List of stereo recordings that sound great in quad

[ssully]

My problem seems to be that although my amp has all these options, I do not know how to access the settings for the "custom" mode.
I have so many different modes, it gets confusing.
There's
Music
Movie
Matrix
Emulated
Custom
Virtual
(I'm assuming that the "custom" option can be set up manually, of course)

'Emulated' is probably old Pro Logic. Never heard of 'Virtual' or 'Custom' or 'Matrix' (though Doplby has added 'Game' to its DPLII family of modes) . 'Music' is usually the one that allows user-adjustment. What amp is this? The CA Azur 540R? (/me checks the user's manual online). Wow, that's shockingly unhelpful.

 

[neil wilkes]

Yep - the unit is correct, and the manual isn't much use, is it!
I've asked the company, but they tell me that the DSP is all preset at the factory where they make the chips, and they have asked how to access all the parameters - the "Custom" option, surely, should allow setting of the panorama & Centre width at the very least.
Music & Movie should allow adjustment, but may be preprogrammed to the Dolby Defaults as they are in my nice, new DPL II VST plugin from SurCode.

 

[ress4278]

I am amazed on a daily basis at what a QB restored QRX can do with a stereo record, but one title that stands head and shoulders above all the rest is "Sunburst Finish" by Be-Bop Deluxe from 1976 on the Harvest label (ring a bell?). The album # is: ST-11478. I cannot recommend this title enough. In fact it's titles like this that get me wondering if there isn't a market for surround conversions of old stereo titles. I don't do conversions myself, but if I did this title would be the first one I would give a go at.

Just curious. I played this thru a QB QSD 1000 and found it to be subtly discrete at moments. Was it as discrete as Piper at The Gates of Dawn, or King Crimson's The Power to Believe? They matrix like a S&IC thru the 1000.

 

[aquadad]

Just curious. I played this thru a QB QSD 1000 and found it to be subtly discrete at moments. Was it as discrete as Piper at The Gates of Dawn, or King Crimson's The Power to Believe? They matrix like a S&IC thru the 1000.

Hello,

I am not familiar with the titles that you mentioned but I will say this, "I just listened to this album again and there is nothing subtle about the discretenss." I especially love all the panning that goes on in various denominations i.e. 360, 270, 180 degrees and the diagonals. Then there are the point and counterpoint duels, from front to rear, between the guitars in front and piano in the rear.

My results are probably different than yours because I pre-process the stereo signal with a SRS encoder called a NuReality VHT-200, which the variomatrix loves to feed off of. It also gives me the ability to turn up the rear channels without turning down the front for a more powerfull balance.

Read more about it here: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6192&highlight=nureality ,and here: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5477&page=2

The next time I go to QB's I'll bring this album along and try it out on the QSD and the S&IC. He also has the advantage of huge Klipsch speakers (La Scala's) and the 9001. Not to mention living where he can turn it up as loud as you please. I only use a 7001 and a much humbler speaker setup. The NuReality also creates a nice phat sound so I don't have to keep going for a fix at QB's to keep my habit satisfied.

 

[ress4278]

Hello,

I am not familiar with the titles that you mentioned but I will say this, "I just listened to this album again and there is nothing subtle about the discretenss." I especially love all the panning that goes on in various denominations i.e. 360, 270, 180 degrees and the diagonals. Then there are the point and counterpoint duels, from front to rear, between the guitars in front and piano in the rear.

My results are probably different than yours because I pre-process the stereo signal with a SRS encoder called a NuReality VHT-200, which the variomatrix loves to feed off of. It also gives me the ability to turn up the rear channels without turning down the front for a more powerfull balance.

Read more about it here: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6192&highlight=nureality ,and here: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5477&page=2

The next time I go to QB's I'll bring this album along and try it out on the QSD and the S&IC. He also has the advantage of huge Klipsch speakers (La Scala's) and the 9001. Not to mention living where he can turn it up as loud as you please. I only use a 7001 and a much humbler speaker setup. The NuReality also creates a nice phat sound so I don't have to keep going for a fix at QB's to keep my habit satisfied.

Aquadad, let me know what you hear. I've been to Bob's place so I'm familiar with the setup. He's working on my S&IC at the moment. I played the vinyl again, and had the same experience. It may the VHT 200 like you say.

 

[quadanasaziland]

I have the cd and the lp both have always decoded well. I will run them thru the D-1 next week and see if my memory served me well.

 

[quadanasaziland]

Just curious. I played this thru a QB QSD 1000 and found it to be subtly discrete at moments. Was it as discrete as Piper at The Gates of Dawn, or King Crimson's The Power to Believe? They matrix like a S&IC thru the 1000.

