 6. Tracks 3 and 4 are mute on my system. If I didn't have ATMOS speakers and if my rear speakers were plugged into the rear connectors, the system would be set up differently, which might make it possible for me not to modify quadraphonic FLACs so that all four channels can be heard. But the way it is now, this is the only solution I was able to come up with.

 

[EMR]

Hola EMR, Que tal, tio???? Perdona que no use acentos pero en gringolandia los ordenadores son asi...ajo, agua y resina (no , I am not a Spaniard but I lived in Madrid for a VERYYYY LONG TIME! AAMOF , in the north like , 34 kilometers from MAD...are you in El Molar by any chance?)...anyway, thanks for your visit , this is my favorite forum...Cesar es un tio cojonudo and the gang here is the best you'll find.. look for all kinds of things on older threads and don't be afraid to ask for help... as you can see, you'll get help if you are cool...SALUD!!!!

I live in El Casar, in the province of Guadalajara. You speak Spanish very well indeed, and don't worry about tildes and accents. Salud y buenas noches.

 

[sukothai]

... I can only hear the rear speakers of a quadraphonic recording if those speakers play tracks 5 and 6. Tracks 3 and 4 are mute on my system...

If you are talking about "channels" 5 and 6 of a 5.1 disk, then this is the way is should be:

Channel 1: Left Front
Channel 2: Right Front
Channel 3: Center
Channel 4: Subwoofer
Channel 5: Left Rear
Channel 6: Right Rear

For Quad, you just leave channels 3 and 4 blank.

 

[Mark Anderson]

I had the same problem and discovered that newer receivers from about 2 to 3 years ago will not playback a 4.0 recording due to the current chipset employed in all new receivers.
To get around this I add a silent center channel to create a 5.0 file and I then hear the rear channels. Why 4.0 decoding was dropped I have no idea but at least I have a work around.

Your rear back speakers are for 7.1 and when doing an atmos setup those outputs are used for height as their is no 7.1.4 atmos setup at home only 5.1.4

 

[EMR]

If you are talking about "channels" 5 and 6 of a 5.1 disk, then this is the way is should be:

Channel 1: Left Front
Channel 2: Right Front
Channel 3: Center
Channel 4: Subwoofer
Channel 5: Left Rear
Channel 6: Right Rear

For Quad, you just leave channels 3 and 4 blank.

No, I didn't mean channels 5 and 6 of a 5.1 disk. I meant channels 5 and 6 (named as such) in a FLAC file, although it might be same. As a matter of fact, the hexaphonic FLAC I created doesn't generate any sound from either the centre speaker or the subwoofer or from the ATMOS speakers. From what some of you are saying, it appears that several modern amplifiers from different vendors, at least in their usual configuration, do not know what to do with a regular quadraphonic signal.

 

[EMR]

I had the same problem and discovered that newer receivers from about 2 to 3 years ago will not playback a 4.0 recording due to the current chipset employed in all new receivers.
To get around this I add a silent center channel to create a 5.0 file and I then hear the rear channels. Why 4.0 decoding was dropped I have no idea but at least I have a work around.

Your rear back speakers are for 7.1 and when doing an atmos setup those outputs are used for height as their is no 7.1.4 atmos setup at home only 5.1.4

My next attempt at creating an Onkyo-compatible quadraphonic FLAC will definitely involve creating one single third empty channel and see if my amplifier will play such a pentaphonic file. That should make things a little bit easier.

EDIT: I can confirm that adding one single silent channel between channels 2 and 3 of a quadraphonic FLAC will generate a valid "pentaphonic" signal for a modern Home Cinema that will play the original quadraphonic content. Many thanks for the hint, Mark!