What exactly is "Synthesized QUAD"

[wappinghigh]

You know plugging in a stereo track and using one of these SQ "decoders".. like the "Involve SQ" from Australia..

How do they work?

Are they any good?

Comparisons to the studio surround mixes?

Generalities please for a simpleton..

 

[KevinD9052]

Compared to studio surround mixes? Sometimes they are better; sometimes not. But they are never as discrete as studio mixes. Meaning it is rare for synthesized quad to provide SEPARATE sounds from the 4 speakers at the same time. But you can hear things front to back & left to right. Just not all at once. The best synthesizers are the Sansui Variomatrix, the Involve Surround Master (set to Involve, not SQ-my preference) and Dolby Digital II set for music decode (not movies). The Sansui & Dolby decoders provide various modes of synthesis: from horseshoe surround (right channel in the right back speaker, left in the left back, everything in between spread out in the front channels including the center front vocalist if there is one), to front biased synthesis with right/left channels remaining in the front right/left speakers with some hidden out of phase (OOP) sounds revealed in the back speakers; or ambiance in the back speakers. And variations in between. The Involve unit is excellent at revealing OOP info. I'm a big fan of synthesized quad. Stereo seems so flat to me. My favorite decoders are the 3 mentioned above. If you don't want outboard boxes, then any recent AVR receiver with Dolby Pro Logic II will do very well. I use it a lot. There are settings (so-called panorama settings) that can provide anything from horseshoe surround to front centered sound. Dolby Pro Logic II is a good decoder if the speakers are balanced correctly.

 

[Quad Linda]

Wow! So that's what synthesized Quad is. All this time, I though it was those Quads by Wendy Carlos, Robert Mason, Morton Subotnick, Kraftwerk, Claude Denjean, et Al. I own nearly all of them. I'm only missing the ones by Al.
@: :yikes

 

[wappinghigh]

Yep. I had *no idea* direct processing of stereo (for music) did this either.. Der... but there you have it LOL!

 

[BrownRB]

If you don't want outboard boxes, then any recent AVR receiver with Dolby Pro Logic II will do very well. I use it a lot. There are settings (so-called panorama settings) that can provide anything from horseshoe surround to front centered sound. Dolby Pro Logic II is a good decoder if the speakers are balanced correctly.

Hi, can anyone suggest PL-II settings (Panorama, etc.) to get the "horseshoe surround" effect?

Thanks,

 

[EMB]

Wow! So that's what synthesized Quad is. All this time, I though it was those Quads by Wendy Carlos, Robert Mason, Morton Subotnick, Kraftwerk, Claude Denjean, et Al. I own nearly all of them. I'm only missing the ones by Al.
@: :yikes

Don't have any by Al--yet--but I do have a bunch of Tomita's, pretty nifty too....:steering:

ED

 

[John Svensson]

"Panorama mode - A Prologic II/IIx mode that extends the front Stereo image to the surround sound speakers for a more enveloping experience. This mode can be either On or Off.
Centre Width - Allows gradual adjustment of the centre image from being produced only by the Centre speaker (Setting 0) through levels of being spread between the centre channel and Left and Right speakers to finally being produced by the Front Left and Right speakers only (Phantom Centre, Setting 7). Useful in optimising the Front/Centre/Right soundfield for best integration of the 3 speakers. Best tuned by ear.
Dimension - Adjusts the soundfield to be gradually shifted from the front of the room to the back to suit taste, speaker positioning and size of room. Setting 0 has the image furthest forward, 6 furthest back."

Here is a good explanation from the Archives.....I suggest that you play with the settings. Further back in the mists of time is a recommended formula for the best "QS like" reproduction using DPL2. Something along the lines of Panorama On, Center Channel Off, and Dimension about 3.......dial those in and then put on Electric Ladyland! John