While the CBS SQ Matrix System is as dead as the RCA CED VideoDisc, there are still a large number of collectors who enjoy Quadraphonic sound and are looking for the best decoders for their SQ Encoded LP's. Accordingly, I have put together this web page detailing my experiences with some SQ Decoder's, in the hopes that it will help the individual Quadraphile to decide on the best decoder for their situation. Unfortunately, the decoders I am "reviewing" here are somewhat rare, so it will take quite a bit of looking for the collector to find one on the used market. The best resource is simply the Internet or the newsgroups. That is where I found mine. Also, checking out local thrift and used audio stores can yield results.

The Fosgate 101A (herein after referred to simply as the 'Tate') is the ultimate SQ decoder ever produced, and is still desperately sought after by Quadraphiles. A small, black (silver was available as an option), nondescript unit with a few simple controls, it nonetheless is a powerhouse of SQ decoding. The secret is the Tate II integrated circuit used in the Tate. Developed by Martin Willcocks, it was, as one reviewer put it, supposed to be the 'savior' of the SQ system; unfortunately, it appeared too late to have much impact. Unlike the Full-Wavematching Logic unit's, the Tate II DES (Directional Enhancement System) actually cancelled out SQ crosstalk components from the desired channels while at the same time producing NO variation of total power in the listening room. The circuitry of the Tate is so complex (3 times more complex than a color television set) that it has the processing power to pretty much keep all 4 channels separated at once! This was (and still is) unprecedented in matrix decoders. For you techie's out there who are really interested in how the Tate DES works, I will be posting an in-depth article on all the SQ Logic systems in the near future, so keep checking back.

The Tate can produce any effect that was encoded on the record. No other SQ decoder can do this. Besides Ping-Pong directional effects, the Tate also excels at recreating the ambience-type SQ recordings. The SQ encoded LP of SWAN LAKE places the orchestra firmly in front of you, while the ambience of the concert hall is placed around and behind you. The Tate decodes this so well that if you close your eyes, you can really imagine that you are there, listening to a live performance. Now, other SQ Logic decoders can reproduce most of this too, but what set's the Tate apart is its absence of side-effects when decoding and its superb stability of imaging. Only on the very most complex passages or with improperly encoded material will you hear any decoding artifacts. And even then, the artifacts are minor. Because the SQ systems matrix encoding coefficients are asymmetrical, no Left to Right logic enhancement is needed; only front to back logic is required. This means that instruments placed across the front and rear soundstage are rock solid in their positioning, with no L - R wander as can happen in a symmetrical matrix (such as QS or RM). However, the front to back logic enhancement needed by SQ means that front to back positioning can wander and snap back and forth if the decoding is not precise. The Tate is extremely precise, better than anything else is. If a sound is supposed to stay at Center Left, it STAYS there, no matter what is happening in the other channels. It is a level of performance that was never achieved before the advent of the Tate II DES. (The original Tate DES, used in the Audionics Space & Image Composer had real problems with stability and imaging) And as I said, all of this incredible performance is achieved with no variation of volume level in the listening room, which cannot be said of any other logic decoder for SQ.

The basic fidelity (in bypass mode) is quite good, with only a very slight diminishing of the lowest bass. In SQ mode, the only thing added to the sound (besides superb imaging) is a slight bit of distortion caused by the VGA's used in the matrix multiplier, but this is not an unpleasant distortion, and I would state that it cannot even really be heard. Besides, this kind of distortion is inherent in ANY matrix multiplier type decoder, so the Tate cannot be faulted on this. In the Surround mode, used for synthesizing Stereo into 4-channel sound, the midrange becomes slightly emphasized and harsh, but this is a very small price to pay for the degree of enhancement provided by the Tate.

Speaking of Stereo to Surround synthesizing, the Tate excels at this too. When placed in the "Surround" mode, the Tate takes the full Left or Right signal and wraps it around to the corresponding rear speakers. The result is a horseshoe shaped soundfield, with the sound beginning at the rear and moving smoothly around to the Center Front where mono vocalists and instruments still appear. Hearing pop music played this way is a thrilling experience, but for classical type stereo recordings, the "Cinema" or "SQ" modes are preferred since they keep the main soundstage up front and produce ambience from the rear. Since this is the way these recordings would sound in a real concert hall, I believe it is preferable. By the way, the "Cinema" mode is for decoding Dolby MP encoded movies, and unlike a Dolby Pro*Logic decoder, the Tate produces a stereo surround signal from MP encoded LaserDiscs and VHS hi-fi tapes. The only drawback is the lack of a true, hard center channel, but if your speakers are arranged properly, you can achieve good dialog positioning and intelligibility without it. On movie soundtracks, the Tate does exhibit some front-to-rear leakage, but this is confined to dialog sibilants. I think that for movies, a Pro*Logic decoder is preferable, if only because modern soundtracks are mixed to be decoded with a Pro*Logic decoder. (it might interest some of you to know that the original Dolby Stereo cinema processors were built using the Tate II integrated circuits!)

The Fosgate 101A is extremely well built, and the only problem I have ever heard of is a bad power supply. So, if you find a unit in working condition, chances are, it will stay working for many years to come. I think a fair price to pay for a 101A in good to excellent condition would be anywhere from $150 to $300 dollars. It did have an optional wired remote controls available, so be sure to check that that is included in the price, and reduce your offer accordingly if it isn't. Fosgate can no longer supply parts or remotes for the 101A, so if the unit doesn't come with one, it will be hard to locate a remote on its own.

To sum up, the Fosgate Tate II 101A SQ decoder is the decoder to beat and to buy. It provides "reference" quality decoding of SQ recordings, with minimal side effects. It also enhances regular stereo recordings and can decode Dolby MP encoded soundtracks. For SQ lovers who want the best in SQ decoding, find a Tate decoder and buy it, ASAP…you will never regret it.