What does QUAD mean in NEWS & MEDIA

Quadraphonic sound is a type of surround sound technology that uses four channels to create a 3D effect for movies, music, and gaming. It was popular in the 1970s but has since been replaced by more advanced technologies like Dolby Digital and DTS. Quadraphonic sound can still be found in some older audio equipment and software.

While both technologies are meant to provide an immersive listening experience, surround sound relies on more channels than QUAD. Surround sound typically includes 5-7 speakers (sometimes more), while QUAD only requires four channels. Furthermore, newer digital surround formats (like Dolby Digital and DTS) offer higher quality audio than QUAD does.

To get the full benefits of a QUADraphonic experience, you'll need four separate speakers as well as an amplifier or receiver capable of handling multiple signals at once. You'll also need compatible source material - typically older analogue tapes with 4-channel mixes - or software that supports quadrophonic playback.

Compared to more modern surround formats like Dolby Digital and DTS, QUAD offers a simpler setup with fewer components needed. Additionally, it's much less expensive than buying multiple speakers and receivers for a full home theater system setup. For audiophiles who value purity over convenience, there's also something to be said about hearing music as it was originally intended with no added embellishments or artistic interpretation from modern technologies.

Yes! While traditional quadraphonics requires special amplifiers and receivers designed specifically for multi-channel playback, there are programs like ‘QUadq’ that allow you to simulate quadrahedral sounds on any two-speaker set up using just your computer’s hardware capabilities. This means you don't have to invest in extra equipment if all you want is a simulated version of what quadraphonics used to be.

One potential drawback of using QUAD instead of newer digital formats is that its signal tends to degrade over time due to poor analog recording techniques back in the day when it was popularized. You may not notice this effect unless you’re an audiophile looking for absolute perfection; but for most listeners it won't make much difference since most recordings nowadays are digitally mastered anyway.

It can be difficult as most music today is either stereo or multi-channel digital recordings which won't work with quadraphonics systems. However there are still some archive sources available – typically older analogue tapes – so if you're willing to put in some effort searching them up then there's still plenty out there!