old stuff put the 'logic' in pro-logic
can't even play quad records anymore without unobtanium. it's not like it'd be hard by today's standards for a phono stage to support all 4 quad formats how long has it been anyway? there's a few b-format records out there too... would be nice to simply have access to the formats because it's more accessible, anyone can make quad multichannel quite easily... analog blumlein recordings sound great in quad.
How I do quad (& since these preamps have processor loops, you can insert whatever processors that you might need):
Quadraphonic Synthesis
With two Holman Preamplifiers, you can synthesis and control four output channels from just two input channels.
Apply all your inputs to the first Holman Preamplifier. Use it for all your tone controls, filters and source and tape selections. Leave its Stereo Mode in Stereo.
Connect the first Holman Preamplifier's MAIN 1 output to one power amplifier and your two front speakers.
Connect the first Holman Preamplifier's MAIN 2 output to any line-level input of the second Holman Preamplifier.
Connect the second Holman Preamplifier's MAIN 1 output to the power amplifier for your two rear speakers.
Rotate the second Holman Preamplifier's stereo mode control to L-R, and start by setting it to about unity gain or a bit less, and keep its tone controls flat. The tone and filter settings of the first Holman Preamplifier are fed automatically to the second Holman Preamplifier.
Set balance on the first preamp. Set front-rear balance on the Volume control of the second preamp.
Leave the power switch of the second preamp ON, and plug its power cord into a switched outlet of the first Holman Preamplifier. Now the power is controlled by the first Holman Preamplifier, too.
Then there is this:
Though the involve audio Surround Master V3 model adds an optical cable for easy connection to a CD player, HDMI remains a notable omission–especially with the troubling trend of new AVR units foregoing an analog 5.1 or 7.1 multi-channel input.
Jonathan Cornell
10/10/2022 says:
I used the following equipment to playback and capture the SMV3’s output:
- JVC LA-55 turntable
- Ortofon Red phono cartridge
- Pyle PR-444 phono preamp
- Behringer UMC-1820 USB recording interface
- Yamaha RX-V665 A/V receiver
It’s important to note that when it comes to matrix decoding of a vinyl source, the user’s phono preamp and/or cartridge can definitely affect the results (in terms of both sonic clarity and channel separation).
To effectively audition the Surround Master V3’s “Involve” 4.0 surround synthesis mode, I used a song called “The Voice” from The Alan Parsons Project’s classic album
I, Robot (1977). The phase information and wide stereo spread inherent to this recording will likely yield some interesting effect from almost any stereo-to-surround processor, but the Surround Master V3’s 4.0 presentation sounded almost like a real matrix quadraphonic LP!
Synthesizers and percussion gracefully dance around the four corners while the lead vocal and bass guitar stay locked to the front center position. Though I patiently await the day Alan Parsons revisits this album with a new 5.1 or Dolby Atmos, the Mobile Fidelity half-speed LP through the Surround Master V3 will more than suffice for now. I tried the two-speaker-surround (TSS) mode with the Parsons track as well, yielding a surprisingly wide soundstage with just two speakers in play.
I also took the opportunity to compare the Surround Master V3’s SQ matrix decoding capabilities with discrete quad versions of the same recordings where applicable. As many in the surround community are no doubt aware, reissue labels such as Audio Fidelity and Dutton Vocalion have reissued dozens of CBS quadraphonic albums from the mid-to-late 1970s in the Super Audio CD format.
Due to the flaws of the SQ matrix encode/decode process, it’s unrealistic to expect the SMV3’s vinyl decode to equal or rival an SACD disc sourced from the discrete four channel master tape. That said, it’s also unrealistic to expect all 400 or so CBS pop quadraphonic albums issued from 1972-77 to be reissued on optical disc.
I would also add that CBS’ quadraphonic albums tended to feature very aggressive, engaging surround mixes that rival a lot of the new 5.1 and Atmos material available today. The rear channels are treated as equal partners in these recordings rather than a supplement to the front, featuring loud, isolated instruments for a “center-of-the-band” listening perspective.
The first song I auditioned was “Happy Man” from Chicago’s seventh album, originally issued on stereo & SQ quadraphonic LP in 1974. There was also a discrete version of the quad mix issued on 8-track tape and later Blu-Ray Audio as part of the now out-of-print
Chicago Quadio deluxe box set.
(“Happy Man” decoded from the matrix quad vinyl edition of
Chicago VII)
(“Happy Man” captured from the Blu-Ray Audio edition of
Chicago VII)
The decoder does an effective job of largely isolating the acoustic guitar in the right rear speaker after the false start, but the soundstage becomes less precise as the other three channels enter the picture. The rhythm section is clearly arrayed across the front channels only on the Blu-Ray disc, while it sounds like it’s coming from all around on the vinyl quad presentation. I also noticed that the lead vocal seemed to extend further into the room on the vinyl, whereas it stayed pinned to the front speakers only on the Blu-Ray.
Finally, to evaluate the unit’s performance with Sansui QS matrix-encoded material I used the quadraphonic LP of Rufus & Chaka Khan’s classic 1974 album
Rags To Rufus. The opening track, “You Got The Love,” kicks off with a choppy Nile Rodgers-esque funk guitar lead in the right rear speaker only. Through the Surround Master V3, the four channel image created by the decoded LP almost matches the discrete Q8 tape without the sonic drawbacks of the 8-track format.
(“You Got The Love” decoded from the matrix quad vinyl edition of
Rags To Rufus)
(“You Got The Love” captured from the discrete quad 8-track edition of
Rags To Rufus)
The unit’s performance with QS-encoded material is phenomenal, but – at least in my view – there’s only a handful of desirable titles in this format from the likes of Steely Dan, Joe Walsh, Jim Croce, The Four Tops, and the aforementioned Rufus.
Conclusion:
The Surround Master V3 is a powerful piece of gear for the surround enthusiast, with a number of interesting applications. Ultimately, I think it’s fair to say that most would be interested in purchasing primarily for its ability to effectively process stereo into an often-convincing quasi-surround. In this regard, I feel it is superior to systems embedded in modern AVRs such as Dolby Pro-Logic II and DTS Neo:6.
However, its ability to accurately play back vintage quadraphonic LPs is what really makes it a critical and unique component in my stereo system. It’s great to be able to achieve these kinds of results with quad material in 2022 without having to invest in a piece of used hardware like the Sansui QSD-2 or Fosgate Tate 101A.