Quad /DTS Assistance Needed Part 2

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AudioLancelot

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I appreciate the assistance and direction I am receiving. However I have a few further questions.

1. Quad

I have bought a Sony SQD 2020 decoder. Will this assist in synthesizing quad from stereo or my old Pioneer QX 9900? Is it recommended that I feed my Pioneer Elite CD Player/Recoder to the Sony decoder 1st and then to my old Pioneer QX 9900 receiver and then to the 5.1 inputs on my Pioneer Elite receiver or skip the QX 9900 receiver?

With the above in mind, if you feel I still need something what do you recommed I get at this stage to assist in sythesizing quad from stereo ? I have no quad records as I only want to syntheize quad. Please recommend a quad pre amp i.e. Sansui QRX preamp or whatever if you feel I should get one.

2. DTS

(a) It was recommended that I get a Sony DVP - NS500V player with Built in DTS decoding.

My Pioneer Elite receiver is capable of playing back sources recorded in 96 kHz/24 bit. I am partial to Pioneer Elite at the moment for sound. I am saving my Canadian pennies to buy a Pioneer Elite DVD -Audio player in the future. I do not have any DVD player at the moment and from the get go since their introduction 2 years ago I was not going to buy just a DVD player. May I ask why the Sony was recommended ? Does it have features that I am not aware of?

(b) My justification sales pitch to my soul mate on my system was that I would record our own CD's and most CD's only have a couple of songs one likes. I record from FM particularly from live to air broadcasts from clubs ( most FM stations do it now with everything from 40's swing/big band , hip hop, club dance , 80's remixes, alternative remixes etc.)

I suspect DVD audio recorders will be very expensive for some time. I then assume the affordable way will be to make them on the computer.

Could someone convey/recommend what I should get for DTS recording?
i.e . Sound Card, Software. brand name quality CD and DVD burner to install etc.

Many thanks

Dennis


 
Hello Mr. du Lac

You can go digital to the receiver for DTS from any CD/DVD player and use the Quad tape-outs of the 2020 (if it has them) into the 5.1 inputs of the receiver.

The reason I recommended the Sony is because it has built-in DTS decoding that can go directly into a 5.1 input.

Along with another Sony, the TA-P9000 preamp you can put together a very flexible system you can grow. It takes 2 separate 5.1 inputs plus another direct-out 5.1 input.

A receiver is usually a dead-end if you want to grow your system in time or include vintage Quad equipment.

Regards.
 
I just re-read your note , and it said what do i need for recording d.t.s. ! Are you looking do setup to record to d.t.s. if so reply and check the list in the d.t.s. section " What is every one using to record d.t.s." You'll find various setups but all are using Surcode ! If you want to go with Mac. go to the d.t.s. web site and look for the section for Pro Hardware and click om it you'll find 2 places surcode is for p.c. and the other , I can't remember the name , loud xxxxx or xxxxx loud but you'll see it .
 
I am pleased that you took the courtesy to re read my post. Thank You.

Yes I am very very naive in the quad/DTS arena. Yes I wish to improve upon stereo sound and give dimension to my music.

A quick recap where I am at with QUAD. I have purchased a Sansui QRX 9001 receiver. Therefore I have as follows in addition to the Pioneer Elite system (which has 5.1 inputs plus external amp for 7.1 )
1. Pioneer QX 9900 receiver
2. Sony SQD 2020 decoder
3. Sansui QRX 9001.

1. Any advice as to how you would recommend setting that system up would be appreciated.

2. Yes I would also like to begin recording as well in DTS. My dealer is ready to sell me his demo Pioneer Elite DVD Audio player.

I would like to know what software , sound card / channel card, burner etc (any thing else that I would need recommended by the group. ) I have a 2 year old Aptiva that I bought at Costco. It does not have a CD burner (but I have a stand alone CD recorder unit). The computer has a zip drive that I do not use. It has Windows 98.