Well thru my D-1 and my QRX-777 both QB worked units, I think you are mostly right, it was alot of double stereo with moments of cool discreteness. The mix on Modern Music (a later recording) decoded much better though. I know Dave digs the SRS but I cant see how it could do anything but muddy the variomatrix waters but I haven't tried it so.....

 

[aquadad]

Well thru my D-1 and my QRX-777 both QB worked units, I think you are mostly right, it was alot of double stereo with moments of cool discreteness. The mix on Modern Music (a later recording) decoded much better though. I know Dave digs the SRS but I cant see how it could do anything but muddy the variomatrix waters but I haven't tried it so.....

Hello Dave,

How would you like to test drive one of these units? I like what it does for the quad system so well that I got another unit that I've worked into my theatre system and the Pro-Logic feeds off it equally as well. I'd be more than happy to let you give it a listen.

Originally, I was going to use the second unit to fill the psychoacoustic spaces in the rear channels when playing DVD-A's and SACD's etc., but I didn't like the spatial sound in the rears. I do like the effect of the spatialness across the front channels when playing a surround source, combined with the naked punch of the rears. It gives better definition of the sound stage to spread the fronts out and lock the rears in.

Think of it like watching a concert in a large venue when the further you get from the stage, the more echo you hear. By only spreading out the front you feel like your front and center in the arena.

The real joy of these units though is when you pre-process the stereo signals before feeding them into the variomatrix in the quad system. The original intention of these units was to give you the effect of surround (5.0) out of two speakers by adding the psychoacoustic information to the stereo signals. Adjustments to this info can be made by the two controls on the unit. The "center" control enhances the the center channel effect. The "space" control enhances the rear channels effect. What happens when you feed this enhanced stereo signal to the variomatrix for me is pure bliss. The "center" control becomes a front channel volume control, while the "space" control becomes a rear channel volume control. In essence you are controlling phase information. There is also an "output level" control that lets you raise and lower the signal strength of both channels simultaneously.

I realize I'm not a quad purist like a lot of you out there, so maybe what I'm hearing isn't what you're accustomed to. Being a newcomer to all of this I've gotten into it backwards by starting out with modern day surround as my point of reference. Therefore when I listen to stand alone synthed quad it leaves me wanting more and the NuReality gives it to me.

Anyway Dave, unless you're going to pay us a visit soon, let me know and I'll get this out to you to experiment with.

Here's a little article about how it works...

 

[quadanasaziland]

Very cool Dave! I would love to test it out!! I probably wont be out till mid summer. so I will pm you this week so we can land line. Do you have Axe Victim? I also have about 5 or 6 of Bill's solo efforts. When we talk I will run thru them with you. My lp copies of Live in the Air Age and Modern Music are promo's in mint cond. with introduction letters, bio's, reviews and several pics of the band in each.

 

[quadanasaziland]

While I'm doing the 2-4 thing has anyone heard of or tried Badger, One Live Badger? This has got to be one of the best live recordings I have ever heard from the 70's and it decodes to the inth degree! Not like your a typical live decode where the band is up front and echo and audiance to the sides and rear.
If you are a Yes fan this is a must have, recorded live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, England in 1972. With ex Yes man Tony Kaye's Hammond B3 comming at you from the right rear and Brian Parrish's SG coming mainly from the left rear. Over that is Tony's synth solos and fills moving about at times. It is avery rich/full soundfield. I have a Canadian pressing that is whisper quiet
Produced by Jon Anderson and complete with Rodger Dean art.
.

 

[quadanasaziland]

Well thru my D-1 and my QRX-777 both QB worked units, I think you are mostly right, it was alot of double stereo with moments of cool discreteness. The mix on Modern Music (a later recording) decoded much better though. I know Dave digs the SRS but I cant see how it could do anything but muddy the variomatrix waters but I haven't tried it so.....

I have to revisit this post after having just done 3 hours of critical listening to Sunburst Finish (BE-BOP DELUXE) due to the arrival of aquadad's NuReality processor.

I lied in my last post ( see quote) there is a bunch "cool discreteness" in this recording! As an example on track 11, Shine, the guitar, rythum and lead, just using the onboard variomatrix decoder on my QRX-777, moves in a swirling clockwise motion during just about the entire track. Very cool! There is endless amounts of movement in all directions in the sound field thoughout this recording. Bill Nelson is a wizard!

