Hey Tom....Lemme get back to you on that after I reaquaint myself with this album. It's been years since I last played it on a stereo setup, and over 35 years since listening to it half-baked on a true quad system (Realistic/Radio Shack).
Can we get some commentary/impressions about the actual original quad mixes of these albums from anyone here who is already well familiar with them? Curiousity is getting the better of me right now.
Well, a lot of us already know how a quad mix opens up, and exposes more of an album that we're used to hearing in stereo. Steely Dan, Sly & The Family Stone, Loggins & Messina, and many more. That might help a little ? .
Too late..! Yes it squirt.. Yes it hurt.. Ps. The point I was making, in as rational and pleasantly diplomatic a way as possible. perhaps too subtly.. ..was that I doubted Craigman Digital would be doing anything other than Author the menu's and functionality of the discs rather than the actual (Re)Mastering.. but I'm "open to persuasion"..
They are great! Although I've never heard the Quad of III, the Quad SQ LPs of that set have proven unattainable at anything less than outer orbit price tags!.. ..I think in terms of surround mix quality from the other Chicago Quads that I have and know, the Quads of VI and X take some beating..
Some differences: Chicago(II)- Wake Up Sunshine-alt vocal take. Ballet For A Girl In Buchanan-Alt vocal take during Make Me Smile, and lead vocal removed from Now More Than Ever. 25 Or 6 To 4-Extra lead guitar during opening of song. Chicago VII- Wishing You Were Here-different guitar during opening of song.
Yea, it looks like for the most part he has done the authoring for the discs in the past and not so much Mastering. I have the Heart of Chicago MVI disc. Never opened it up though- still sealed. I bought it years ago because I had not seen one before. Pat
The Chicago 8 Quad mix on DVD circulating in the underground supposedly has very little going on in the rear. Almost pointless to have it in Quad if that's true.
Well I've not heard that DVD myself but from my own experience decoding my old SQ-encoded Quadraphonic LP of Chicago VIII through the Involve Surround Master unit (a great little box btw, I recommend it to anyone who's into vintage QS and SQ Quad records who doesn't know about it already, its fab) there's quite a bit of activity in the rears. The 'sound effect' (clock being wound up) at the start of "Till We Meet Again" appears from Right Rear on my own system, for instance, which is kinda fun I guess. Some of what I hear in the Quad could be called "big stereo" or maybe more "double stereo" with replication of some front channel info in the rear, which some listeners may find a bit redundant (and may in part be due to the matrix encoding of CBS' SQ system, there's always crosstalk with it and its not discrete like Quad reel, CD-4 or Q8 carts are/were) but I feel the Chicago VIII Quad still opens up the sound field somewhat, reinforcing things giving added punch and a heightened sense of space around the notes and so forth, as Quad so often does. Personally I find the Quad of VIII one of if not the least impressive of the Chicago Quads I've heard.. so I would say before you spring for the upcoming box set definitely check out any conversions you can find of Chicago VI, Chicago VII and Chicago X in Quad as a priority (you can PM me anytime for possible pointers) I think they are excellent but if you don't enjoy conversions of those three then potentially the new box set is not going to float your boat maybe?
I would think when they remastered(?), requaded(?) flat quad transfered(?) or whatever they did *extra* to these for release that all the thingamajiggers wouldnt be needed to get the *effect*. Four speakers for surround should do it. Id assume?
Yes of course! No thingamajig required when you get the Blu-ray's! ... Its sinking in, you know.. We're getting the whole lot in pristine Hi-Res discrete Surround sound.. fresh from the master tapes.. not hobbled by the problems of matrix encoded LPs or held back by 8-track tapes' own qualities/limitations.. for the first time - EVER..!! WOOOOOO...!!!!
Yeah I'll be using those old LPs as dartboards.. or fruit bowls (extruded first into a pretty shape, of course) and drinks coasters (labels only, having been laminated, goes without saying, the black stuff goes in the bin) in a couple of months' time..
No shops that buy records near you ? Others might appreciate those albums, and you get a few sheckles in your pocket. .
Nah.. was just jesting! I can never part with any of my music, in any of its forms (and there've been a few different forms/formats over the years, as there have for us all here!) ..I'm a total hoarder (again, I know I'm not alone round here..) they'll have to prise them old records from my cold.. dead.. handsssss...!!!
Phew. I hate those bowls made out of records. Too old for such annoyances. I'm thinking now that I'll only sell the Rhino redbooks. III / VI / VII /VIII & X. Keeping Carnegie Hall / XI / Live In Japan / CTA Quad DVD / II & V DVD-As. / VI MFSL SACD. .
Ugh - between this and the Monkees blu-ray set, I may need a second job.... Would love to see the same kind of box for Santana...some of those quad mixes are fantastic!
Hehe.. You're never too old to get hacked off at some muppet for mutilating a record into a fruit bowl.. I mean it's just wrong! Oh, why not just hang on to 'em all..? You know you want to, really..
