List of stereo recordings that sound great in quad

[par4ken]

I had an Audionics S⁣ playing stereo records through it in the SQ mode sounded OK, but with lots of "pumping". That's one major advantage of the Involve Surround Master; no pumping, and more separation.

The S&IC does a fantastic job with stereo using the "Stereo Enhance" mode. The only time that I recall ever heard any pumping effects was with an SQ recording "Super Session" (SQ mode), and that was while using the unit with the older National Decoder chips. Backing off the separation control a bit eliminated the anormalities. My original unit has the Exar chips and never pumps, anormalities only show up in the rear channels while listening to them in isolation, almost never noticeable under normal listening conditions.

QS surround has one minor advantage regarding stereo enhancement in that the soundfield is evenly pulled apart around the room; intermediate panned sounds will emanate from the left and right front speakers. SQ enhancement is more of an inverted V shape rather than an inverted U (like QS) but subjectively both the Composer and the QSD-1 produce a very similar enhancement effect. The Composer just sounds better, no noticeable degradation in sound quality, you can't say that about any other decoder.

The Surround Master does not have a "Surround" mode, straight QS enhancement of stereo sounds more like double stereo, just that the vocals are moved to the front not a lot different than Dyna Quad.

The Surround Master might have more separation than the Sansui units but not more than the S&IC does on SQ!

 

[fizzywiggs41]

I had an Audionics S⁣ playing stereo records through it in the SQ mode sounded OK, but with lots of "pumping". That's one major advantage of the Involve Surround Master; no pumping, and more separation.

I can only report that I personally never ,ever heard any such thing as "pumping"? with my Fosgate Tate 101a nor even my Sony SQ Decoder.

In fact I was and still am convinced this so called pumping from SQ Decoders is some means used to discredit the SQ system by it's detractors, or competing quad systems.

 

[MidiMagic]

I can only report that I personally never ,ever heard any such thing as "pumping"? with my Fosgate Tate 101a nor even my Sony SQ Decoder.

In fact I was and still am convinced this so called pumping from SQ Decoders is some means used to discredit the SQ system by it's detractors, or competing quad systems.

I have heard the effect, in the form of some parts suddenly getting louder or softer. It happens with gain riding, but not with variable blend.

 

[par4ken]

When I had my (original) Heathkit full logic decoder I added a "Dimension" control just so that I could crank up the logic action and be able to hear it pumping. I just wanted to be able to hear it working! Also I thought that it was rather cool to unplug one input and hear both rear channels go instantly silent.

Much more recently I had to repair my Sony SQD-2010 and before getting it set up right (or at least close to being right) it pumped like crazy! I found the alignment procedure in the service manual a bit hard to follow. I thought that it was set up good but listening/testing via quad headphones the pumping effect is still clearly audible.

One of my eBay deals was an SQD-2070. With that unit I noticed no pumping although it has a bit of a "darker sound". No pumping was found to be noticeable even with headphone listening, with that unit.

My conclusion is that pumping becomes audible with gain riding if you try to get too much separation enhancement out of it. Better to err on the side of less enhancement.

The point of all this is rather moot as the SM and Tate decoders blow away any gain riding decoder.

 

[barfle]

As I recall, some of those multi-overdubbed “Living Strings” records have a lot of uncorrelated signal that makes for an interesting decode, even in SQ.

 

[gvl_guy]

I'm not "allowed" to listen to anything other than Christmas music right now, so I make the best of it.

So I'm listening to Manheim Steamroller's Christmas in the Aire in glorious fake quad. While the entire album is really great, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is spectacular, like it was actually made for surround sound!

Merry Christmas everyone!