With the group's direction/experience , I will not feel at the total mercy of the honest Computer store. My intent is not to sell DTS CD's only for personal use.

Appreciative

Dennis

 
Dear Dennis:
If you have a home theater setup to decode your DTS, you're half way there. However, if you want to connect a DVD Audio player to it, you will clog up your only set of inputs. So, what is needed is a switch that you can switch several sources into the home theater receiver. You could use one of the quad receivers for this, but it could only switch four inputs, not all six. Now you could just permanently connect the center and subwoofer channels to the DVD Audio player, and switch the other four channels with the receiver, but watch out for phase reversals on the switched feeds. If the signal is passed through an odd number of transistors, in the quad receiver, there will be one between the switched and unswitched inputs. This could cause a nasty bass cancellation when playing DVD Audio discs. You could reverse phase on the speakers, but that would throw it out for the internal Dolby/DTS decoder in the home theater rig. It would be better if there was no phase reversal. You can use a tape out or a preamp out jack set on the quad receiver for this hookup. Then you could connect a turntable and use the built in CD-4 demodulator, or a tape deck or any other quad or stereo source. The SQ decoder could be put in a tape monitor loop, or between the units. Again watch for phase reversal. Be sure to turn all decoders off when playing a DVD Audio disc. Also, never run two decoders or a decoder and a demodulator at once on any source.

Of course, the simple way to do it is to use a six channel switcher to increase your inputs, and connect the quad gear to that. Because the six channel switch switches all your inputs, there would be no worry about phase reversal when the DVD Audio player is switched in.

The bad thing about Sansui quad receivers is that they place the quad decoder beyond the tape monitors, so that there is no output from the decoder except the speaker outs, and those cannot be connected to the aux inputs on the home theater receiver without serious attenuation. That's bad form anyway. However, there is a point at the output of the control amps that you can tap off a signal that has been through the QS decoder. But you have to know what you are doing to do this. If you are handy with a soldering iron, it is worth the effort, because Sansui made some fine decoders. I am working from a QRX7001 diagram, but some of the nicer receivers might have preamp output jacks you can use. You could use the Sony in the tape monitor loop for SQ decoding, even if you don't do the modification.

I hope this has been more help than confusion.

The Quadfather
 
First things first! Follow what "Thequadfather" had to say. Next , What are you going to to use as a source to encode in d.t.s.? This is an encoding format, not a magical do all to surround sound system , it doesn't make surround it only makes it a media you can listen to in surround sound. You have to supply the music in multi channel first! Then the fun begins! You have to record it in to your computer via what ever system , be it cd4 record sq qs record q8 - quad reel to reel etc.Then you have to clean it up , then break it into mono tracks and by songs if you want to go the extra steps ... we all want it that way!Then you encode each song and then burn it to cd . thats not counting the softwre and hardware you'll need to do this . Like I said earlier .. in my first note , check the section on our list in the d.t.s. section.. look for the heading started by Jon ....." What is everyone using to encode in d.t.s.. Read thru the answers and see what we are all using . I t can be done on a some what shoe string budget But it's not cheap!
You'll have to think out your system and go from there.
I have a home built tower with 4 100 gig hard drives 7200rpm ata 100 style p4 1800mhz win 98 sec addition and all the updates,2 gigs of 800mhz rdram ecc.
2 multi channel sound cards 24 bit 96 khz 8 channels each yamaha20x cdr /w burner dvd by pioneer ,
Surcode encoding program for d.t.s. cd version
mx5.1 mix program both by Minnetonka Audio.
Cool edit Pro 1.2a recording and mixing editting etc.
plus all the quad gear .. tate sq decoder pioneer cd4 decoder Sansui qs decode, turntable and quad cartridge
quad reel to reel , q8 recorder player, tascam 388 studio 8 that I now use for the q8, better sound from a real good reel to reel system... and much more . So you can see it can get out of control but We love Quad And surround sound... Im not going to discourge you but it gets expensive , and I haven't scratched the surface as far as what I have and that goes for all of the othes out there also!

