Maybe because there were FOUR competing surround formats.
And the only ones that could offer four true discrete channels were reel-to-reel (expensive!), Q8 (affordable but sound quality itself not always that great) and lastly, the slightly pricey CD-4 vinyl format from JVC.
The other vinyl quad formats, of which "SQ" was by far the most prevalent (and one of the least expensive), all used some form of vague-sounding matrixed surround which for most people didn't exactly provide for a memorable listening experience > stereo with some back fill as an older friend once described it.
So I'm not surprised quad finally quietly disappeared - besides the number of incompatible formats, the technology was either half-baked or it cost too much.
And the only ones that could offer four true discrete channels were reel-to-reel (expensive!), Q8 (affordable but sound quality itself not always that great) and lastly, the slightly pricey CD-4 vinyl format from JVC.
The other vinyl quad formats, of which "SQ" was by far the most prevalent (and one of the least expensive), all used some form of vague-sounding matrixed surround which for most people didn't exactly provide for a memorable listening experience > stereo with some back fill as an older friend once described it.
So I'm not surprised quad finally quietly disappeared - besides the number of incompatible formats, the technology was either half-baked or it cost too much.