Playing CD-4 Albums using today's equipment

[Lance7489]

Obviously, playing old school CD-4 albums on todays equipment can be a bit of a challenge. I have 7.1 analog inputs on my Parasound P7, but I have a question. CD-4 disc demodulators have no bass channel, so is there a way to compensate for this ? Right now I just play the 4 channels through the left / right front mains & the left / right surround channels, but there is a definite lack of bass.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Obviously, playing old school CD-4 albums on todays equipment can be a bit of a challenge. I have 7.1 analog inputs on my Parasound P7, but I have a question. CD-4 disc demodulators have no bass channel, so is there a way to compensate for this ? Right now I just play the 4 channels through the left / right front mains & the left / right surround channels, but there is a definite lack of bass.

Do you have a subwoofer in the system? Don't the P7s have an analog crossover function to route main channel low bass to the sub?

 

[Lance7489]

Do you have a subwoofer in the system? Don't the P7s have an analog crossover function to route main channel low bass to the sub?

Yes, I do have a subwoofer. As far as the P7, what you're describing is only using the stereo inputs. If you're in either of the surround inputs, you have to use the sub channel.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Yes, I do have a subwoofer. As far as the P7, what you're describing is only using the stereo inputs. If you're in either of the surround inputs, you have to use the sub channel.

I'd suggest looking into one of these. I use to use one back when I used analog outputs. Worked great.

 

[fredblue]

Obviously, playing old school CD-4 albums on todays equipment can be a bit of a challenge. I have 7.1 analog inputs on my Parasound P7, but I have a question. CD-4 disc demodulators have no bass channel, so is there a way to compensate for this ? Right now I just play the 4 channels through the left / right front mains & the left / right surround channels, but there is a definite lack of bass.

what's the rated frequency response of your speakers and are you running them full range i.e. "Large"?

 

[LuvMyQuad]

what's the rated frequency response of your speakers and are you running them full range i.e. "Large"?

It sounds like the P7 he's using cant be set that way if the only xover possibility is stereo. Its all analog.

The CD-4 demodulator does have its own RIAA equalization right?

 

[par4ken]

The CD-4 demodulator does have its own RIAA equalization right?

Yes

 

[Lance7489]

I'd suggest looking into one of these. I use to use one back when I used analog outputs. Worked great.

Wow !! That appears to be exactly what I'm looking for. Are these known to be quality pieces ? I assume I would turn off all "bass management" in my Oppo blu ray player, my denon surround dvd player, the Parasound P7 preamp, right ? I wouldn't use the bass channel at all, not even in the surround master , correct ? I would be running "5.0" (not 5.1) out of my Parasound preamp & this would go in between my preamp & power amps, again, I'm I correct ? This device would handle all the "bass management" for the entire system, yes ? It would send the "high pass" info to all 5 speakers & the "sum" of the 5 channels of bass to the single LFE output which would go to my LFE input of my sub amp, correct ?

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Wow !! That appears to be exactly what I'm looking for. Are these known to be quality pieces ? I assume I would turn off all "bass management" in my Oppo blu ray player, my denon surround dvd player, the Parasound P7 preamp, right ? I wouldn't use the bass channel at all, not even in the surround master , correct ? I would be running "5.0" (not 5.1) out of my Parasound preamp & this would go in between my preamp & power amps, again, I'm I correct ? This device would handle all the "bass management" for the entire system, yes ? It would send the "high pass" info to all 5 speakers & the "sum" of the 5 channels of bass to the single LFE output which would go to my LFE input of my sub amp, correct ?

Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

Like I said, it worked great. The xover points are selectable for each channel independently as well. You will need an extra set of cables of course. Somewhere in the annals of time Kal reviewed it for Stereophile. You might find more info on it there.

 

[Lance7489]

Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

Like I said, it worked great. The xover points are selectable for each channel independently as well. You will need an extra set of cables of course. Somewhere in the annals of time Kal reviewed it for Stereophile. You might find more info on it there.

I looked up the manual & you can either hook it up between a dvd/blu ray player & the preamp or between the preamp & power amp. If you use it between the preamp & power amp, it will bass manage the whole system & you wouldn't use a bass channel (the .1 of the 5.1) at all in any of the components. If you use it between a dvd player & preamp, it will just bass manage that component. I think I'll try one. $150 - $200 isn't too bad. .......... Which way did you use it ?

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I looked up the manual & you can either hook it up between a dvd/blu ray player & the preamp or between the preamp & power amp. If you use it between the preamp & power amp, it will bass manage the whole system & you wouldn't use a bass channel (the .1 of the 5.1) at all in any of the components. If you use it between a dvd player & preamp, it will just bass manage that component. I think I'll try one. $150 - $200 isn't too bad. .......... Which way did you use it ?

Between amp and preamp. Be sure the one you buy comes with the external power supply.

 

[Lance7489]

Between amp and preamp. Be sure the one you buy comes with the external power supply.

Yes, one of the ones shown on ebay has no power supply.

 

[Owen Smith]

My immediate thought is you'd connect this between the CD-4 demodulator and the P7, thus leaving all bass management for existing sources working the way they do today. This is an analogue bass management device, I suspect it does not have as high audio fidelity as the rest of your system. OK for CD-4 but a downgrade for anything else.

 

[Lance7489]

My immediate thought is you'd connect this between the CD-4 demodulator and the P7, thus leaving all bass management for existing sources working the way they do today. This is an analogue bass management device, I suspect it does not have as high audio fidelity as the rest of your system. OK for CD-4 but a downgrade for anything else.

Yes, I think to start with I'll do it the way you suggested. After awhile, I may experiment a little.