What's changed since my prior post? Well I don't Know, I have re-tuned the speakers to the room a couple of weeks ago, angling the fronts out quite a bit more. This happened while listening to The Flaming Lips. I tuned till it just locked in to the point that the chills effect was at max. I have kept the speaker location since. That and I did what seemed like a couple of hundred a, b's of the critical discrete passages reviewing the NuReality that really brought out the differences between the two processes (the QRX-777 variomatrix with and without the NuReality). So maybe I just skimmed the surface last listen?

Here is my review of the NuReality VHT-200.

First I must thank Dave (aquadad) for the chance to test it! This is a nice man!

Well this is tuff, I am divided just about down the middle here as I will explain. Out of the box and up in system, the unit is nice looking and the display while running is cool if you like dancing lights and I do. Now for the decoding or should I say possible enhancing of the variomatrix decoding.

Following the directions I set the center and space levels to the 2 o'clock positions and punched the unit out on the DBX 400, started Sunburst Finish and listened to the first minute. Already lots of movement in the soundfield and the vocals heavely out of phase at 2 o'clock high, very cool, hit pause jump up punch in the NuReality, sit back down, hit skip back to the start and hit play, over and over and over well you get what I'm saying. Heres the first thing that struck me was that the already heavely out of phase (o.o.p.) vocals moved back behind me and became less pronounced, all most ghoustly. This happened with the lead guitar that is very oop also. They almost went away so ok there is an adustment for that, the center knob, turned it to the 5 o"clock position and started again. This helped but not enough to sound completely right to what I was used to, still just a bit to transparent but much better. This was constant thoughout the recording as the vocals and guitar are oop 95% of the time so on the next session I will try some software that is a bit less oop on the vocals and see then how I feel about that. Also subtle things in the recording seemed to be less defined due to the extra processing. The straight variomatrix was much more defined but I would think this would be expected.

I spoke above about track 11, Shine and the swirling guitars using just the variomatrix, with the NuReality the swirling was less pronounced. This no doubt due to the extra OOP-ing from the SRS processing, now more just of a side to side movement. This kind of decoding difference was noticable to me thoughout.

OK those seem to be the cons nows the pro's. The NuReality acts some thing like my DBX 3BX expander in that it ads a fullness making things a bit more dynamic, alway a plus on cd's and lp's to me but with a psychoacoaustic twist. In fact this thing increases the chills factor at points that are almost scarry! The very reason I am into surround! I crave that fight or flight feeling that music sneaking up on you from behind, above and to the sides gives me, it's just cool. The NuReality goes a step furthur and places more of that inside your head, just down right spooky at times. Reminds me of the first time I heard DSOTM SQ though a Tate. What everyone is enjoying to an even greater extent now with the DVD-A. This thing with the variomatix is just off the ooohhhh scale at times on this recording!

So for me it is 5 1/2 of one and 6 1/2 of the other at different times. I didn't like what it did with the vocals but the increase in the psychoacoustic effects were pronounced at times. It did take away some definition from the music but added dynamics. It seemed that contray to the multichannel speaker placement in the instructions with the surround speakers behind you this would work better with them to the sides. When I got up and moved to the rear of my normal sweet spot, rear speakers to the side, it helped the vocal problem, putting them more to the front and increased the psychoacoustic effect.

The jury is still out as to whether I could run the NuReality on all stereo to quad synthing without being bugged by the vocals. I need to feed the beast more food but I liked it enuff to say that I will get one of my own to keep playing with. Thanks again Dave, this thing IS cool! You don't want it back too soon I hope?

 

[aquadad]

I lied in my last post ( see quote) there is a bunch "cool discreteness" in this recording! As an example on track 11, Shine, the guitar, rythum and lead, just using the onboard variomatrix decoder on my QRX-777, moves in a swirling clockwise motion during just about the entire track. Very cool! There is endless amounts of movement in all directions in the sound field thoughout this recording. Bill Nelson is a wizard!

In fact this thing increases the chills factor at points that are almost scarry! The very reason I am into surround! I crave that fight or flight feeling that music sneaking up on you from behind, above and to the sides gives me, it's just cool. The NuReality goes a step furthur and places more of that inside your head, just down right spooky at times. This thing with the variomatix is just off the ooohhhh scale at times on this recording!

I didn't like what it did with the vocals but the increase in the psychoacoustic effects were pronounced at times. It did take away some definition from the music but added dynamics. It seemed that contray to the multichannel speaker placement in the instructions with the surround speakers behind you this would work better with them to the sides. When I got up and moved to the rear of my normal sweet spot, rear speakers to the side, it helped the vocal problem, putting them more to the front and increased the psychoacoustic effect.

The jury is still out as to whether I could run the NuReality on all stereo to quad synthing without being bugged by the vocals. I need to feed the beast more food but I liked it enuff to say that I will get one of my own to keep playing with. Thanks again Dave, this thing IS cool! You don't want it back too soon I hope?

