QUADRAPHONY IN THE U.K.! (A&M / CBS / EMI / Decca / RCA / WEA Releases and History)

[steelydave]

@steelydave

I have some WEA K2 numbers for your UK listings.

America -Holiday K2 56045
America-Hearts K2 56116
Average White Band K2 50058
Detroit Spinners -New And Improved K2 50102
Doobie Brothers -Stampede K2 56094
Graham Central Station K2 46286
Richard Harris -The Prophet K2 50109
J Geils Band -Nightmares K2 50073
Herbie Mann -Reggae K2 50053
Maria Muldaur-Waitress In A Donut Shop K2 54025
Seals And Crofts -I'll Play For You K2 56115
Frank Sinatra -The Main Event K2 54031
Dionne Warwick -Then Came You K2 56109


Source: The Quadrophonic Record Center Catalog 2nd edition ( 1977)
WEA CD-4 release advertisement

Thanks for all these fizzy, very helpful! If you ever get access to a flatbed scanner (and some time) I'd love to have a scan of that catalog.

 

[fizzywiggs41]

Thanks for all these fizzy, very helpful! If you ever get access to a flatbed scanner (and some time) I'd love to have a scan of that catalog.

If it's album ( or Q8 ) listings numbers you want from that catalogue , it would not be very helpful.
No album numbers are provided throughout , likewise no Q8 # , no Q8 listings .

Only quad album format , country of origin (USA, GB , and Germany), alpha price codes , artist and title.
Of the album titles in the catalogue , all are known to the quadraphonic discography .

The K2 album numbers (13 all told ) I pulled from the WEA CD-4 Advert , posted in the picture.




Post pic of a top page from the catalogue .

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I do have a spreadsheet with a pretty much complete Pye 4D quad discography that I compiled when I was researching the Pye records for the quad remix engineers database update that happened recently. I guess I could do a new thread with this information, I just didn't think there was that much interest in it, honestly.

I'm interested in your Pye list, if you don't mind; and of course after you're done with Hockey,

 

[Mark Anderson]

I'm interested in your Pye list, if you don't mind; and of course after you're done with Hockey,

Here is what I have of pye releases and what are identified as quad

http://www.surrounddiscography.com/quaddisc/Pye4D.htm

 

[jaybird100]

Here is what I have of pye releases and what are identified as quad

http://www.surrounddiscography.com/quaddisc/Pye4D.htm

I had read somewhere that if it's from Pye, and bears the 4D logo, it's QS quad. It's a shame they didn't release any albums from their pop/rock artists in quad.

 

[Mark Anderson]

I had read somewhere that if it's from Pye, and bears the 4D logo, it's QS quad. It's a shame they didn't release any albums from their pop/rock artists in quad.

I have heard the same thing and that is why I dug a little further in to this. I personally do not think that all 4D releases are Quad encoded as they just did not sound right to me.
As an example of one Pye 4D title that is not Quad let's look at "The British Quadraphonic Brass-The Musical Carousel" which is a 4D title. The back cover clearly states that "the project was planned to give the impression on two speakers of circular in sound movement. This record functions on two speakers".

So just this one title clearly blows up the rumor that all 4D titles are Quad encoded.

Then we can get into the other rumor that they were dropping the Quad indicators as they were affecting sales. If you look at the list from the link I provided you can clearly see that Quad indication varied over a period of time, so that rumor does not hold up.

That is why I have this listed on the rumor page
------------------------------------------------------------------
PYE - STEREO 4D SERIES
Some of the Pye Stereo 4D series Vinyl recordings that do not list quad on
the recording are thought to be QS encoded. The Pye recordings that are listed
in the classical, popular and sampler discography's all have some indication of
quad either on the front or back cover or record label. A list of Pye recordings
has been created indicating which titles list quad and variations in other
countries that could be verified at the time. Any additions or corrections are
appreciated.

Pye 4D Series Discography

A Quad collector did an evaluation of the titles that do not list quad


{Pye may have released a couple of full price albums in Quad (I have a New Zealand
pressing of Tony Hatch's "Hits Symphonic" QUAD 1016) but I also have a stereo
white label of "The Amazing Grace of Sounds Orchestral" NSPL 18395 with the
intriguing note on its typewritten tracklisting that it was to have been issed as
QUAD 1010 but that the release had been cancelled. All subsequent "Stereo 4D"
releases were simply stereo. There are noticeable phase differences in the Quad
pressings. SHM forum, TonyCurrie, Oct 3, 2012}
{LS: You released several albums on the Pye 4D imprint, although only a few of this
series are actually quadraphonic – do you have any insight as to what the strategy
was with those releases?
Tony Hatch: Anything labelled Quad should have been four dimensional. Originally
Quad was only recommended for classical music especially symphony orchestras where
a big natural spacious effect could be achieved. Then the industry decided to
include lighter 'pop' albums. I had great problems mixing down to quad compatible
stereo. All to do with phasing! Individual sounds could be cancelled out so,
whilst the quad mix was OK, in stereo you could have too much reverb, say, on the
strings because the primary signal had disappeared. Do another mix and monitor in
stereo then the quad effect would be lost. I'm glad the whole idea was finally
'phased out'.
---------------------

