• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Vintage speaker suggestions for quadraphonic system

duckpin76

duckpin76

Active Member
Hi everyone,

I am looking for suggestions on vintage speakers for a quadraphonic system. Having never seen nor heard a quadraphonic setup, this is all new to me. Right now I am eyeing a Pioneer QX-949 as the receiver, and I'd like to have something that would fit that well. I am imagining having all Pioneer components if I go that route but I'm open to other speakers to consider.

I love my Ohm Walsh2s that I have connected to a McIntosh MA-5100 amp and MR-71 tuner. I'm looking for something similar in sound.

The room has a cathedral ceiling, about 25 feet long. There are four speakers hung in all corners of the room about 10 feet off the ground that were placed there decades ago (we live in the house my wife's grandparents built in the 40s; this room is an add-on from the 60s). The ones in the front are about 12 inches high and the ones in the rear are about 30 inches high; all four are cheap and should be replaced. I am imagining having something similar - smaller speakers at the front and larger in the rear. I don't know if that is a best practice, but I'm open to all suggestions. If this has been brought up in a previous thread, please share.

Thanks for your help.
Brian
 
Register to hide this ad
duckpin76 said:
Hi everyone,

I am looking for suggestions on vintage speakers for a quadraphonic system. Having never seen nor heard a quadraphonic setup, this is all new to me. Right now I am eyeing a Pioneer QX-949 as the receiver, and I'd like to have something that would fit that well. I am imagining having all Pioneer components if I go that route but I'm open to other speakers to consider.

I love my Ohm Walsh2s that I have connected to a McIntosh MA-5100 amp and MR-71 tuner. I'm looking for something similar in sound.

The room has a cathedral ceiling, about 25 feet long. There are four speakers hung in all corners of the room about 10 feet off the ground that were placed there decades ago (we live in the house my wife's grandparents built in the 40s; this room is an add-on from the 60s). The ones in the front are about 12 inches high and the ones in the rear are about 30 inches high; all four are cheap and should be replaced. I am imagining having something similar - smaller speakers at the front and larger in the rear. I don't know if that is a best practice, but I'm open to all suggestions. If this has been brought up in a previous thread, please share.

Thanks for your help.
Brian
Click to expand...

To really get the intended 4 channel (vintage Quad) effect of yesteryear the speaker placement is very important.

9)srnd.jpg

As is the speaker choice.
Whatever speakers (that you like the sound of) you go with should all be identical.

Here's some good reading on Quadraphonic speaker set up.

https://www.wendycarlos.com/surround/surround.html
 
Correct me if I’m wrong but from my understanding of quadraphonic sound, unless the music material was originally recorded in 4.0 all you’re really doing is playing 2 channels out of 4 speakers. The same as if you were to take a mono recording and play it through 2 speakers. I’m just trying to understand the point I guess.
 
Yes, you would need sources and devices like records, cartridge, tapes, etc made specifically for a true quad system.
Hooking up 4 speakers to a stereo receiver isn't quad in the truest sense of the word. Back in the day some receivers may have had a simulated quad setting if I am remembering correctly.
 
Irocl98 said:
Correct me if I’m wrong but from my understanding of quadraphonic sound, unless the music material was originally recorded in 4.0 all you’re really doing is playing 2 channels out of 4 speakers. The same as if you were to take a mono recording and play it through 2 speakers. I’m just trying to understand the point I guess.
Click to expand...
when (and if) set up right it really is a whole different listening experience.
just about any stereo recordings will produce interesting results in the rear channels when run through a SQ , QS decoder or even just a simple martix , simulated quad setting.
If your curious here's some good info on first generation quadraphonic sound and systems at this site
look under the "legacy multichannel sound and systems" section.
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/
 
Last edited:
Identical speakers at all 4 positions were recommended, but you can get good to excellent results with careful deviations. My main system sees all sorts of speakers rotated in and out of the 4 positions. Similar tonal balance between front and back helps. Room acoustics can differ quite a bit front to rear. If you use equalizers, doing the back as well as the front is useful even if the 4 speakers are identical.

The workroom quad system uses Dynaco A35s and A25s.

The basement bedroom has SEAS by Sennheiser SE-2s which approximate a slightly smaller Dynaco A50, and Dynaco A10 placed where they happen to get quite a bit of bass reinforcement.
 
Irocl98 said:
Doug, are you simply running 4 speakers on your A and B channels or is there more to this setup for quad sound?
Click to expand...

I have a stereo amplifier for each pair of speakers, thus, four stereo amplifiers. Currently, it's in the form of two quadraphonic amplifiers - Heathkit AA-2010's which, of course, have two stereo amplifiers in each chassis. I also have four Heathkit AA-29 amplifiers I can substitute.

Doug
 
Originally, to get more people interested in quad, it was claimed you could get good results with two speakers in the back that were much less capable than your front speakers and thus, less expensive. However, being likely that there will be comparable material from each of the four channels, that isn't really true, There will be an imbalance.

It's really best to have identical speakers in each of the four corners. There will be quad effects with lesser speakers in the back, but the results will be inferior.

Doug
 
I run 2 Sansui sp 200’s and 2 sp 2000’s . They are very similar speakers. The quad synthesizer on the Sansui qrx 7001 is about the best you can get in a receiver. The sound is compelling, involving and moving. I have some quad recordings but the synthesized quad from a stereo source is quite good , with lots of detail and separation.
Your best results will be from 4 like speakers .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom