Quad LP/Tape Poll Black Sabbath: Paranoid [CD-4/Q8/QR]

[EMB]

Wild little rock ride from 1971...

Side 1:

1. War Pigs
2. Paranoid
3. Planet Caravan
4. Iron Man

Side 2:

1. Electric Funeral
2. Hand Of Doom
3. Rat Salad
4. Fairies Wear Boots

 

[Q-Eight]

Not the biggest Sabbath fan, but I do have this Q8, Q4 to DTS and the CD-4 album. Oddly enough, the Q8 has a different channel layout than the Q4 or CD-4. I guess this was called Acid Rock back in the day? Definitely interesting to listen to.

I give it a 7.

 

[EMB]

Very interesting...and not a bad Quad mix, if you can get into the music. Not to be taken seriously, it's sonically very limited in dynamics, but has its moments, and does open up the soundfield to nuances easily missed in stereo. A '7' here, almost an 8, not quite...

ED

 

[4_on_the_Floor]

Sounds pretty good on reel off my Sony 854-4. I'm not a big Sabbath fan, but I must admit it's pretty entertaining. Seems to be a different mix than the stereo versions I've heard on radio, and there is a lot of ping pong among the 4 speakers during drum bursts. I'd have to agree on the 7-8ish rating.

 

[neil wilkes]

I love this, I really do.
It's a great album and the Quad mix puts you in the middle of the band.
Keep promising myself I'll do a nice DVD-A/V of this one some day.

Overall it's not that great sonically - so no full marks from me, but a definite "8" here.

 

[Q-Eight]

I'd say hold out for the Q4. Either the Q8 I have is a misprint or the Q8 mix is really lopsided. Everything seems to be flopped over to the right.

 

[EMB]

Overall it's not that great sonically - so no full marks from me, but a definite "8" here.

One thing notable about the early BS albums is that they seem to have been mixed and recorded intentionally murky and a bit subdued, with limited dynamic range...in other words, it was about the atmosphere the band wanted to convey, and in that regard, they were successful, it's crazy stuff... The quad mix is fairly playful, which works for this one, made me wish the first had also gotten the quad treatment....

ED

 

[etzeppy]

I just heard the Q4 to DTS transfer of this title. I assume it is okay to review based on that. I will state right up front that I have always liked this album and I am very familiar with the stereo release. It is the only album from this genre that I still play from time to time.

Once you get past the limited dynamics and somewhat murky sound (as noted by others), I really really like the quad mix. It is lively and clever and it brought out elements in the music I had not heard before. I wish more 70s era quad mixes were this good. Too bad it did not make its way to SACD. I give the Q4 mix a strong 9.

 

[ClarkNovak]

A wild ride indeed! I'm not a Sabbath fan, but this is a rock classic. They seem to have mixed the quad record specifically for the stoner crowd because there's a lot of ping-ponging between channels - Iommi's guitar moves round the room, so do the drum licks, and Ozzy plays Marco Polo with himself on one cut. Pretty cool, and if I'd just dropped a hit, I imagine I'd be pretty freaked out listening to it! As is, I give it an 8 for the sheer chutzpah it took to make that mix.

 

[JonUrban]

Someone just bagged the Q4 off eBay at a Buy-It-Now price of $165. Pretty good deal considering it's past sales history. Can't figure out why people list rare stuff and use BIN. Someone got a good deal! (Hope it was one of us! )

http://cgi.ebay.com/BLACK-SABBATH-R...goryZ618QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[EMB]

Yep, that's a good deal!

ED

 

[moogplayer]

Seriously thinking the Q8 track assignment was a mistake. I switched out Rt Front and Lft Rear from the deck and it now sounds correct. Still a decent quad mix - not stellar. And yes it's still murky, but it's a classic!

 

[Q-Eight]

My Q8 also has a swapped channel. It puts lead vocals in both lefts. Not many WEA Quads with a swapped channel.

 

[fredblue]

An "8".

The transfer from Q8 that I just gave a spin earlier today totally wipes the floor with the dreadful Deluxe Edition (what sounds like a needle drop!?) in fidelity and I'm sure there's something different about the mix here to what I think must have been a CD-4 transfer of the Quad mix. It's very discrete and fun! Maybe someday some enterprising person will unearth the quad masters and get them out there on a super-dooper special edition!? Ha! Fat chance, I know..

 

[Urban Spaceman]

I went "8" on this due mainly to the murky nature of the sound. Otherwise, it's a classic album (musically) and the mix is really a lot of fun. I finally figured out how to properly dial in (calibrate) my CD-4 decoder (duh!) today so you know I'm really pumped to hear the classic albums in all their Quadradisc glory now! If only the surface noise on my LP was a bit more quiet.................
--------- Chris

 

[Q8]

If you don't like how Paranoid was recorded, you need another hit.

 

[EMB]

Well, yes, that Black Sabbath Sound was, if I remember correctly, something the band stumbled upon accidentally in the studio. The murk was part of what made it work, and of course Tommy Iommi's guitar playing. I liken the BS sound to that of US Bonds or the Joe Meek productions: limited for reasons perhaps beyond understanding, but once you connect with it, unique and very appealing. It wouldn't be this edition of Sabbath if it had the clarity of conventional recordings.

ED

 

[quicksrt]

Sabbath's sound and the sound of this Q mix is not murky really. There is some sludge in the mids where the electric guitars are, which is a part of the sound. But if one listens to the drum kit and the ambiance on this album, you can hear the sparkle. The cymbals and hit hat are quite sharp and clear in a rich and appealing way. Planet Caravan shows off the high quality recording and mix quite well. I am speaking of the CD-4 LP as well as the Q4 reel.

Its a nice recording with plenty of range. The only track that has effect not complementary to the material imo is the title track. Excessive ping-pong ruins that one. I would have rated this a 10, but its gets a 9 by me.

 

[Q8]

Sabbath's sound and the sound of this Q mix is not murky really. There is some sludge in the mids where the electric guitars are, which is a part of the sound. But if one listens to the drum kit and the ambiance on this album, you can hear the sparkle. The cymbals and hit hat are quite sharp and clear in a rich and appealing way. Planet Caravan shows off the high quality recording and mix quite well. I am speaking of the CD-4 LP as well as the Q4 reel.

Its a nice recording with plenty of range. The only track that has effect not complementary to the material imo is the title track. Excessive ping-pong ruins that one. I would have rated this a 10, but its gets a 9 by me.

Yeah, there is nothing wrong with the fidelity of the recording. Any murkiness is intentional. Still one of my favs, I wish I had the Q4. I don't think I would call the title track too ping-pongy though. This may be due to the fact I enjoy ping-pongy quad. While it is more ping pongy than the rest of the album, they still used some restraint.

 

[QuantumGuitar]

One of my favorite albums of all time. The CD-4 sounded great (Still holding out for the QR though). A much more interesting mix than I expected for a rock album, Ozzy and guitars moving around you or riffs alternating in the rears. Probably my favorite "rock" quad I've heard so far. I even think I may have heard the bass solely in the rear right at one point. The alternate non-sped up ending to War Pigs is a fun treat. A timeless classic album with a very solid Quadraphonic reworking. 9