at $39.00+6 dollars for shipping it is cheaper than many cables. Can use with a 2 channel amplifierto get 5 channelsurround system No need to buy additional inter connects..2 short 24 inches speaker wires and banana plugs is all that is needed. No degradation from DSP chip processing. full frequecy sound to all 5 speakers. Great for music.

No front to rear steering as with dolby encoded discs.

The home theater system is more enjoyable either with 2 channels Stereo or using a 5 channel passive Dynaco QD2 surround processor(dynaco.com). Without chip processing, there is no muffling of the sound, taking away any part of the musical spectrum. Now watching DVD movies and television and listening to music is more enjoyable with full spectrum of clean, dynamic sound to all 5 channels including rear surrounds- Dynaco QD2 surround processor ($37) cheaper than many cables and widens the sound stage, better than a simple stereo , natural with signal accuracy as there is no degrading by DSP chips. Its separation is not as exciting as a Dolby for movies to which we are all attracted by the front to rear steering as in Gun shots, car chases aeroplanes flying over head, etc as we hear from Dolby encoded discs. One of the reviewers in Audio review.com suggested that it can be corrected by connecting rear out put from QD2 to the front speakers and the front speaker out puts from QD2 to the rear speakers.I tried that.It is lot better-except there is no front to rear steering of sound as we hear from Dolby encoded discs. I used it with one AVA OmegaStar 240 2 channel amplifier and it is more than adequate in powering all the 5 speakers.It mmakes television more enjoyable. It is good for Music at moderate listening volumes, at very low volume listening there is no widening of the sound stage as the sound out put from the surround speakers is minimal. Still there are few available.Thanks to all the past reviewers

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EFE passive surround sound decoder sony SDP e 800 processor

inexpensive and well-designed

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For those of you who think this is a peice of junk: there is something wrong with your sense of applied sound. This is not intended to process anything, which is the problem with pro-logic, DD, and even DTS receivers. The stereo extractions are incredible. I have not even mentioned the surround extractions. I own a pair of Paradigm ADP's. They can produce very low bass signals. When I listen to Backdraft or Apollo 13 it is hard to beleive what I am hearing. It is a naturally-extracted "stereophonic"(I like this word) signal not produced by a processor of any type. Besides that, I am in the process of purchasing another one strictly for my rear channels which will include a full center signal. This is costing me under two-hundred dollars. This did not take a rocket scientist to figure out as long as you have the right components. Hafler knew what he was doing when he designed this thing. Maybe you guys don't own the right type of speakers. Who knows.

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Yamaha pro-logic receiver

free

sound

I can't believe they are still selling this thing - mine came free (built-in) in a Dynakit 40wpc stereo amp for which I paid 80 bucks. Old audio magazines have instructions on
how to build "quadaptors" for a buck or two. The "sound" is
completely unpredictable as it depends on out-of-phase
content in the stereo mix. The effect varies from non-existent to bizarre. You can be that the engineer that
mixed the recording did not expect to have it "processed"
with one of these things.

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I recently purchased this little "box" from the Panor Corporation. The reason for this is because the QD-2 is out of production. However, Panor has some left in their warehouse. Here is what I found with this processor.
I currently have a pro-logic system. I have been really interested in this new 6.1 system that is being utilized for the new Star Wars movie. I am waiting for this new technology to hit the consumer markets in the form of receivers. I imagine it will be a little while until this happens. Anyway, I was attempting to create a generic, inexpensive version of a 6.1 system in my home. I think that I found an interesting way to do so with the QD-2.

The QD-2 is a little, well-constructed, metallic-looking box. There are no amplifiers. There are three control knobs on the front faceplate. I will explain their uses, later. On the rear of the box there are outputs for a five speaker system and outputs for the amplifier connection, which is how the QD-2 is installed into a system. All the outputs are extracted via gold-plated, sturdy binding posts.

I installed the QD-2 into my system with a few extra strands of speaker wire I had lying around the house. I ran these leads out of my main outputs using banana plugs, which is much cleaner and easier to maintain. Afterwards, I ran my five speaker leads out of the remaining binding posts provided by the QD-2. Simple enough!

I fired up my system. Wow! I have been spoiled by a logic-steering system for years. If you like this you may not like what you will hear out of the QD-2. As I was about to say, this box extracts ambient information much cleaner than a pro-logic system. I am not discrediting a pro-logic system. The QD-2 is a matrix design. What you get here is extracted ambient signals at full band-width (at times) without noise. There is not that seperation that I know consumers are attracted to. What I hear is an expanded soundstage with little or no seperation. It sounds cool. It is different. I remember reading an article by T. Hohlman. He said our perception of stereo sound (hi-fi systems) is not what exists in real-world terms. It is all we have. After hearing the QD-2 I beleive him. This is what stereo sound really must be.

