QQ 20th Anniversary on July 9th!

[beerking]

Talk about life changing!!

Steven Wilson
Bruce Soord
Stephen W. Tayler
Bob Clearmountain
Giles Martin

These are just a few of the people I knew nothing about until I found this wonderful site, QQ

There are of course many more surround mixing engineers who I've not mentioned, apologies to all.

I am eternally grateful for Jon's vision, hard work, kindness and knowledge, in maintaining QQ for so many years.
In many ways we mirror parts of his personality in how we communicate and share our love for surround music.

Long may it continue

Thank you to Jon and everybody else here on QQ in making this terrific site what it is....SIMPLY THE BEST

 

[Guitmark]

Happy Anniversary, QQ! Thanks for all you do. And thank you to our friend Rik (RIP) for turning me on to the site. You continue to be a priceless resource. Very grateful supporter here.

 

[DuncanS]

Happy 20th QQ - no longer a teenager!

 

[Perp]

Happy 20th Anniversary to all QQ members!

In the lyrics of the great Australian group, the Little River Band…

Happy Anniversary, Baby
Got You On My Mind

 

[Perp]

QQ is my home away from home. I just wish some of the great people I've "met" here could be my neighbors.

Kansas City
Kansas City, Here I Come

 

[César]

Happy anniversary, folks. I've been here for just 10 years, I think, and I can't be more grateful to you all for all I learnt. Not so grateful for all I spent. Now for another 10 more years, only God knows what the musical industry will look alike by then.

 

[soesbeout]

Happy Anniversary to the group time just slips by.

 

[steelydave]

With the seismic change in the internet over the last 20 years, a place like this celebrating its 20th anniversary is a story of defying the odds on a monumental scale, and one absolutely worth celebrating.

I've been involved in message boards of various types dating back to UseNet in my earliest days on the internet in 1994, and I've observed that the decline of discussion seems to follow the same pattern: things start off in a flurry, dominant personalities emerge and start to control the discourse, newer or more passive members feel bullied and stop posting, volume falls off and most of the posts are grudge matches between the established members, the site atrophies, and eventually dies.

The fact that this hasn't happened (by and large) to this site is a great testament to everyone involved. From @JonUrban and the original moderation team he assembled including @Bob Romano and others (who put in untold hours of hard work) to all the people who've helped out along the way, I think the type of people we've attracted here are a direct reflection of the ethos Jon instilled, and that the moderation has cultivated. There's no better reflection of the health of this place than the userbase itself - if you look at our most prolific and respected posters, they're culled from people who joined across QQ's life: some OGs from 2002-2003, others who were refugees from other discussion forums 10 years later, and still others who've joined more recently. I love this, because it says that the age of your account doesn't determine your status here, and that the next "great" QQ-er could be someone who signs up tomorrow. If message boards aren't growing, they're dying and I'm so glad to see that two decades on, QQ is still growing.

As member #119 (according to Jon's method of determination) I was one of the earliest joiners here, and in 2015 I wrote a post with some reminiscences on how much I'd learned from this place 15 years as part of the 'quad community' - I thought I'd post a link here because everything I said then still rings true today, and who knows, maybe in 15 years from now someone who's joined recently will be writing a similar kind of post about those heady early days of 2023 in their surround journey.

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...-dumb-once-or-the-kindness-of-quaddies.20326/

 

[privateuniverse]

Happy Porcelain Anniversary everyone! (Or maybe Happy Atmosversary? ) Member #6768 reporting in here. Been on board for eleven years (@Fourplay made me do it!) which makes me a youngster compared to many. The board is a joy with so many kind and generous members. Thanks to all involved with its creation and upkeep. And thanks to everyone who makes it an enjoyable place to hang out in cyberspace. Looking forward to what's next.... (Or Who's Next!)

 

[kmacleod]

Cheers to 20 years of QQ. Thank You Jon for creating this site. I started down the quad road by purchasing an import copy of Dark Side of the Moon back when I was a college freshman in 1980. Fast forward 20 yrs & DVD-Audio appears, Wow…. On a work trip to LA, I stopped at Ken Cranes and loaded up my suitcase. I also purchased a Pioneer DV-47a, I was off and running. Then DVDA releases really slowed down. I was bummed. I regret not making further purchases that cost me more down the road. I focused on other hobbies. 7 years ago a locally owned audio store convinced me that Multichannel Audio was here to stay and enjoy your Hi Rez music. I have an OPPO-205 that I purchased in 2018. I was back in the Multi-channel party, buying DVDA/SACD & BluRay Audio Discs. I joined QQ back in 2020. I would have never known about the new Quadio releases if it wasn’t for this site. I wish I would have found this site sooner. Thanks to all who have been so kind. Here’s to 20 more!!!!!!!

