I saw an offer for a quad vinyl of Ricki Wakeman's Six Wives of Henry VIII on SHTV for $1 plus shipping, so I jumped on it, figuring someone here would want it. My post showed no interest. Regardless, I am confused by what this is.
I know little of true quad, being a digital MCH guy. But I thought quad LP's were "encoded" w/ some proprietary process. This LP merely says quadraphonic. The album is an official A & M release and looks identical to the stereo vinyl inside the gatefold. The front and back cover are slightly miniaturized duplicates w/ a 1" blue border, wherein the word quadraphonic appears in each corner. Under the small A & M logo is the tiny number QU-54361.
The inner sleeve is very heavy paper stock lined in clear plastic w/ cutouts for the LP's labels. The labels themselves show the track listings in a gray rectangle, surrounded again by blue and 4X the word quadraphonic. The A & M logo and the same number as the cover are on both labels.
One side of the sleeve is blank save for a design in each corner and A & M's address. The other side has "Quadraphonic" emblazoned across the top and the following text on the bottom:
NOTE: This A & M record has been encoded for true compatible quadraphonic playback. The original multi-channel tapes were mixed and mastered to reproduce the finest possible quadraphonic sound when played back though a matrix decoding device. This record is pressed on an anti-static vinyl, developed for A & M records, to ensure low surface noise, reduce record wear and prolong record life. A rigid quality control standard has been maintained in all phases of manufacturing to insure its faithful sound reproduction. It can also be played on conventional stereophonic equipment with excellent results. (Emphasis mine)
So, my question is: just what kind of "matrix decoding device" was this meant for? Any info on what this is will be appreciated.
I gave it a spin and checked stereo against DPL II Music mode and a mode on my Denon called Matrix. Both processing modes produced some very discreet results. It was a very valid surround experience IMO, marred only by a bit of noise at times and what seemed a slightly off-balance mix on some songs (more info on right, both front and back). Very interesting. The parts that sounded good sounded really good.
I know little of true quad, being a digital MCH guy. But I thought quad LP's were "encoded" w/ some proprietary process. This LP merely says quadraphonic. The album is an official A & M release and looks identical to the stereo vinyl inside the gatefold. The front and back cover are slightly miniaturized duplicates w/ a 1" blue border, wherein the word quadraphonic appears in each corner. Under the small A & M logo is the tiny number QU-54361.
The inner sleeve is very heavy paper stock lined in clear plastic w/ cutouts for the LP's labels. The labels themselves show the track listings in a gray rectangle, surrounded again by blue and 4X the word quadraphonic. The A & M logo and the same number as the cover are on both labels.
One side of the sleeve is blank save for a design in each corner and A & M's address. The other side has "Quadraphonic" emblazoned across the top and the following text on the bottom:
NOTE: This A & M record has been encoded for true compatible quadraphonic playback. The original multi-channel tapes were mixed and mastered to reproduce the finest possible quadraphonic sound when played back though a matrix decoding device. This record is pressed on an anti-static vinyl, developed for A & M records, to ensure low surface noise, reduce record wear and prolong record life. A rigid quality control standard has been maintained in all phases of manufacturing to insure its faithful sound reproduction. It can also be played on conventional stereophonic equipment with excellent results. (Emphasis mine)
So, my question is: just what kind of "matrix decoding device" was this meant for? Any info on what this is will be appreciated.
I gave it a spin and checked stereo against DPL II Music mode and a mode on my Denon called Matrix. Both processing modes produced some very discreet results. It was a very valid surround experience IMO, marred only by a bit of noise at times and what seemed a slightly off-balance mix on some songs (more info on right, both front and back). Very interesting. The parts that sounded good sounded really good.