LATEST Piece of Gear in Your Stack - What is it?
- Thread starter Quad Linda
- Start date
Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:
Well, it's not a gear, it's a Marantz CD-4 demodulator. Picked it up locally today for $40. I had one of these back in the day...
and now I have one again.
So did I overpay, and what's the difference between this one and the 400B?
and now I have one again.
So did I overpay, and what's the difference between this one and the 400B?
Technics by Panasonic RS-858US Q8 recorder, which records in Quad. I had one of these for a short time back in the day.
A huge thank you to Quadtrade for this piece.
A huge thank you to Quadtrade for this piece.
kap'n krunch
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
I realized after ordering that I have an Ortofon OMP 20 stylus...I thought I had a "30"...
So I ordered one (an online German shop called Thakker..the site was in German only ..ahh what the hell! ...really fast delivery too...)
And then I saw the BEAUTY of the 30!!!!!
REALLY FINE LINE!!!
I took it out and went...."where's the tip?"...and there it was...it REALLY IS FINE ..and kinda long too...wish I had a Macro Lens to show you guys..WHAT A BEAUTY!!!!! (isn't that the closest thing to an Ortofon Shibata?)
I'm debating whether I should just take out the 20 and slide the 30 in (wellll that sounds naughty!!!!)
Any thoughts??
Linda???
Anyone??
So I ordered one (an online German shop called Thakker..the site was in German only ..ahh what the hell! ...really fast delivery too...)
And then I saw the BEAUTY of the 30!!!!!
REALLY FINE LINE!!!
I took it out and went...."where's the tip?"...and there it was...it REALLY IS FINE ..and kinda long too...wish I had a Macro Lens to show you guys..WHAT A BEAUTY!!!!! (isn't that the closest thing to an Ortofon Shibata?)
I'm debating whether I should just take out the 20 and slide the 30 in (wellll that sounds naughty!!!!)
Any thoughts??
Linda???
Anyone??
Ortofon stopped producing Shibata stylii in '77. Fine line stylii are similar, but without the sharp back edges. Those can become jagged when worn. A fine line has no edges to become jagged. It should sound better and create less wear on your vinyl.
quadsearcher
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2010
- Messages
- 1,212
Yes, that series is interchangeable, easiest way to upgrade.
TheDHndrsn
Member
I have TWO latest pieces of gear to report. They are significant as together they launch me into the wonderful world of quadraphonic CD-4 sound (finally).
The first item is from EBay. It's a little rough, but only on the surface. It runs just fine. At first glance it appeared to be an oddball BSR with claims of CD-4 capability. Confusing things was the brand, Bradford, which was the old WT Grant in house OEM label. When I laid hands on it I quickly discovered I had purchased a BSR table to which had been installed a Panasonic CD-4 demodulator (including aux circuit to decode separate devices) and a Panasonic 451C Strain Gauge cartridge.
Nice!
The second item of note is about as obscure as the turntable. That is a JVC GX-500E Quad receiver with built in CD-4 demodulator and two additional Matrix decoding circuits. I am unable to find much on this receiver, but the sound is remarkably good. I have not yet married the two, but will be getting to it shortly.
If anyone can lend more insight into the receiver, it would be appreciated. The model seems to be a ghost. Finding very little information about it sans for a few YouTube reference and a small handful of mentions in forum posts (mostly European).
Dave
The first item is from EBay. It's a little rough, but only on the surface. It runs just fine. At first glance it appeared to be an oddball BSR with claims of CD-4 capability. Confusing things was the brand, Bradford, which was the old WT Grant in house OEM label. When I laid hands on it I quickly discovered I had purchased a BSR table to which had been installed a Panasonic CD-4 demodulator (including aux circuit to decode separate devices) and a Panasonic 451C Strain Gauge cartridge.
Nice!
The second item of note is about as obscure as the turntable. That is a JVC GX-500E Quad receiver with built in CD-4 demodulator and two additional Matrix decoding circuits. I am unable to find much on this receiver, but the sound is remarkably good. I have not yet married the two, but will be getting to it shortly.
If anyone can lend more insight into the receiver, it would be appreciated. The model seems to be a ghost. Finding very little information about it sans for a few YouTube reference and a small handful of mentions in forum posts (mostly European).
Dave
kap'n krunch
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Wow, OK, that was the PANASONIC Turntable my stepdad used to have back in the 70's (I know it states "BEDFORD", but it's EXACTLY the same TT, I NEVER forget a piece of gear!!).
Unfortunately it started running faster than normal and by the time we could have repaired it , Quad was on its way out!!!!
Check that the speed is correct and , if not, try to repair it!
Cool!!!
TheDHndrsn
Member
Thanks! I just ordered a JVC calibration record for adjusting CD-4 settings. How does one check speed without a strobe? I know nothing about adjusting a BSR spinner.
