Guess who's now selling Quadios

[surroundophile]

Check this out! Mobile Fidelity, who for years have blocked out any access to quad on their SACDs is now carrying Quadios on their Music Direct web site !!

https://www.musicdirect.com/brands/...f30SrQdhAOX_HPx2Km6k8mmAs6lHUTdubRbicQ.UjEVRp

 

[H.A.L.]

They may feel the Atmos winds outside . . . stereo seems so "old mono" these days.

 

[jefe1]

I thought you were going to say GOS

 

[Old Quad Guy]

I view this as good news. The more people that can be reached, the more sales that benefits the Quadio program. And the likelihood of getting more Quad/Stereo titles released and saved into digital format.

Perhaps the folks buying these there might favor the Hi-Rez Stereo over the Quad. But, whatever motivates one to buy Quadio is a good thing.

 

[JediJoker]

Mobile Fidelity, who for years have blocked out any access to quad on their SACDs is now carrying Quadios on their Music Direct web site !!

Technically, Music Direct is the parent company of the current incarnation of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, as well as their more recent venture, MoFi Electronics. MoFi's current speaker lineup was designed by industry legend Andrew Jones (formerly at KEF, Infinity, Pioneer, and ELAC) and all three models are widely regarded as some of the best in their class for the price. As for their other gear, I don't know.

The issue with MFSL SACD releases of albums with quad mixes is that they acquire exclusive licenses to the titles they put out, such that another third party label in the U.S. interested in releasing the quad mix (e.g. Audio Fidelity, R.I.P.) cannot obtain a license to do so at the same time. Because Rhino is under the Warner umbrella, they are a first party to anything owned by a Warner label, and therefore are not bound by such third party exclusive licensing. You'll note that the recent Yes reissues with LPs and Atmos Blu-rays, on Atlantic/Rhino, coexist with third party licenses of those same albums to Analogue Productions for their Atlantic 75 series of SACDs and LPs.

It is indeed good that more retailers are stocking Quadio, though it would be even better if there were no period of exclusivity to the Rhino store, and all titles were available at launch from multiple sources.

 

[surroundophile]

Technically, Music Direct is the parent company of the current incarnation of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, as well as their more recent venture, MoFi Electronics. MoFi's current speaker lineup was designed by industry legend Andrew Jones (formerly at KEF, Infinity, Pioneer, and ELAC) and all three models are widely regarded as some of the best in their class for the price. As for their other gear, I don't know.

The issue with MFSL SACD releases of albums with quad mixes is that they acquire exclusive licenses to the titles they put out, such that another third party label in the U.S. interested in releasing the quad mix (e.g. Audio Fidelity, R.I.P.) cannot obtain a license to do so at the same time. Because Rhino is under the Warner umbrella, they are a first party to anything owned by a Warner label, and therefore are not bound by such third party exclusive licensing. You'll note that the recent Yes reissues with LPs and Atmos Blu-rays, on Atlantic/Rhino, coexist with third party licenses of those same albums to Analogue Productions for their Atlantic 75 series of SACDs and LPs.

It is indeed good that more retailers are stocking Quadio, though it would be even better if there were no period of exclusivity to the Rhino store, and all titles were available at launch from multiple sources.

The point is they several times "turned their noses up" when asked about adding quad mixes to their SACDs, like quad was the "scum of the earth", and no one would ever listen nor buy that stuff.

 

[4-earredwonder]

MoFi over the years released 8 VOX TURNABOUT Classical QUAD SACDs which had to be outsourced to a mastering facility in San Francisco as their proprietary Gain 2 mastering chain is/was only capable of mastering in STEREO/MONO

 

[quicksrt]

Quad earned a bad rap back when it was introduced. For all the reasons we've discussed. It had a chance to take on the world with the record companies investing major time and resources into it. Rick Derringer said the reason it failed is that "it didn't work." I think that it didn't work often enough, and at high enough level for the cash outlay.

I can see why MFSL would not want to be the first audiophile label to really push for it.

Now it's getting hard to deny that those mixes on those albums have some serious virtues.

It is indeed good that more retailers are stocking Quadio, though it would be even better if there were no period of exclusivity to the Rhino store, and all titles were available at launch from multiple sources.

That 90 day exclusive window of only Rhino having them for sale makes it easier for them to recoup, and hit the break-even point that much faster. It means the funds are there quicker to start pressing up the next batch of four Quadios rather than waiting 4 to 6 months to get paid from distributers, pray they don't go bankrupt first, and know how things went sales wise. I don't think it is about "we have it here first, and we love that fact."
It's just a good business strategy.

 

[quicksrt]

MoFi over the years released 8 VOX TURNABOUT Classical QUAD SACDs which had to be outsourced to a mastering facility in San Francisco as their proprietary Gain 2 mastering chain is/was only capable of mastering in STEREO/MONO

This was originally a VOX BOX release. Classic Records had also reissued this on their DAD formatted DVD audios. But did not offer up the quad mix. I've always wanted to hear this. The Vox catalog is very rarely mined for audiophile releases. How many MFSL SACDs have a surround later if you know?

 

[4-earredwonder]

This was originally a VOX BOX release. Classic Records reissued this on their DAD formatted DVD audios. But did not offer up the quad mix. I've always wanted to hear this. The Vox catalog is very rarely mined for audiophile releases. How many MFSL SACDs have a surround later if you know?

I believe even the Classic Record's superb DAD Gershwin and Ravel[ ALL the works for Orchestra] retain the QS encoding of the original VOX BOX master tapes as they were single inventory discs!

 

[quicksrt]

I believe even the Classic Record's superb DAD Gershwin and Ravel[ ALL the works for Orchestra] retain the QS encoding of the original VOX BOX master tapes as they were single inventory discs!