 
Hey Dennis:
I didn't tell you about the encoding part because I am not doing it myself yet. I have spent my availlable funds doing renovation on my house. However, Most of the conversion work has been done already. Tab provides this as a service, for a nominal fee, and he does excellent work. He used to sell the disks, but I guess the record company goons knocked on his door, for he only offers an encoding service now. Check out his webpage at: ometown.aol.com/matrixquad/about.html
There are also other webpages you can find if you do a general search using the word "quadraphonic" So, as a startup, you are probably better off to spend your money on software than gear, and use what gear you have now for playback. I haven't invested in DTS conversions much because I have most of the original material, and the best decoding equipment to play it on. But I have a few of Tab's conversions and they are excellent. Also, if you are willing to wait, I reckon eventually most of these recordings will make it to DVD Audio and SACD, but only if these formats have better luck in the market than the old formats.

I don't wait, because all of us older guys remember the twenty year quad drought. When I first got internet service, I started picking up all the quad recordings I couldn't find the first go around, and about that time, the DTS thing was just getting started, so I was an early adopter for that.

Most of my components are stereo, my amps, my switchers, etc. I only used quad gear as sources and decoders. Thus I have three Sansui AX7 mixers I use as switchers and feed that to three Sansui AU717 amplifiers. It is complicated to operate, but is very versatile as to my hookup options. It's really intimidating to my wife, She just calls me when she wants to use it. She does know how to get stereo from it. I add to the confusion by occaisionally rewiring it when I get a new piece for it. I use a DBX switcher to switch my video sources, and it handles undecoded pro logic audio also. The DBX switcher could easily be used in threes to switch six channels and RGB video. You get the idea (i hope).

One last word. Ebay is wonderful for finding vintage quad gear, and also for finding matching components. Everything that was ever made in quad can be found there, some for modest prices. Happy Hunting!

The Quadfather
 
If most of what you ant is to synth quad from stereo recordings you may not need to do DTS versions of your stereo sources.

You may simply use a Dolby PL-II or a Circle Surround decoder in your home and car setup. I would add Lexicon for the home too.

Regards.
 
Quadfather... So far I've never heard from the record companies, so I'm still at it. But I think 300 coversions will be close to the end for me...

 
Hey Tab:
Maybe someone can pick up where you leave off. You have done a good thing. I wish you well on your surgery.

The Quadfather
 
Hi Dennis,
Quadfather is right, get the 9001 tapped off with preamp outs and get rid of the 2020. I own a 2020 and the synth is lame at best! The 9001 has second generation quad boards and NOTHING but a Sansui QSD-1 or D-1000 synths quad better! I have a 7001 and a Tate also a QSD-1 and to me the Tate doesn't hold a candle to the Sansui 2nd gen. units. My D-1 synths quad so well it is more quad than 60% of my quad stuff. Sansui recs. with 2nd gen. boards are the 5001, 6001, 7001, 8001, 9001, 9999, QSD-1, QSD-2 & the D-1000. The 1st gen. vario-matrix boards in the Sansui recs. such as the 5500, 6500, 7500 and the stand alone units w/ decoders and rear amps are still better then all the other brands (Pioneer, Sony, so on) for synthing quad from stereo.
 
In the early 70's while serving overseas, I purchased a Pioneer 4 Channel Receiver Model QX9900 and am still enjoying this unit today!
What I would like to obtain though is a owners manual for this unit. I have no idea whatever happened to mine! Might anybody out there be of some help??
If so you can contact me directly at: [email protected]
 
In the early 70's while serving overseas, I purchased a Pioneer 4 Channel Receiver Model QX9900 and am still enjoying this unit today!
What I would like to obtain though is a owners manual for this unit. I have no idea whatever happened to mine! Might anybody out there be of some help??
If so you can contact me directly at: [email protected]
 
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