Dear All,

Firstly I'd like to thank those who responded to my query. I have now located:

M-Audio "Delta 44" - http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta44-main.html
Terratec "Phase 88" - http://audioen.terratec.net/product.php?pid=4
Aardvark "LX6" - http://www.aardvarkaudio.com/products/2496/

Jon, thanks for your response at quadraphonicquad.com. Tab Patterson
and Cai Campbell also provided much useful information.

The resulting dialog has really opened my eyes as to the many ways in
which quad enthusiasts like to experience their music - for example,
I was not aware of the strong interest in using authentic "vintage"
equipment (dumping quad to 4-track tape etc).

My own aim is to experience, as definitively as possible, what the
artist and producer intended the listener to hear. Note that this
does not preclude using today's technology to achieve a "cleaner",
lower-distortion signal; however it does mandate that original
localization is preserved; therefore the original speaker layout etc.

So for CD-4, no problem: I'll sample the quad signal from my
(almost-rebuilt) 4DD-5 to hard disk, and use SurCode to create a DTS
stream which I'll burn to CD-R for replay via a contemporary DVD
player / receiver to a quad speaker layout. [For my purposes, any
minor losses in A/D or DTS encoding are outweighed by the fact that
the resulting disc can be played without further degradation.]

However for SQ and QS vinyl there is an issue, as there is no
"definitive" decoding scheme, merely a choice between passive matrix
or one of several logic-enhanced systems. Therefore in light of the
comments received it seems the best approach might be to sample the
2-channel matrixed signal, burn to CD-R then play back via a system
with switchable matrix decoding options.

Thanks again to all for your feedback.

BC.



>Status: R
>Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 16:30:57 -0700
>From: Dan Olson <dano@...>
>You're assuming that encoded 2 channel material is being played
>through a good decoder. Personally, I have only poor decoders, so
>going digital is one means of trading with someone w/ better
>equipment. For discrete stuff, I have CD-4, Q8, quad reel, DTS, and
>DVD-A, all of which play back great through vintage amps. Digital
>now costs less than a nice quad reel (from what I've seen), and
>digital surround systems are now showing up in cars, I was even
>thinking of a dvd-a player at work, so there are other factors to
>keep in mind.
>Dan
>
>
>
>
>Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 14:10:54 +0000
>From: krnewman <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
>
> >It doesn't make sense to convert analog to digital and then play
>it back on a vintage quad amp.
>
>Why not?
>If you decode it from analog and record the digital results you are
>stuck forever with that one decoding on that one decoder. Plus, you
>have to spend a whole lot of money on the equipment to encode
>multi-channel digital.
>But if you just do the best possible recording of analog to digital
>stereo of quad encoded material you then:
>1. save wear and tear on the original analog source material
>2. have the option of listening to the material on a variety of
>differend decoders that you have now or might acquire on the future,
>plus you can change the settings if the your equipment changes.
>3. Don't have to buy a super expensive sound card and encoding software.
>Personally, I like to hear the same source material in different
>decoding environments. At the moment, one of my favourites is to
>take stereo source material and use PLII to matrix it out to 6.1 and
>it would make no sense for me to do that once and record the results
>into digital 6.1, if for no reason other than the fact it would be
>ridiculously expensive and I would be stuck with that one particular
>set of PLII settings, concerning width, panorama, etc. But if I
>just digitize the raw analog, I can play with it forever in all the
>infinite variety of settings that I might choose down the road as my
>ears, equipment and furniture change.
>No?
>
>
>
>
>Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 21:56:47 -0500
>From: robert zimmer <audiofile33@...>
>I prefer the straight up raw quad. It doesnt make sense to convert
>analog to digital and then play it back on a vintage quad amp. It is
>good to format it in digital and then record it in analog. Like
>using a reel to reel @15ips or as low as 3.5ips. Great results. I
>have a few quad amps for sale. Please email me if interested. Thank
>you bob
>
>
>
>
>Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 18:51:04 +0000
>From: krnewman <no_reply@yahoogroups.com>
>I usually just record my stuff straight to stereo WAV, burn a CD and
>then decode the CD.
>But I can see where some people want, e.g. a "definitive" Fosgate
>decoding cut to DTS.
>
>
>
>
>Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 17:45:01 +1100
>To: quadraphonicquad@yahoogroups.com
>From: Brett Crossley <Brett_Crossley@...>
>Subject: Sound card for recording 4-channel
>Dear All,
>I have recently set up a Pentium 4 PC, with a view to dumping my
>quad vinyl collection (SQ, QS, CD-4) to hard disk and then to DTS or
>Dolby Digital CD-R. I'm sure that many on this list are aware of
>the techniques involved :)
>I'm now at the point where I need to buy a cost-effective sound card
>with 4 channels of Analog I/O. Those who've done this before: any
>recommendations?
>I have scanned the Web and am aware of issues such as Latency -
>normally this means delay between input and output, however this is
>not an issue in this application. However _inter-channel_ latency
>is a concern and I gather that this can be a problem with older
>cards such as GadgetLabs etc. (also that it is less likely on a Mac
>where the PCI buss timing is tighter).
>I'm also aware that, rather than go with an internally-mounted PCI
>card, many prefer to use "outboard" A/D converters (to minimize
>problems with RF etc), however it seems that internal cards can now
>be purchased with specs well in excess of that required for a vinyl
>source.
>M-Audio seem to have a good solution with the "Delta 44", which
>provides four balanced / unbalanced I/Os on a 1/4" breakout box, at
>24-bit / 96KHz (the latter is un-necessary as 16/44 would be fine -
>but nice to have). It's US$200 - see
>http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta44-main.html for details.
>Any thoughts or other suggestions? Thanks in advance,
>Brett Crossley
>Sydney, Australia.