Hello Dave,
Glad to hear from you at long last. Welcome to the new reality. Don't worry about returning it right away. In fact you are only scratching the surface so far. Prepare yourself for even more surprises after you've played with this thing for awhile! I know what you are experiencing with the vocal being split up by the variomatrix after pre-processing it with the Nureality. There is a solution.

I know this probably goes against everything you've ever believed in to this point but if you try it you'll be amazed at the result. What I recommend you do is to go and dig up a stereo amp somewhere with a set of speakers that are comparable to what you are driving in the corners of your quad setup. Feed the pre-processed stereo signal from the NuReality to this stereo set up, in addition to the quad set up, with the speakers closer together (front and center) than the quad speakers. This way you are allowing the NR to do what it was originally intended to do and that is to synthesize 5.0 into two channels and speakers. When you get set up this way it tightens up the vocals front and center while at the same time allowing the quad setup to work it's magic in the corners.

I know what you are thinking at this point, that you will loose all discreteness, but you don't. In fact what happens is in short, miraculous. Because what happens when you anchor all the sound to front and center with a psychoacoustic twist, and simultaneously split all this sound into four discrete channels, is that all kinds of phantoms magically appear all around you in the soundfield which, in my case, now goes beyond the physical limitations of the room I am setup in. It's as if the band is actually setup in your home and you hear things coming from throughout the 3-D space, even where there is no speaker@: .

One other thing worth mentioning Dave is that with this setup I adjust the levels by turning the quad off and the center and space controls on the NR all the way down, with the output level on the NR at 3 o'clock. Then I bring up the center control until I get the desired sound through the stereo setup. Then bring up the space control to the desired level. Then flip on the quad channels and bring them up to the desired level so that they blend in with the stereo channels, and double check the rear channel level. If the rears seem too hot or cold adjust them with the space control on the NR.

You also noticed, as I soon learned, that with the rear channels at the sides (the Wendy Carlos recommendation) the net effect is enhanced. Again, the speakers seem to disappear with the NR while the musicians appear to be spread out all arround you. Also, whenever there is panning it no longer jumps from speaker to speaker, it now flows and swirls all around and through you. THE CHILLS FACTOR!!!:sun enjoy the change

 

[BananaSlug]

Holy crap, how did you figure this all out

If my parents weren't retiring and leaving San Diego in a few months I'd stop by the next time I was down there. They're just down the road in PQ at the moment.

 

[aquadad]

Holy crap, how did you figure this all out

If my parents weren't retiring and leaving San Diego in a few months I'd stop by the next time I was down there. They're just down the road in PQ at the moment.

Hey Guy, My door is always open come on over. And on another note I'll be passing through your neck of the woods next month. We'll be staying in a cabin on the Smith River in the Redwoods for a week. We'll also be checking out NorCal for future, permanent relocation.

 

[zabble]

I lied in my last post ( see quote) there is a bunch "cool discreteness" in this recording!

Sorry if I'm splitting hairs here, but I think "lied" is the wrong word. To lie is to knowingly tell a falsehood. If you mistakenly believe what you are saying to be true, then you are not lying but simply mistaken.

We don't want no stinking liars on this board!

 

[BananaSlug]

Hey Guy, My door is always open come on over. And on another note I'll be passing through your neck of the woods next month. We'll be staying in a cabin on the Smith River in the Redwoods for a week. We'll also be checking out NorCal for future, permanent relocation.

Thanks for the offer. With my parents leaving I'll have little reason to be down that way, but perhaps when you are up in NorCal I'll get a chance to check it out someday. Enjoy the redwoods! btw, I'm Tristan, though guy, you there or dude will all work too

 

[quadanasaziland]

Sorry if I'm splitting hairs here, but I think "lied" is the wrong word. To lie is to knowingly tell a falsehood. If you mistakenly believe what you are saying to be true, then you are not lying but simply mistaken.

We don't want no stinking liars on this board!

Badges, Badges.......

 

[quietlymknnoise]

I am new to this site. I do know that regular stereo LP's palyed thru my QX949 have a great sound.

 

[Tubefreak]

Make sure you have heard Pink Floyd- Interstellar Overdrive once over your Quad decoder!
especially the last 2 minutes... amazing!

 

[dharma_bummer]

The new Flaming Lips album, "At War with the Mystics", sounds awesome decoded with QS.

P.S. I've created SQ and QS mixes of the Lips' "Zaireeka" album in case anybody wants to check 'em out. Sadly my receiver isn't full logic so my results aren't all that spectacular, but you lucky bastards with Tates might think they're pretty cool!