Re: [ARSCLIST] 8-track conservation and preservation

["Copeland, Peter" <Peter.Copeland@xxxxx>]

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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