Beaver and Krause Gandharva Japanese QS LP Report

[Owen Smith]

A discrete version will exist because all Quad matrix versions will be made from a discrete quad master.

That is definitely not true. Buddy Rich Live on King Street was recorded direct into a 16 position SQ encoder to stereo master tape, and monitored live using a Tate SQ decoder to check the encoding was correct. No discrete quad master exists. There are probably other albums that were recorded or mixed in that sort of way, but for that album we know for sure.

 

[Owen Smith]

I'll also point out that with SQ position encoders having 8 and later 16 inputs for the different positions, you don't want a discrete quad master tape since that only has 4 channels obviously. When SQ is encoded with a position encoder you either need an 8 or 16 position master tape, or more likely you mix direct to SQ encoded stereo either live or from the original multi tracks.

 

[par4ken]

I'll also point out that with SQ position encoders having 8 and later 16 inputs for the different positions, you don't want a discrete quad master tape since that only has 4 channels obviously. When SQ is encoded with a position encoder you either need an 8 or 16 position master tape, or more likely you mix direct to SQ encoded stereo either live or from the original multi tracks.

As I understand it a discrete mix was simultaneously derived from the position encoder along with the SQ encode. So in the case of the position encoder the SQ mix was not simply an encode of a discrete mix.

 

[Owen Smith]

As I understand it a discrete mix was simultaneously derived from the position encoder along with the SQ encode. So in the case of the position encoder the SQ mix was not simply an encode of a discrete mix.

That makes sense.

 

[MidiMagic]

So let me get this straight. All three Beaver & Krause WB albums have dedicated quad mixes: In a Wild Sanctuary is a Dyna-encoded LP, but this is not acknowledged on the jacket or label; Gandharva was issued in SQ in Japan; and All Good Men has a stealth EV encode -- or maybe it doesn't.

All of those would have to be stealth, because WB chose CD-4.

 

[par4ken]

All of those would have to be stealth, because WB chose CD-4.

Before WB in the US chose CD-4 they had released many recordings in Japan in QS and SQ. I love to see that SQ logo on a Warner Bros. label! On Atlantic too!

View attachment 109686

 

[barfle]

Why would a major record label spend money on encoding something in quad and then not tell anyone ? Time to end this discussion I think...

I can think of a reason. Quad confused the buying public. A lot of people remembered the double stocking of mono and stereo, and they weren’t completely compatible, so plenty of people felt that the quad and stereo versions would not be compatible. But to make double inventory was also expensive, so to reduce cost and confusion, they only produced one mix, and relied on word of mouth to get the niche sales.

Unlike you, I don’t work in the recording industry, so that’s speculation on my part, but I’ve heard that story from people who would know.