Neil Diamonds' "Serenade" Album SQ quad mix on CD?

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fredblue

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I'd heard elsewhere, ages ago (source escapes me at the moment, I'll do a search) that this album has only been released on CD sourced from the Quad masters.. and sure enough when I tried it just now, the Sony/Columbia CD (465012 2) plays back really nicely in PLII.. Yeay!

Do any QQ-ers have different CD pressings/masterings of this album that also sound "right" in ProLogic?
 
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All CD copies of this album should be SQ encoded as the stereo mix was scrapped when the album received negative reviews over the mix when it was first released.

CBS anounced that all future releases would use the quadraphonic master.

I used the UK CD for the release on the blog




http://the-quad-blog.blogspot.co.uk
 
Having a SQ encoded record of Neil Diamond's "Serenade" and being the curious sort that I am. I purchased a CD of "Serenade" to see if it really is encoded SQ.

My findings: Yes, but very poorly compared to the SQ record. It is very obvious that the engineer didn't listen to the record before cutting the CD. Instrument and vocals are not placed correctly and it is a very "soft" SQ recording, but does seem to be SQ encoded to some degree.

Just my Personal Opinion.
 
It may well be SQ-encoded, but since Columbia no longer holds the rights to the system, they won't say anything about it on the cover. Also, if this were truly SQ, I believe the mix would have been the same as on the LP. The way to be sure is in the intro of "Rosemary's Wine". If you also have the stereo LP along with the SQ, compare the tracks. Then listen to the same thing from the CD. That will tell you.
 
Jaybird100...Ijust played both the SQ record and the suspected CD for comparison as you directed. I have to call BS on this one. Definately NOT SQ encoded. I even tried it using RM. No go.
 
I figured as much. It's most noticable at the beginning of "Rosemary's Wine". In any event, I always use the record as a basis of comparison when someone tells me a CD is encoded. More often than not, if a separate stereo version was issued, the CD will be the same stereo mix as the LP.
 
If it was reissued using the SQ tapes it was poorly done. Maybe they were trying to immulate the stereo LP? At any rate it is one CD that I will have to admit to Quad Linda that it definately is not as good as the SQ LP.
 
I had an opportunity to hear this one, and the CD is clearly not SQ. Definitely the stereo mix.

i've since heard the "Serenade" Quad from both SQ LP and Q8 and agree with you this CD that was said to be the Quad mix is definitely not the SQ Quad.

(on a related yet different note, there's issues with my copy of the "Serenade" SQ LP, seems one of the Front channels is out of phase..! :yikes )
 
I have the SQ LP and never noticed that. It could seriously affect the SQ decoding. My copy may be OK.

presuming you have the U.S. SQ LP, which may well be fine, i will check the 2 pressings (Dutch & Spanish) i have of the SQ LP and see how they compare & which one had the phase issue.
 
Mine is the American pressing. That CBS allowed a bad mastering like that to slip through the cracks in Europe is beyond me. Besides sounding bad in quad, it would also sound somewhat off in stereo, and be totally messed up if the record were broadcast on FM and received on a mono receiver.
 
I will have a look at the Spanish SQ LP later in the week but with the Dutch SQ LP in order to get anything anywhere near approaching the Q8 I had to:

EDIT...!

Swap Decoded Front Right for Decoded Rear Right (yes the Front Right and Rear Right are swapped..!!)

if I hadn't just run the CBS Labs SQ test disc thru again the other day I'd be questioning my setup... unbelievable... my gob is smacked! :yikes
 
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well I think the Dutch SQ LP of this one at least (not tried the Spanish SQ yet and I don't have the U.S. SQ to compare) is potentially deserving of its own thread since the disc is an utter dog's dinner!

I will have a look at the Spanish SQ later in the week but with the Dutch SQ LP in order to get anything anywhere near approaching the Q8 I had to do the following:

1.) Swap Decoded Front Right for Decoded Rear Right (yes the Front Right and Rear Right are swapped..!!)
2.) Invert Phase of Front Right
3.) Invert Phase of Rear Right

if I hadn't just run the CBS Labs SQ test disc thru again the other day I'd be questioning my setup... unbelievable... my gob is smacked! :yikes

interesting but surely inversion of the right channels is wrong.
 
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