Quad LP/Tape Poll Chase: Chase [SQ/Q8]

[EMB]

1971 debut Lp from ill-fated rock band that borrowed a bit from Blood, Sweat & Tears but did manage to eke out a few hits, including "Get It On"(which has three mixes: mono 45 version; stereo Lp version; Quad mix).

Side 1:

1. Open Up Wide
2. Livin' In Heat
3. Hello Groceries
4. Handbags And Gladrags
5. Get It On

Side 2:

1. Boys And Girls Together
2. Invitation To A River
3a. Two Minds Meet
4b. Stay
5c. Paint It Sad
6d. Reflections
7e. River

 

[MIDIQ]

I love this Q8, and the Quad mix is great. I only have one problem with the Quad mix, and that is the different tones comming from different channels. I have had 2 Q8's of this, and both were exactly the same. 1 channel is a little bassy {muffled} another is too trebely etc... Even when the same instrument goes from speaker to speaker the tone changes drastically. But that is probably the problem of using eight track tapes. I sure wish they would release this on DVDA or SACD. Anyway i took 1 point off from the score for poor tone quality, or i would have given it a 10.

 

[EMB]

An '8'....good, brassy sound and mix, perfectly suited to the group. "Get It On," of course, is even less close to the 45 version than the stereo mix was...oh well!

ED

 

[MatrixMaven]

I agree with MIDIQ.

The sound is terrible; muffled as stated.

 

[atrocity]

It's worth pointing out that the CD is SQ encoded.

 

[EMB]

I agree with MIDIQ.

The sound is terrible; muffled as stated.

Try the Quad Lp(I don't have the Q8), since it sounds fine to these ears.

Worth mentioning, too, that "Get It On" was mixed specially to mono for the 45, and it has a lot more crunch and brass than the stereo or quad mixes.

ED

 

[emaidel]

I never much cared for this group, nor was the sound on the LP particularly memorable, but it became the source to show off Lafayette's new full wave-matching logic circuitry when the LR-4000 was introduced (in the fall of 1972). For the first time, after listening to the record on basic matrix decoders, and trying to figure out where sounds were coming from, the opening of the first cut on the first side plays separately in each of the four channels, and with the full-logic circuitry, there was no question where everything was coming from. Ultimately, most of us working at Lafayette got pretty sick of this record.

 

[ClarkNovak]

Just did an Audition decode of this and was blown away by that opening cut, with the trumpet panning discretely around the room! While that was just being showy for showy's sake, the rest of the disc seems to have a (for the time) pretty nice surround mix. I like the vocalists, and the trumpet playing is, of course, virtuoso.

The downside: the audio is a bit bass-shy throughout and the closing suite on side 2 is definitely a product of its time. There's also a 60-cycle hum during the opening track that's pretty annoying. Regardless of that, I gave it a "7" for Bill Chase's amazing axe blowing.

 

[winopener]

Back in the days the intro of Open Up Wide has been the test track for the SQ software decoding - a perfect example on how to decode at best the SQ.

 

[ClarkNovak]

Yes, doesn't Tab have the o-scope samples on his site?

 

[jaybird100]

Columbia also used the opening of "Open Up Wide" on one of their SQ demo albums. You heard an announcer say, "You're about to hear something fantastic!", and then you heard the opening of this track. Sounded amazing on my S&IC.

 

[sjcorne]

I've had the SQ for years and the opening cut is of course legendary. Great separation even in SQ but there is a lot of that crazy panning that plagues some early Columbia quad mixes.

I found a Q8 recently and was excited to finally hear it discrete, but unfortunately my player does have a serious warble issue and it really shows on this album. Some songs sound decent and others sound awful due to speed issues. The sound quality also takes a nosedive on the Q8...maybe one of the worst I've heard to date (to be fair it could just be my copy). It's listed as a robin reel and I wish someone would do a good conversion from it. Or better yet an actual release will surface...I could totally see Vocalion putting this out but a 7 inch replica by Sony Japan also seems possible. The other chase album, Pure Music, is also a great candidate for release by said powers.

Not something I could listen to all the time but it's a lot of fun and a key part of quad history. A Hi-rez transfer would be probably make me like it even more.

8

 

[Doug G.]

Why does it seem there are so many record producers/engineers who are afraid of bass? The opening track is terrible for this. The recording is substandard for a so-called professional product. Are these guys adherents to the "midrange is everything" crowd?

The music on the first side is good. The second side, I can take or leave, especially the "River" sequence. The bass is better on some tracks but still deficient.

There just doesn't seem to be a realization as to what an accurate low end adds to a number. A "7".

Doug

 

[JohnA]

a 7 from me - fun in its own way
bit bass-shy and shrieking highs, quad mix very 70s man