The knobs. A volume control adjusts the level of the center and surround speakers. There is a knob that switches the center and surround speakers on and off. The other knob gives you a choice of a theater mode, and a contour setting, which gives you a surround roll-off similar to pro-logic systems.

I simply reversed the main inputs over to my surround outputs to get that extra, extracted rear center signal much like a 6.1 system. Surprisingly, it worked quite well. As a matter of fact, I got a decorrelated effect out of the rear channels that sounded very similar to many THX systems I have heard. Of course my receiver has discrete amplifiers. This probably helped. To clear up any confusion, you only need a two-channel amplifier to make this thing work. I had a different use in mind. Overall, I liked this component. I am satisfied with the use that I found for it in my system.

Second opinion: This baby can rock your world. I have stereo surrounds for 97.00. I compare it to a THX system. If your into channel seperation: forget it! If you like true signal acurracy, get it! Be prepared for low extracted rear signals. It delivers. I have not used my pro-logic decoder since I have had it. This box is extremely cool. Recommended.

I bought this little clever machine few monthes a go , I was not willing to change my already existing amplifier ( Thule IA 100 100w/c ) , the sales man has asked me to tray it , what a good home theater sound is this , it is better than many high end sounds I have heared in many places . I recommend it for those willing to have a good home theater sound, and do not like to change their existing hi-fi sytem , beleive me , it is very enough .

This is a giant-killer. I have used a Dynaco quadaptor on and off for about thirty years. This is simply the most cost-effective way to achieve decent sonics and a convincing soundstage that exists. Highly recommended. Once you listen to music using this simple system, you will NEVER go back to simple stereo.

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This is the best $25 you can spend in audio/home theater. I have a real he-man rig as my main listening system. I use no surround sound in that system. But for my home theater set-up in the new addition, I pressed one of these little jewels into service with astonishing results. Go ahead and spend a bundle on home theater if you want, but you owe it to yourself to see what you can derive from your present amp, and a modest pair of surround speakers. As an aside, you can now get one of these delivered to you door for under $25!!!!! Here is where; J & R Music World in New York City. Very reputable company! Telephone is 1-800-221-8180. Tell them you want a Dynaco Quadaptor. You wont regret it.

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All kinds that sounded bad!

P.o.s. my bum is on the couch

everything

It was the worst system i ever used before. the sound has too much vibration and is cheaply made. sony is a much better company and makes better products...

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Well-built, easy to use

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I took AE's advice, and I purchased one of these from the Panor Corporation. I took a close look at this metallic-looking box, and I smiled. This was a respectable-looking piece of machinery. It has some fine looking circuitery inside. On the outside it contains hi-quality binding posts. I have hardly seen anything like this from high-end companies. Anyway, I couldn't wait to hear this thing. I won't bore anybody with the installment. It isn't difficult.
On the opposite outside end are some control knobs. They are for surround volume control and other assorted goodies, such as, a contour position that gives the effect of a pro-logic delay. It is rather cool. Keep in mind this is not anywhere close to a prologic system. It is better. I didn't beleive this until I heard this for myself.
This is a Hafler designed-matrix processor (not to be confused with pro-logic processing,this does not operate with electrical power, either). It does exactly what a pro-logic system does except there is no algorithmic processing. What I heard was a wide stereo signal in both the front and the rear speakers. I got the affect of a THX system like another reviewer had mentioned. This is no joke. I am really impressed at how the Hafler matrix works. One main difference from a pro-logic system is that there is a setting that provides a full frequency to all the channels. I have a rather large room, and the effect is outstanding.
I used Saving Private Ryan for a test. I compared my father-in-laws' DTS receiver to the QD-2, and the only difference I heard was the dynamic range from the higher data rates that steer a DTS system. This difference was a louder volume level. The matrix soundtrack the QD-2 produced was so fast that I could not tell a difference as far as the extractions it produced. I am not saying it is better than the DTS system. However, it produced a dynamic soundtrack not much different from the DTS system. One other important note: I will not go back to pro-logic. Pro-logic tends to clutter up in the center channel. It is irritating especially when I am watching satellite programs. The QD-2 (or the Hafler Matrix) produces such a natural stereo effect that I do not get those irritating fallacies that my pro-logic unit produced. I am probably going to purchase a new receiver, soon, due to the 7.1 systems that are being produced. I am happy with the QD-2, and I may not replace it. Everything it does is quite better than some receivers I have heard. I thought I would never hear myself saying this. It is a cool toy. I would advise many of you to hear one for yourself. It really is an excellent decoder.
I have a full-blown home theater system. It includes Monster THX cables, pins and banana plugs,Toshiba hardware, Sony hardware, Yamaha hardware, Pioneer Elite hardware, Adcom hardware, JBL and Paradigm speakers, a satellite system, and it is all held together by Panamax surge protection. The QD-2 is highly recommended.

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