In order to get more input I have left this on the Quad Rumor's page but at some point I will probably move the titles in Question to the Not Quad page

 

[J. PUPSTER]

As to "PYE - STEREO 4D SERIES", anyone have a clear determination as to this PYE release being QS encoded?
1974 # NSPL 41027
My copy (bought thinking it could possibly be Quad, but haven't tried it yet) has no indication of Quad anywhere that I can see.

https://www.discogs.com/release/2981739-The-Ray-Davies-Orchestra-A-Tribute-To-Benny-The-Duke
Hopefully this article Dave dug up is correct

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/pye-4d-discography.14685/page-2#post-345786
*I'll also add, that having tried one of their "for sure" QS LPs; I wasn't thrilled with the lack of Quaddiness that was at play. So if it's a wide type stereo recording, I'm thinkin it might be difficult to determine what's legitimate Quad and what isn't.
https://www.discogs.com/release/2421937-David-Snell-Harp-Transplant-The-Harp-Of-David-Snell

 

[jaybird100]

I have heard the same thing and that is why I dug a little further in to this. I personally do not think that all 4D releases are Quad encoded as they just did not sound right to me.
As an example of one Pye 4D title that is not Quad let's look at "The British Quadraphonic Brass-The Musical Carousel" which is a 4D title. The back cover clearly states that "the project was planned to give the impression on two speakers of circular in sound movement. This record functions on two speakers".
View attachment 78880

So just this one title clearly blows up the rumor that all 4D titles are Quad encoded.

Then we can get into the other rumor that they were dropping the Quad indicators as they were affecting sales. If you look at the list from the link I provided you can clearly see that Quad indication varied over a period of time, so that rumor does not hold up.

That is why I have this listed on the rumor page
------------------------------------------------------------------
PYE - STEREO 4D SERIES
Some of the Pye Stereo 4D series Vinyl recordings that do not list quad on
the recording are thought to be QS encoded. The Pye recordings that are listed
in the classical, popular and sampler discography's all have some indication of
quad either on the front or back cover or record label. A list of Pye recordings
has been created indicating which titles list quad and variations in other
countries that could be verified at the time. Any additions or corrections are
appreciated. I'd heard that, in the early days of 4D, Pye chose not not to mention quadraphonic because it might scare off some record buyers, who might have thought these quadraphonic records could not be played on a standard two channel system. The encoding was there, just not advertised.Pye 4D Series Discography

A Quad collector did an evaluation of the titles that do not list quad


{Pye may have released a couple of full price albums in Quad (I have a New Zealand
pressing of Tony Hatch's "Hits Symphonic" QUAD 1016) but I also have a stereo
white label of "The Amazing Grace of Sounds Orchestral" NSPL 18395 with the
intriguing note on its typewritten tracklisting that it was to have been issed as
QUAD 1010 but that the release had been cancelled. All subsequent "Stereo 4D"
releases were simply stereo. There are noticeable phase differences in the Quad
pressings. SHM forum, TonyCurrie, Oct 3, 2012}
{LS: You released several albums on the Pye 4D imprint, although only a few of this
series are actually quadraphonic – do you have any insight as to what the strategy
was with those releases?
Tony Hatch: Anything labelled Quad should have been four dimensional. Originally
Quad was only recommended for classical music especially symphony orchestras where
a big natural spacious effect could be achieved. Then the industry decided to
include lighter 'pop' albums. I had great problems mixing down to quad compatible
stereo. All to do with phasing! Individual sounds could be cancelled out so,
whilst the quad mix was OK, in stereo you could have too much reverb, say, on the
strings because the primary signal had disappeared. Do another mix and monitor in
stereo then the quad effect would be lost. I'm glad the whole idea was finally
'phased out'.
--------------------It's my understanding that any Pye LP that displays the 4D symbol are, in fact, quad. Their mixes seem to lack separation, at least, until you play them through a Surround Master. They really come to life through that decoder. I have several of these great records, and playing them, in the Involve 4.1 mode, will show you just how good these records really are.

In order to get more input I have left this on the Quad Rumor's page but at some point I will probably move the titles in Question to the Not Quad page