 

[Methuselah’s Grandpa]

With the seismic change in the internet over the last 20 years, a place like this celebrating its 20th anniversary is a story of defying the odds on a monumental scale, and one absolutely worth celebrating.

I've been involved in message boards of various types dating back to UseNet in my earliest days on the internet in 1994, and I've observed that the decline of discussion seems to follow the same pattern: things start off in a flurry, dominant personalities emerge and start to control the discourse, newer or more passive members feel bullied and stop posting, volume falls off and most of the posts are grudge matches between the established members, the site atrophies, and eventually dies.

The fact that this hasn't happened (by and large) to this site is a great testament to everyone involved. From @JonUrban and the original moderation team he assembled including @Bob Romano and others (who put in untold hours of hard work) to all the people who've helped out along the way, I think the type of people we've attracted here are a direct reflection of the ethos Jon instilled, and that the moderation has cultivated. There's no better reflection of the health of this place than the userbase itself...

I've been an active Internet user since the 90s & this is an excellent summary of how online message boards & communities usually unfold these days. To me, QQ still feels like a slice of the "old" Internet, ...& that's a definitely a good thing.

I haven't been a member here that long but I did lurk for years before creating an account so I'm not that new but I do wish I would've discovered this place a lot sooner than I did. That being said, ...Happy Anniversary QQ & here's to 20 more years!!!

 

[omega4]

Hello.....No. 526 checking in! Thank you Jon and all QQ friends who started the ball rolling. I was surprised to see that the 20th anniversary had arrived but not as surprised to find out that in October I will join the 20 year club!

My participation in the quadraphonic universe started around 1974 when I discovered a quadraphonic record in the HMV record shop in London. That was Tubular Bells. I then found a second hand Sony decoder/amp and matching speakers to add to my stereo system and have been hooked ever since. The technical pandemonium of the different quadraphonic systems spread across the artists I liked brought several additions and upgrades and then nothing as the labels dumped the whole idea. In those days I had to rely on records imported, mainly from the USA and some from Japan, by the record shops and hunting through the racks to find them. It was pretty lonely as I did not know anyone else with a four channel audio set up. I became aware of a club in the USA of like-minded enthusiasts but the only contact was by international post. To say that did not work is something of an understatement.

So, for many years I had the remnants of a quadraphonic set up, dismantled as new family commitments took priority. Then around 2001 a spark of light emerged in the quadraphonic darkness - the DVD Audio of Brain Salad Surgery was announced and we had the internet. So, I placed an order with HMV.com in Canada as a present for my brother. I did not have a DVD player at the time, let alone one that played DVD Audio. Then the releases started to flow and retailers all over the world began to stock them which meant almost every release could be obtained even if not stocked in the UK shops. Dropping in to the London shops of HMV, Our Price, Tower Records meant being able to, literally, get hands on the discs. And with a universal player the fabulous quality of the artists and albums I know so well .....such as ELP, Yes, Fleetwood Mac, Deep Purple.... was finally unlocked. However, still pretty much a secret; just me and bro able to enjoy this revelation of studio level audio.

And then I found QQ on the web and, at last, others who appreciated the massive uplift in quality and presentation of utterly brilliant music. It is probably a bit over the top to say it was life changing but, like many others here, I drop by very regularly and it is the only forum of any kind that I subscribe to. I have gained so much knowledge from fellow QQ contributors on music, bands and technology and there is nowhere else that keeps me updated on new releases like this forum.

I have made some great friends and am so thankful for the generosity of other members just getting in contact to offer help with a problem, like a failed blu-ray, which adds a layer of kindness to the camaraderie.

So, to conclude my ramblings, Jon, this forum is way more than the sum of its parts and it is a fantastic achievement. I look forward to playing a part for many years to come with thanks to Angie and Co and our dedicated moderators for maintaining this incredible resource. All the very best.

 

[furui_suterioo]

I haven't been here too long (2018) but I am definitely a different person than before I found QQ. This is my favourite website and the only social media forum that I actively use. Love this place, happy 20th!

 

[Q-Eight]

Ain't it funny how time slips ah....
Slips ah....

