speidi1
Mike in AZ
Back in '91 I was at Wilson Audio in Tucson when they were still near Broadway/Country Club. In the display case at the register there was a gizmo, made by Shure (maybe), that was designed to derive 5.0 analog surround sound from left and right stereo speaker cables. It cost about $80. I bought it with verbal guarantee I could bring it back for a cash refund.
I hooked it up to my Denon integrated amp. Back then I was using JBL L-110s. For the surround speakers I used a Boston Acoustics Subsat Six woofer/satellite system. No center channel. The gizmo either had a switch for no center speaker, or a means of connecting it with no center speaker. I hooked it up that Saturday morning. A friend of mine came by just as I was hooking up the Bostons. We'd planned on hitting the thrift stores and some yard sales to look for vintage hifi gear.
We decided to give this new gizmo a brief listen first, not expecting much. I put 'Cliffhanger' in my Sony hifi VCR and let it rip. As I recall, the the gizmo didn't have much in the way of controls; possibly volume for center and surround. bit I wouldn't swear to it.
After about ten minutes into the movie, we were just about mesmerized. My wife came home when were about halfway through the movie and since we wouldn't talk to her she went out again. We finished the movie, rewound it, and watched fifteen more minutes of the beginning. Anyway, I was real busy back then and I didn't have much time to mess with the thing.
After about a month, I decided to take the gizmo back. The Chief D-Head at Wilson (I'd give his first name, but he'd probably sue me if he found out) went back on his word about a cash refund and he would only do a trade. They had a pair of headphones i wanted and I ended up getting the best of chief dh.
I spent too much money since then trying to get acceptable surround sound in my home (the Outlaw Audio surround receiver wasn't totally disastrous) and went back to strictly stereo around mid '00s. The gizmo is the only surround thing I regret getting rid of. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I've searched far and wide, and I emailed Shure about it. No luck. Thanks.
I hooked it up to my Denon integrated amp. Back then I was using JBL L-110s. For the surround speakers I used a Boston Acoustics Subsat Six woofer/satellite system. No center channel. The gizmo either had a switch for no center speaker, or a means of connecting it with no center speaker. I hooked it up that Saturday morning. A friend of mine came by just as I was hooking up the Bostons. We'd planned on hitting the thrift stores and some yard sales to look for vintage hifi gear.
We decided to give this new gizmo a brief listen first, not expecting much. I put 'Cliffhanger' in my Sony hifi VCR and let it rip. As I recall, the the gizmo didn't have much in the way of controls; possibly volume for center and surround. bit I wouldn't swear to it.
After about ten minutes into the movie, we were just about mesmerized. My wife came home when were about halfway through the movie and since we wouldn't talk to her she went out again. We finished the movie, rewound it, and watched fifteen more minutes of the beginning. Anyway, I was real busy back then and I didn't have much time to mess with the thing.
After about a month, I decided to take the gizmo back. The Chief D-Head at Wilson (I'd give his first name, but he'd probably sue me if he found out) went back on his word about a cash refund and he would only do a trade. They had a pair of headphones i wanted and I ended up getting the best of chief dh.
I spent too much money since then trying to get acceptable surround sound in my home (the Outlaw Audio surround receiver wasn't totally disastrous) and went back to strictly stereo around mid '00s. The gizmo is the only surround thing I regret getting rid of. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I've searched far and wide, and I emailed Shure about it. No luck. Thanks.
