Supremes + Diana Ross Quad CD-4 Japan Only Releases

[ejluther]

So I know the quad/surround version of Greatest Hits is packed with differences [[even a flubbed vocal take - WTF?) but what about TCB, …In Japan, Last Time I Saw Him, Diana & Marvin, and Live at Caesars Palace? What differences in mixes/takes can be found in them? I know the expanded “Last Time…” has stereo versions of the quad mixes but I’ve not done a close listen for differences yet myself. Have stereo versions of these quad releases been officially released for any of the others?

[jack020]

Supremes in Japan was released in stereo in 2004:

https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes...elease/2415261

[ejluther]

Supremes in Japan was released in stereo in 2004:

https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes...elease/2415261

I have that but always assumed it was the same stereo version released in 1973
https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes...elease/7527065

Are there any differences between the Quad version and the stereo version?
Quad record:
https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes...elease/2708266

[thanxal]

I have the quad Greatest Hits on Lp. Was it ever released on CD? I probably knew at one point in time but am getting old and senile. Well… older and seniler.

[brothadc]

The quad mix of the song "Sleepin'" contains some lead vocal parts that are alternate to the lead vocal on the American released stereo mix. The quad mix of the song "Love Me" contains some additional guitar parts, and additional background vocals on the bridge that are not on the American released stereo mix. Also the quad mix of "Behind Closed Doors" is playing at a slightly slower speed than normal, so for some reason that quad mix was mastered pitched down a little.

I was very happy that the song "You" was obviously remastered because the sound quality of especially the original stereo mix was immensely better than the sound quality of the mix on the originally released album. I also enjoyed the longer fade on the quad mix, but I don't like how the background vocals are so low in the mix.

If I'm not mistaking, "Last Time I Saw Him" is the only Diana Ross Quad CD-4 Japan only release that was also released with stereo versions of the quad mixes. Oh wait, I'm wrong, the quad mix of the Diana & Marvin duet "Pledging My Love" was released as a stereo mix on the CD "Marvin Gaye - Love Songs: Greatest Duets". The quad mix of "Pledging My Love" contains an unedited originally recorded first bridge and post bridge. I'm assuming that it was in an effort to keep the quad mix at about the same time length as the original stereo mix because unfortunately the song fades out shortly after the bridge repeats and the result is there's about 1:30 of the song that we've grown to know and love that's completely cut off of the quad mix.

I have all of the Supremes + Diana Ross Quad CD-4 Japan only released LPs and hopefully one day I can get my hands on an actual quadraphonic amp and system so I can have an authentic quad experience where I can hear different elements of the songs panned and coming from four different speakers! So far the main aspect of enjoyment of the quad mixes has come from hearing whatever alternate vocals there are that I had previously not heard before. Without the benefit of being able to have that authentic quad experience, the quad mixes in and of themselves aren't that appealing to me because usually the drums, and quite a bit of the rest of the instrumentation are very weak in the mix, and definitely don't have the sonic punch that the regular stereo mixes have.

Recently the Japan CD4 Quad LP Jackson 5 Greatest Hits was re-released. I heard the quad mix of "Sugar Daddy", it's posted on YouTube. Just like with "Pledging My Love", previously edited out sections of the song were included, but it appears that whomever is doing the quad mixes is referring to the time lengths of the originally released versions of the songs and fading the quad mixes to keep the same time length, and not considering, or just not being aware that if the quad mix contains unedited portions of the songs, the time length should be longer than the original version so that we get the whole song. Where they ended the quad mix of "Sugar Daddy" was basically enough to not motivate me to buy the quad LP. Seems to me they weren't familiar enough with the songs to not just refer to the original time lengths.

[ejluther]

The quad mix of the song "Sleepin'" contains some lead vocal parts that are alternate to the lead vocal on the American released stereo mix. The quad mix of the song "Love Me" contains some additional guitar parts, and additional background vocals on the bridge that are not on the American released stereo mix. Also the quad mix of "Behind Closed Doors" is playing at a slightly slower speed than normal, so for some reason that quad mix was mastered pitched down a little.

I was very happy that the song "You" was obviously remastered because the sound quality of especially the original stereo mix was immensely better than the sound quality of the mix on the originally released album. I also enjoyed the longer fade on the quad mix, but I don't like how the background vocals are so low in the mix.

If I'm not mistaking, "Last Time I Saw Him" is the only Diana Ross Quad CD-4 Japan only release that was also released with stereo versions of the quad mixes. Oh wait, I'm wrong, the quad mix of the Diana & Marvin duet "Pledging My Love" was released as a stereo mix on the CD "Marvin Gaye - Love Songs: Greatest Duets". The quad mix of "Pledging My Love" contains an unedited originally recorded first bridge and post bridge. I'm assuming that it was in an effort to keep the quad mix at about the same time length as the original stereo mix because unfortunately the song fades out shortly after the bridge repeats and the result is there's about 1:30 of the song that we've grown to know and love that's completely cut off of the quad mix.

I have all of the Supremes + Diana Ross Quad CD-4 Japan only released LPs and hopefully one day I can get my hands on an actual quadraphonic amp and system so I can have an authentic quad experience where I can hear different elements of the songs panned and coming from four different speakers! So far the main aspect of enjoyment of the quad mixes has come from hearing whatever alternate vocals there are that I had previously not heard before. Without the benefit of being able to have that authentic quad experience, the quad mixes in and of themselves aren't that appealing to me because usually the drums, and quite a bit of the rest of the instrumentation are very weak in the mix, and definitely don't have the sonic punch that the regular stereo mixes have.

Recently the Japan CD4 Quad LP Jackson 5 Greatest Hits was re-released. I heard the quad mix of "Sugar Daddy", it's posted on YouTube. Just like with "Pledging My Love", previously edited out sections of the song were included, but it appears that whomever is doing the quad mixes is referring to the time lengths of the originally released versions of the songs and fading the quad mixes to keep the same time length, and not considering, or just not being aware that if the quad mix contains unedited portions of the songs, the time length should be longer than the original version so that we get the whole song. Where they ended the quad mix of "Sugar Daddy" was basically enough to not motivate me to buy the quad LP. Seems to me they weren't familiar enough with the songs to not just refer to the original time lengths.

Thank you for such a detailed and great answer!

“hopefully one day I can get my hands on an actual quadraphonic amp and system so I can have an authentic quad experience where I can hear different elements of the songs panned and coming from four different speakers!”

That would be awesome! Are quad amps expensive? I’ll have to look on eBay, etc. out of curiosity…