I struggle with the idea of breaking up the band so-to-speak. but was thinking about popping the strain gauge cart in a LAB-395 that is sitting about. Let the JVC receiver do the decode. It seems wrong somehow to scrap an original piece but I can always reinstall the cart to the Bradford.
Not sure if the swap is a good approach or not.
Dave
TheDHndrsn
Member
Thanks! I just ordered a JVC calibration record for adjusting CD-4 settings. How does one check speed without a strobe? I know nothing about adjusting a BSR spinner.
I struggle with the idea of breaking up the band so-to-speak. but was thinking about popping the strain gauge cart in a LAB-395. Let the JVC receiver do the decode. It seems wrong somehow to scrap an original piece but I can always reinstall the cart to the Bradford.
Not sure if the swap is a good approach or not.
Dave
The Bushmaster
600 Club - QQ All-Star
Go onto the internet and look for "strobe discs"...Print it, cut it out and punch a hole in the center. Place it on the platter and you will find that while spinning using a incondecant or florecent light it indicate the speed.
TheDHndrsn
Member
Be careful. I don't think what you are planning will work. The JVC can only handle magnetic CD-4 cartridges. Panasonic demodulators were the only ones that worked with strain gauge carts. So you would need an outboard Panny demodulator connected to the JVC 4 CH discreet inputs to hear how that cartridge performs.
TheDHndrsn
Member
Hmmm ... I do not know enough to argue the point, but I do not understand. CD-4 was essentially a codec that instructed the receiver (via demodulator) how to send sound to four speakers instead of two. I would expect the demodulating circuit not to care if the frequency spectrum reaching it originated from a moving magnet, moving coil, or strain gauge. The only exception being if there was a proprietary signal injected to output that only a Panasonic demodulator decoded. I could see them doing something like this. Yes. It's CD-4, but only if you use all of our CD-4 equipment. But the cartridge would not have done this. It would had to have occurred downstream of the cart.
The cart manual is attached. It makes no mention of embedding a Panasonic-only CD-4 codec. They sold this cartridge separately of the turntable, so I would think output would be comparable to other CD-4 cartridges of the day (only better in this case b/c of the frequency response).
I just have no reference for this issue. I believe you, just do not understand how / what JVC or Panasonic might have been doing. Do you have copy of a manual for either of these beasties? I would love copy. I have nothing on either the turntable or receiver.
Dave
The Panasonic cartridge requires a voltage to be fed to it in order to work. Other magnetic cartridges create their own voltage. It has no "codec", just an algorithm and noise reduction.
TheDHndrsn
Member
Ahhh ... OK. I understand the disconnect now. Yes. You mean a strain gauge preamp. Embarrassed to admit but I know about that but completely ignored the issue when commenting above. They are to be had. Have seen plans for building them, or they are on EBay. It may be easier to scavenge what is already in the Braford table (not that it is my first preference). It is just a shame leaving this cart in such as mediocre to poor BIC table.
As for codec, perhaps a poor attempt to use a digital term to describe what is going on here. The frequency spectrum outputted from the cart includes the high frequency portion that tells the demodulated signal via the receiver how to process the sound. Technically not a codec, but an analog (play on words ... ha!).
Step one, get the table back into shape and operating with the receiver. Have the receiver cleaned and set up already with a 4ED-1205 pushing discrete 8-track sound through it. Sounds great.
We're good. Thanks for checking me on this. Had completely forgotten about that pre-amp part.
Dave
One item I would like to add regarding the Panasonic strain gauge carts. Whenever my magnetic carts exhibited splatter on a cut here & there I could always play it cleanly using the Panny. My first demodulator was a Panasonic outboard with a strain gauge cart included. My first year with CD-4 was a very nice experience. No splatter or other mis-tracking artifacts. The magnetic CD-4 carts did sound better though.
..while not strictly in my "stack", it is a big part of my system (since I don't have room for a TV, I have to use the projector 24/7, or rather whenever I need to see what I'm doing, with music.. like DVD-A, etc.) so I just got a new p/j, the LG PF1000U - LED 1080p Minibeam UST ..its an Ultra Short Throw 1080p LED model, so it just sits on the equipment rack at the front of my room and shines its pretty pictures on the blank wall in front of it. Abracadabra! 
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2013
- Messages
- 25,711
..while not strictly in my "stack", it is a big part of my system (since I don't have room for a TV, I have to use the projector 24/7, or rather whenever I need to see what I'm doing, with music.. like DVD-A, etc.) so I just got a new p/j, the LG PF1000U - LED 1080p Minibeam UST ..its an Ultra Short Throw 1080p LED model, so it just sits on the equipment rack at the front of my room and shines its pretty pictures on the blank wall in front of it. Abracadabra!
Its, adorable, Adam.......Just LIKE YOU! Actually, that's very cool but why not just hang a FLATSCREEN on the blank wall you're projecting the image on?
BTW, how big of an image does it project?
Similar threads