Yes but the MFSL I was under the impression was from four-channel pre-QS encoded tapes. Thus making it something special, over the DAD issue. I am impressed with the DADs in general, but no discreet quad featured.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Yes but the MFSL I was under the impression was from four-channel pre-QS encoded tapes. Thus making it something special, over the DAD issue. I am impressed with the DADs in general, but no discreet quad featured.

I'm pretty sure the QS encoding was ambient only and would decode quite effectively through Chucky's surround master. I played the Classic Records Gershwin through my Meridian pre/pro in MUSICLOGIC DSP mode and the instruments were swirling all over the room. Amazing sonics!

 

[JediJoker]

The point is they several times "turned their noses up" when asked about adding quad mixes to their SACDs, like quad was the "scum of the earth", and no one would ever listen nor buy that stuff.

I've never heard or read this. Do you have a source?

 

[4-earredwonder]

Yes but the MFSL I was under the impression was from four-channel pre-QS encoded tapes. Thus making it something special, over the DAD issue. I am impressed with the DADs in general, but no discreet quad featured.

Unbeknown to me, VOX even released Dolby QS encoded cassettes: One example:

VOX (Cassette Tapes)

CT-2105 (DQSC) DVORAK: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Silent Woods Rondo in
G Minor (Zara Nelsova-Cello/St. Louis Symphony/Walter Susskind Conductor)

 

[4-earredwonder]

I've never heard or read this. Do you have a source?

JJ, one only has to visit Music Direct's [Parent Company of MoFi] website to realize they're STEREO centric specializing in high end Turntables, tonearm cartridges, stereo pre~amps and amps, et alia not to mention their obsession with custom 180g vinyl and if they did switch to QUAD or even ATMOS releases they'd currently have to outsource all their surround mastering to other facilities not to mention as Audio Fidelity found out, they'd also have to pay additional ridiculously high royalties for the surround layer of an SACD [like $30K per QUAD/5.1 SACD in total].

As it is, MoFi is currently charging $30 for a STEREO SACD. Contrast that to Rhino's current charge of $25 for a QUAD BD~A not to mention Dutton Vocalion's 2~fer QUADS for US $16!!!!!!!! And MoFi's Stereo SACDs are hardly further discounted anywhere and often bear that moniker 'not available for any further discount' when occasional sales are offered!


And MOST stand alone BD~A ATMOS discs manufactured today sell for a list price of $30 and are mostly available at further discount pricing [with the exception of SDE 'exclusive" BD~As].

 

[JediJoker]

JJ, one only has to visit Music Direct's [Parent Company of MoFi] website to realize they're STEREO centric specializing in high end Turntables, tonearm cartridges, stereo pre~amps and amps, et alia not to mention their obsession with custom 180g vinyl and if they did switch to QUAD or even ATMOS releases they'd currently have to outsource all their surround mastering to other facilities not to mention as Audio Fidelity found out, they'd also have to pay additional ridiculously high royalties for the surround layer of an SACD [like $30K per QUAD/5.1 SACD in total].

As it is, MoFi is currently charging $30 for a STEREO SACD. Contrast that to Rhino's current charge of $25 for a QUAD BD~A not to mention Dutton Vocalion's 2~fer QUADS for US $16!!!!!!!! And MoFi's Stereo SACDs are hardly further discounted anywhere and often bear that moniker 'not available for any further discount' when occasional sales are offered!


And MOST stand alone BD~A ATMOS discs manufactured today sell for a list price of $30 and are mostly available at further discount pricing [with the exception of SDE 'exclusive" BD~As].

That doesn't equate to what @surroundophile described.

 

[surroundophile]

I've never heard or read this. Do you have a source?

It was discussed right here on QQ years ago around the time that the first quad SACDs were winding down due to bankruptcy of (the company before Dutton, forgot their name).

 

[4-earredwonder]

That doesn't equate to what @surroundophile described.

When I used to order from Music Direct I'd always ask the salesman why MoFi did not get into surround and they 'politely' told me it wasn't cost effective for them and truth be told, even Analogue Productions which has released a few surround titles on SACD in the past has a disdain for surround...just ask marpow [Markie] who met Chad Kassem, owner of AP, at one of their LIVE blues festivals and posed that question. He said Chad made a face [grimace] when asked about offering SACDs in general ...much less SURROUND!

The point being: MoFi and AP LOVE LOVE LOVE VINYL .......They both offer SACDs to keep the 'peons' happy and most vinyl releases hardly even get an accompanying SACD release!

 

[JediJoker]

It was discussed right here on QQ years ago around the time that the first quad SACDs were winding down due to bankruptcy of (the company before Dutton, forgot their name).

I'm assuming you're referring to Audio Fidelity.

Again, let's get to the point:

The point is they several times "turned their noses up" when asked about adding quad mixes to their SACDs, like quad was the "scum of the earth", and no one would ever listen nor buy that stuff.

Are these actual direct quotes? Or were you using quotation marks incorrectly for emphasis?

 

[Victor Bisio]

Check this out! Mobile Fidelity, who for years have blocked out any access to quad on their SACDs is now carrying Quadios on their Music Direct web site !!

https://www.musicdirect.com/brands/rhino-records/?filter.ss_custom_specials_filter=Preorder&filter.custom_artist=The Doobie Brothers&filter.custom_artist=Foghat&filter.custom_artist=J. Geils Band&filter.custom_artist=Jefferson Starship&utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_campaign=musicdirect soundbytes 11_18_24_Mon&_kx=Kwzhlf30SrQdhAOX_HPx2Km6k8mmAs6lHUTdubRbicQ.UjEVRp

Those aren't Mobile Fidleity Discs. They're the same Rhino Quad discs.