If only labels like AF and DV started ten years earlier doing this stuff, imagine all of the stuff that they might have had access to that cannot be obtained at this point in time.
I used to have a quad reel somewhere that sums this all up very well "Be Thankful for What You Got"
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Yes, I agree that we missed out on plenty of major things - to never appear in the now fast passing of time. I have to think that the original DTS line by DTS Entertainment, the SACD line by Sony (WMG's DVD-A line did not offer quad masters afaik), Quadio by Rhino, EMI's quad DVDs, AF's absolutely wonderful but short lived run, and now DV's impressive continuation of the Quad legacy is still quite surprising. And what they could not seem to get done, where we feel a deep disappointment, there is (to help balance that out) the QR/Q4 series of conversions that are drop dead spectacular. Like the William DeVaughn reel, I can count a double dozen titles that rival anything done by DTS, AF, or DV for musical interest, artistic attainment, and quality delivered.
it's almost (but not really) a disappointment that many of the DTS, AF, DV, and others' reissued quad titles were already out on (HIGH Quality) Q4s in the 70s (or the Red Robbin known series of excavations). In other words, I include a professional grade Q4 transfer or conversion if you will, as just as serious a release and as important of an effort as what has appeared on AF or DV. The Arlo Guthrie, Jerry Reed, Bette Midler, ZZ Top, Deep Purple "MH" and Black Sabbath "rite of passage" album are as important as any AF/DV release, and sometimes surpassing even a DTS release in quality and importance.
So when we get an amazing reissue of a Q8 or SQ (only) quad title on digital disc, I feel a little more giddy than I do when we get a former Q4 on modern disc. Just my emotional response. And to others out there, the vast majority of the buying public who will spend for surround content to play on their newly upgraded home theater surround system, it often matters none what went down on an old 70s format or didn't. I know that.
Anyway, I enjoy reading your's and everyone's take on how we feel about where we've gone (and not gone) with this stuff - coming from that severely limited and eventually stunted growth at 1975 or '76. And onto DV's cherry picking of the best of what's now available to get released.
To be "thankful for what we've got" is more fun and interesting to me (at this very late point), than the lists of what we'd like to see released or reissued. Talking Bette Midler or ZZ Top, or the other Q4s I'd already mentioned above, and Donald Byrd, Art Garfunkel, Poco, and Herbie Hancock as well, is where it's at! Top fusion quad discs of RTF, MO, and WR, to say nothing of Billy Cobham previously unreleased quad.
My glass is also feeling pretty much more than half full.