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Re: [ARSCLIST] 8-track conservation and preservation
Hello, Peter,
You raise an interesting point, but if we're looking for quadraphonic
fidelity without the matrix encode/decode challenges, the first place I'd
look is 7.5 in/s 4-track 1/4-inch tape. It offers twice the track width and
twice the speed of the quadraphonic 8-tracks.
The new studio I'm building will work for 5.1, 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0
multi-channel sound reproduction, and, as a "hobby" project, I intend to
digitize at least some of my 8-track quads. Ford Motor Company provided
quad 8-track demo tapes with their cars that had this feature. I have one
of those. I also have a Judy Collins quad reel that I've listened to and
done a preliminary transfer, and it's interesting, but my speakers weren't
matched when I listened to it (the rear was -- conveniently -- my pair of
Ampex 2012 powered speakers <smile>).
We should also throw out the warning here that the CD-4 (usually 12") LP
phonograph discs from JVC/RCA (and probably others) that contain the
high-frequency carrier for the rear information are very susceptible to
damage if played with something other than the correct high-compliance
cartridge.
And, for fun, to tweak the archivists' interests (or make them tear their
hair out, I'm not sure which), can you recall how many "matrix" systems
there were?
- Dynaco with a diamond and no real active electronics
- CBS SQ
- Sansui QS
- Was "regular matrix" a separate one or was it EVs?
Then, didn't Dolby work with the QS system and rotate it 45 degrees getting
back to the Dynaco diamond and turn that into surround with a center front
and a mono surround channel?
In my small "tape museum" I have a wood sculpture of a person sitting
Buddah-fashion with head in hands as if s/he is crying. It was given to me
by someone who said it was me being told of a new tape format. <smile>
Cheers,
Richard
At 02:58 PM 12/10/2004 +0000, Copeland, Peter wrote:
Dear All,
I should like to point out a feature of 8-track cartridges which hasn't
yet had a mention. As Richard says, there were a few "quadraphonic" ones, in
which four discrete channels were recorded on four of the tracks. I presume
these were marketed to car-owners so the music sounded equally good on the
back seat of the car <grin>.
However, my point is an archival one. Most "quadraphonic encoding
systems" used for LP discs made a poor job of encoding the sound, since they
involved ninety-degree phase shifts in the audio, plus compromises to keep
the back-front separation as high as possible. But discrete quadraphonic
eight-track cartridges might not have this problem. There are two potential
uses :
(1) So that present-day listeners may tweek quadraphonic disc reproduction
to get the same spatial results as the manufacturer's spatial intentions,
but with better sound quality than eight-track; and
(2) In anticipation that discrete eight-track tape may be upgraded so that
its sound is as good as a conventional LP.
Peter Copeland
Former Technical Manager, British Library Sound Archive
--------------------------
On 27th July 2004 Richard L. Hess wrote:
I can think of several good reasons to preserve them--and they're all
outlined at the 8trackheaven Web site. http://www.8trackheaven.com/
But, seriously, as a delivery medium for recorded sound, I thought at the
time they left something to be desired. While I (and, more importantly, the
clients) have been pleased with the results I have obtained restoring a few
old
8-tracks, it really was never a truly high-fidelity medium. The format was
instantly
adaptable to discrete quadraphonics and while I can't say it soared on
that, there were a few good decks made that could create and play 8-tracks
with reasonable quality.
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