Used CD-4 Discs

[kfbkfb]

I have only purchased 2 used (vinyl) discs:
SQ (in 2002) - Indian Reservation (noisy, may be a poor pressing
or damaged by previous owner(s)).
Stereo (in 2018) - Barry Manilow (CD-4 was discussed here, just
wanted to hear the songs - skips on one song)

I visited Vinyl Renaissance in OP KS USA last fall, they had a
small Quad vinyl section and I also found a few Quadradiscs
mixed in with the regular vinyl discs (didn't buy anything).

I was wondering how Used CD-4 discs (when cleaned, played
with a CD-4 cartridge with a clean stylus and a properly setup
CD-4 Decoder) sound (Louis Dorren was of the opinion that
a thorough cleaning would restore a worn/used CD-4 disc to
nearly new condition)?


Kirk Bayne

 

[fredblue]

a good question! for me it was a case by case thing with no hard and fast.. where i'd multiple pressings of a Quad LP, sometimes the disc that looked in rougher shape or had a "ringworn" jacket (a sleeve with ringwear!) played/demodulated/decoded better than a sealed copy and yet other times the pristine one was the winner!

 

[bming]

The majority of my CD-4 records were bought used. Unlike other record formats how the disc looks does not tell you how well it plays. I have records that look unused yet demodulate terribly with that harsh distorted noise that only CD-4 can give. But I have to say that most of my records are very playable and of course long been converted to DTS-CD and/or DVD-Audio to forever extend their life.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Used CD 4 records are a hit and miss deal. Those that started out being played by someone who used a CD 4 cartridge and Shibata stylus. on a good turntable will still be in fine shape even to near mint. Those purchased by someone of the opposite persuasion and a regular stereo cartridge and stylus will have that gravelly sound on some bands where the 30K carrier has been damaged. I have over a hundred titles in both SQ and CD 4 that are near mint and have been recorded to R to R tape and then stored for their protection.

 

[quicksrt]

I would expect Warner Brothers / Reprise pressed by CBS in Santa Maria to be on the better side of quality. Atlantic / WEA a slight step down from there. RCA hit and miss, but often hit.

I found a Best of Bread that was much thicker LP than average, and a Doors as well on nicer feeling vinyl yet both these Elektra LPs were noisier even just playing on stereo equipment than any WB /CBS. No match for those mirror surface WBs.

So I would expect my findings to hold up with newish or sealed records. But I have some but not much experience CD-4 decoding. I’m just observing LP vinyl and pressing quality that I’ve noticed consistently.

 

[The Quadfather]

I once found a CD-4 of "The Captain and Tennile" at a garage sale. I bought it, and took it home and played it. It was grungy and would barely decode. I just kept cleaning it and playing it, and now it plays just fine, especially for a record that came to me so dirty. CD-4 is durable. I only ran into one that was "ruined" the record, a Carly Simon disc was pretty much ruined on one side. It would play, but in stereo only. it had a hiss like tape hiss. I figure it got played on some really crude equipment. I have cleaned really dirty records by holding them under a stream of running water in the bath tub. You just have to make sure the water is at room temperature and stays that way throughout. Let the water fall on all of the surface of the record. It didn't help the Carly Simon disc, though.

 

[TVB]

I have a large number of CD4's that I purchased on ebay and have made excellent copies. I can only think of one CD4 that might have carrier damage and that is Carly Simons "Hotcakes". I'm not for sure its disc damage because I also have several copies of "Sundown" that I can't get to play without distortion, so I know they are not all defective (thank goodness I have the Sundown Q4). If there was ever a good reason to get a Q4 deck it is for recording CD4 vinyl to preseve the carrier wave. The bottom line is don't be afraid to buy CD4's. Collecting and decoding CD4's is a cool hobby but, can be frustrating. However, when you get it right, it sure is satisfying. To paraphrase Tom Hanks...its the hard that makes it great. CD4 was incredible tech in the 70's. What a huge disappointment that Dorrens demod never came to fruition. I clean my CD4's under running warm water using a tiny bit of dish soap and scrubbing them with a discwasher record cleaning brush (in the same direction as the grooves). I then blow them dry immediately with an air hose..really works great.

 

[The Quadfather]

I use that discwasher brush every time I play a record. I quit using the liquid a long time ago, it just seemed unnecessary. I use an Audio technical AT440MLa cart. Plays pretty much everything.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Cleaning records...I use several manual methods from a dust bug, anti-static brush, microfiber brush, fluid (water, alcohol and dish soap) to (and I sure this will get someone's goat) a vigorous cleaning in a sink of hot soapy water and a worn out tooth brush.