Hi I’m new!!!! I need help with the basics please.

[Sirspinbad]

I find it impossible to find the basic info I need on the web, so I’ve come here.

Simple. I’ve got a stack of QUAD RECORDS AND I WANT TO PLAY them.....

I need a Quadrophonic Needle... and the rest I’m really not sure about. . .

im assuming that if I have a Quad receiver like the JVC 4VR the decoder is built in????

now.... is that the way to go, or is it better to get a separate decoder??? And at this point, I’m assuming I can just go out the A/B speakers....balance.... and I’m in business???

IF I’m right...

#1- what’s a do all Quad receiver that fits the bill

#2 - what’s bad about decoders, if that’s all I need?

Thanks all, Looks like a really well thought of group. I think I’m going to like it here!!!

Omar ( a little about me, I’m a professional trumpet player, LaserDisc enthusiast, and have my own Home Recording Studio ).

 

[winopener]

First of all, WHAT kind of quad records you got?
CD-4, SQ, QS, EV, DY, CM, UM...

Second, CD4 need a special cartridge, all the others are matrixed system so a ordinary cart is ok.

Third, JVC 4VR ... what number? To identify your receiver and see what options does have.

Let's start with these...

 

[Sirspinbad]

Ok, cool.

so if I stay away from CD-4 I don’t need a ( what looks pretty expensive needle ).

Here’s one of my records I’d like to enjoy

 

[Sirspinbad]

Otherwise, I don’t have any gear in mind yet. I’ve been told JVC was the best.

 

[Sirspinbad]

I’d like to get Dark Side of the Moon , Bitches Brew

otherwise... I’m frankly not that interested in the medium..... yet!!!

 

[sjcorne]

Here’s one of my records I’d like to enjoy

Sextant is an SQ matrix-encoded quad LP. You can use an ordinary phono cartridge to play it, but you'll need a decoder. There are a variety of vintage options (Sony, Lafayette, Fosgate, etc) - some of which are better than others - but my recommendation would be Involve Audio's Surround Master. It's the only SQ decoder you can buy new today.

It's worth noting that the quad mixes of Sextant, Dark Side Of The Moon, and Bitches Brew have all been released on optical media. You're better off seeking those out than messing with the old LPs - much better sound quality and no separation loss.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Welcome in @Sirspinbad - I have an Involve Surround Master v2; and believe it's a fabulous piece of gear for decoding not only legacy SQ/QS etc. LPs and Tapes, but also CDs or any other source that you can feed it with RCA inputs. Obviously some recordings will decode much better than others and there's lots of discussion here about that also, you just have to dig through threads to find it.

Here's a good thread to read about the Involve SMv2 (any questions ask @chucky3042) he's the big boss over there and a real nice fellow also.

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...r-roster-discussion-thread.26116/#post-414112

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Here's another real fun thread about the Surround Master:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...ounds-amazing-with-the-surround-master.20908/

 

[Fourplay]

It's worth noting that the quad mixes of Sextant, Dark Side Of The Moon, and Bitches Brew have all been released on optical media. You're better off seeking those out than messing with the old LPs - much better sound quality and no separation loss.

Welcome to QQ!

I would echo what sjcorne says. The music will sound the best being reproduced from a modern digital release of the same material. Of course not everything is released, so it can still be fun to do it your way.

The key term above is "separation loss." SQ in particular was poor at reproducing a fully discrete set of signals which represent the material as it was mixed in the studio. Quad recordings that have been sourced from the official master reels in a discrete digital format are going to be your best representation of what quad was designed to accomplish.

Plus by going digital in parallel with your analog pursuits will give you access to modern mixes that were never released in any quad format.

Good luck and enjoy the forum!

 

[winopener]

Otherwise, I don’t have any gear in mind yet. I’ve been told JVC was the best.

So you don't have already a quad receiver; if you have few quad titles, the whole landscape change quite a bit
.
sjcorne is right: IF a quad recording has already been released on digital format, it is waaaaaay better to get the digital release instead of the analog one, both for fidelity and separation. All matrixed sysem can't cope with a fully discrete system, and even CD-4 is limited on the L-R separation by the specs of the combo cart-stylus, the best ones are on the 35-36dB range.

Looking here on the QQ site can give you a good idea of what has been officially released worldwide in some digital format during the last +20 years, being DTS CD, DVD-Video with Dolby Digital or DTS audio tracks up to 96/24, DVD-Audio, SACD, Bluray. Plenty of titles to choose for and especially for rare titles, way cheaper than their analog counterpart. Use the search function for any title you have and you can find out if when and where has been released on digital multichannel media.
Add to this: some band had their catalog entirely remixed to multichannel, example Genesis, Talking Heads or Depeche Mode, and these have no multichannel analog counterpart. So, going digital take off the nice slowly spinning disc on the platter, but open up a whole lot of possibilities.

Case in point:
HH Sextant is a Dutton-Vocalion release on SACD and is still on sale for 12 pounds.
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDSML8556
It's not a cup of tea for everyone, but anyone here that had tried to place his hands on a SQ or Q8 of this title before the sacd release had to shell out a lot more cash for such a rare title.

THEN, if you decide to go the digital way, there are lot of resources to read here about that goes best for the task, it's not difficult and it can be also cheaper than other options. Universal player, media center... lot of choices and possibilities.

And for the rare titles that yet haven't got a digital release, there's the Surround Master as modern hardware, or software decoding.

 

[Sirspinbad]

Ok.... so SACD is possibly and probably more interesting for me.

what are tips on getting the right machine?

 

[winopener]

Ok.... so SACD is possibly and probably more interesting for me.

what are tips on getting the right machine?

Since SACD is a hell of a format in case you would "backup" your precious discs on hard drives or to move to a media player, i suggest you look into that thread

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/sony-blu-ray-players-used-for-sacd-ripping.26078/
With a bluray that can play AND rip sacd you're at halfway; then you need (since you don't have it already) a receiver with hdmi input and some decoding - Dolby Atmos is the actual rage.

Someone else can chime in for specific hardware suggestion available in the USA market, since i'm not there...


EDIT: some Pioneer players can do sacd rip too, bdp 160 and 170, and some other brand too. Look for "sacd rip" here or also in other forums for a complete list of capable players.