Original Carpenters Quad LP Singles 1969-1973

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I have to tell you all this. Today when I was at the local oldies shop, the guy showed me the Singles LP, said to me, Ever seen this before?

It was the original lp but it was a Quadphonic LP (I think I spelled that right) He said it was like a step up from the original lp.

Have you all heard of this. I am amazed, he took out the lp & played it in the store really loud, OMG it was sooo amazing to hear this vinyl, it was so clear & no popping & very little crackling.

I asked him how much I wanted to buy it. He said sorry not for sale. He was keeping for himself.

How many Carpenters LP's were released like this?

What does that really mean Quadphonic, he was telling me it had someting to do with stereo separation & back then it was the eqivilent to surround sound?

Do U all have any of these?

 

[Harry]

Yep, I have the SINGLES 69-73 album in its quadraphonic release. It was a frad back in the mid '70s, where the electronics industry wanted everyone to have a stereo with four channels. That's what quad means - four channels.

Like today's stereo movies, almost any recorded work with stereo separation can be fed through a surround sound decoder to come up with a couple of more channels. The "matrix" version of quad is almost exactly what today's Dolby Surround is. There was also a 'discrete' version of quad that actually had four separate channels of information, much like today's Dolby Digital (or DTS) multi channel formats.

Record companies like A&M all jumped on the quad bandwagon, remixing and re-releasing some of their popular albums to take advantage of the quad systems. The Carpenters' SINGLES 69-73 IS IN FACT a different mix of the familiar album. In fact, this was the first time that "Superstar" got that remix in the descending opening horn part.

I've played the album on my surround sound stereo, and the channels do have a bit more bounce to them, but to me it still sounds gimmicky.

Harry
...who also has a quad Paul Simon album, online...

 

[davidgra]

You know, I have the quadraphonic LP of THE SINGLES 1969-73, but I've never tried to play it. I always assumed you needed a quad-compatible turntable to get the quad effect. Can anyone explain to me the mechanics of how the quadraphonic system worked?

Guess I'll have to add that album to my list of things to play when I get my new stylus installed on my old Technics turntable...

David
...at home with an eight-track player hooked up to a 6.1-channel digital receiever...

 

[Harry]

There's a web page out there describing the flavors of quad in relation to the album SERENADE by Neil Diamond.

http://pw1.netcom.com/~zmoq/pages/ndquad2.htm

I'm not sure which flavor of 'matrix' quad A&M used, perhaps someone else knows. The innersleeve has the following verbiage:

NOTE: This A&M record has been encoded for true compatible quadraphonic playback. The original multi-channel tapes were mixed and mastered to reproduce the finest possible quadraphonic sound when played back through a matrix decoding device. This record is pressed on an anti-static vinyl, developed for A&M Records, to insure low surface noise, reduce record wear and prolong record life. A rigid quality control standard has been maintained in all phases of manufacturing to insure its faithful sound reproduction. It can also be played on conventional stereophonic equipment with excellent results.

On my surround sound system it sounds different from the standard stereo version. I wouldn't call it 'better', but it has some interesting differences.

I can recall some quadraphonic experiments back in the 70s, where there was a TV simulcast of some late night music show, and two different FM stations signed on to carry the four channels needed to make quad. I scrambled to find two reasonable compatible stereo tuners and four reasonably similar speakers to do this demo. I recall being moderately successful in watching the show in 'true quad', but being overall unimpressed with having to sit still in the middle of it all to appreciate it.

These days, I love the effects of movies in 5.1 surround, but often end up laying down on the couch to watch a movie, usually with one ear buried in a pillow, which effectively reduces it all to mono anyway! But if I sit up straight, I can hear all of the surround effects just the way they were intended.

Harry
...on a foggy St. Patricks Day morning, online...

 

[CraigGA]

I always assumed that the QUAD mixes are the reason the early Re-masters sound so incredible in Dolby surround. Is this true?

Craig

 

[luv8tracks]

Hi,
A&M in the 70's used Sony's sq system on early releases and then switched over to CD-4(JVC's system). As for Carpenters releases in quad on vinyl it was :
Singles '69-'73 SQ
A song for You CD-4
Horizon CD-4
Now and Then SQ

As for other Carpenters lp's they were released on Quad 8 track. The ones above as well as Close To You and Carpenters.

A&M released other quad stuff as well.

Phil

 

[andywithaz]

How rare would this item be? Since Quad didn't make it, I'm guessing that they didn't press many!