Alan Parsons in Nashville, TN Oct 27th, 2007

Discussion / Q&A    Quad / Surround

Q. Why do you think quad didn’t catch on? [my naive new buddy asks]

A. "The idea of four loudspeakers in room plus the additional electronics just didn’t move the masses. They had a speak in the living room and one in the kitchen; now you’re asking them to put another in the bedroom and one more out in the garage. [Laughter] There were competing systems, some worked better than others, there were poor quad demonstrations that didn't sway people enough to invest."

Q. (Timbre4) As one of the moderators for  a website called QuadraphonicQuad.com, I want to extend a thank you from all QQ members for your past contributions and looking forward to more in the future. I have two questions for you if I may, but first I'd like to ask a question for this audience. By a show of hands, how many of you are aware of SACD and DVD-Audio as high resolution formats? (I see 4 hands out of perhaps 60) Okay, that's likely due to poor promotion.

Alan, my questions for you are (Q1): Do you feel it is the royalties issue for new formats holding things back on our not getting albums already mixed or considered OR is it the cost of the mixing itself?

A. "It's absolutely the mixing expense; the money is just not there at this time. SACD and DualDisc are dead formats for the most part so the labels aren't interested."

Alan, would you believe that the entire Genesis catalog is being released on SACD (as imports) box sets right now? My second question is (Q2): If you were approached on a fee basis to mix albums into 5.1 surround, would you do it?

A. [eyebrows raised] "I wasn't aware of the Genesis catalog coming out on SACD, but yes, I most certainly would do it."  

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