Slips ah.....

way.
I may have perused the Yahoo Group, but I was never into many of them. I do remember being a member of the old board so I guess you could say I'm a card carrying member of the Old Guard, too. I came here, keep in mind, the internet was still pretty NEW to a lot of people in 2001/2002; because I'd read a book in our school library about Hi-Fi stuff and they mentioned these NEW Quadraphonic stereos on the market. The book was from 1974. But it also put 2+2 together for me because when I was a children, one of my Uncles had a powder-blue Lincoln Continental Mark IV with a Quadraphonic Tape player. I remember as a children asking my parents what Quad meant but both my parents were born under rocks in barns, so neither had ANY idea what it was.
And then I found an Enoch Light Quad tape at our local Books/LP/Tapes store and then eBay became The defacto marketplace for some of this stuff....
It was some pretty exciting times. Being able to come here and ask questions or post about your findings.... it was pretty cool.

'Course at this point I'm looking back thinking: "Jesus, I've wasted 20 years of my life...."

Most of my friends couldn't give two flying figs about this particular hobby....

But on the plus side, it's been more positive than I make it sound. We've all learned a thing or two from the items we've posted and located some recordings that we weren't sure even existed. We've certainly influenced a couple of corporations and the releases they've decided on. I'm going to say the last 10 years have been the most exciting compared to the previous 10. At one point, most of us had pretty much decided there was no way Quad would get a rebirth in modern technology and that was the last word on it. And Audio Fidelity threw their hat in the ring (God Bless those boys for trying!) and made a bunch of us eat our words - and we were never happier to do it!! A-F gave us some GREAT Quad titles and dare I say really opened up the doors (and the minds) of the powers that be. It's a shame they weren't more successful in their adventure, but we can safely say they succeeded in showing some people that there was still a market for this kind of stuff. Adding all that together plus the fact that more and more people are finding ways to gain access to true studio multitracks.... In the past few years I've got to make personal 4-channel mixes of stuff that was NEVER done! To date, I've got almost 200 legitimate studio multitracks. Who'd have ever thunk that would happen?

Sadly, we have lost a few compadres along the way. Cai Campbell was a big one. Taken way too young. Ed Bishop was a repository of knowledge and so was DiscLord (can't recall his real name). Even Lou Dorren, the Quadfather joined us after some time and seemed not only willing to answer our questions but determined to bring us a modern CD-4 Demodulator. Nobody saw that coming. I'm sure I'm forgetting others but these were the ones I interacted with mostly.

I wonder where we'll be in another 20 years? My God.... how much more curmudgeonly can I get?

 

[Muppet69]

Wow! 20 years is quite a milestone! Congratulations and long May QQ last and thanks for opening my ears to so much amazing music .

 

[Sashaaa]

Woah, happy 20th to the forum that changed my life! Crazy to know that this forum is older than me (just barely, but still). I'll probably write a longer post at some point about my journey with surround music, but this forum has been a big part of that. The jist of it is that I first found out about surround music when I was 14 or so, and it got me so interested in audio that I began pursuing audio engineering (and now I'm going to college for it!). It's crazy to look back on what my life would be like without this forum, or without surround music in general. Many thanks to those who have kept this place alive, and I'm looking forward to 20 more years!

 

[Bill B]

Thanks to all that built and continue to maintain this magical place. I only joined recently but I lurked for damn near the entire time. Right after the first batch of Sony sacds came out. If you want to know what new surround music is being released, this is the place to be.
Thanks to all who built and maintain this holy place and Happy Anniversary to all.

 

[timbre4]

Seriously, where is that member # displayed?

No doubt, it's been a long time here + that year or two on QQ's previous forum platform? Can't remember, Jon or somebody will remind me what that was. All of this so sweet now, coming well after quad's original glory days (1971-1975), my Panasonic quad system at age 14 (1972), VHS HiFi, CompuServe, newsgroups, laserdiscs, DTS CD transfers, YouTube, DVD-A / SACD releases, and now Blu Ray discs, Atmos and streaming. Quad is LEGIT once again!

We've seen formats evolve, dissolve and revolve, it just keeps getting better. Cheers to all QQ members, lets work together to keep this going!

 

[Clement]

Seriously, where is that member # displayed?

No doubt, it's been a long time here + that year or two on QQ's previous forum platform? Can't remember, Jon or somebody will remind me what that was. All of this so sweet now, well coming well after quad's original glory days (1971-1975), my Panasonic quad system at age 14 (1972), VHS HiFi, CompuServe, newsgroups, laserdiscs, DTS CD transfers, YouTube, DVD-A / SACD releases, and now Blu Ray discs, Atmos and streaming. Quad is LEGIT once again!

We've seen formats evolve, dissolve and revolve, it just keeps getting better. Cheers to all QQ members, lets work together to keep this thing going!

You're #37! Hold the cursor over your name to the left of your post, and the info appears in the bottom left corner of your screen
Love, #12,602!

 

[jefe1]

You are number six.

But...who is number one?

Watch out for that giant rubber ball on the beach