How do you listen to 2 channels CD? (1 Viewer)

[LanceJ]

Same here!

Some have such discrete effects I've wondered the same thing. Even with plain-jane Dolby Pro-Logic (no "II"), CDs like the Beastie Boys' Hello Nasty or Thievery Corporation's Cosmic Game sound almost like a true Dolby Surround encoded movie soundtrack - every 3rd or 4th time I listen to these albums I'll listen in that mode.

Here's a forum on quadraphonicquad.com for just this question:

Stereo Sounding Good in Quad

FYI: a lot of the members there are playing these stereo recordings through quad decoders, not just DPL, Logic7, etc, though suppsoedly DPLII works almost the same as an SQ quad decoder.

BTW: there are CDs out there that *did* use Dolby Surround encoding in their recording process.

 

[NickSo]

The only time I listen to music with DSP is when I'm listening to music on my computer via my headphones using DolbyHeadphone and Crossover in foobar2000. Works well for some recordings, less so for others. Then again, I guess that is still considered '2.0'.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

After I suggested this poll to Parker, I realized it can't give a true picture of what I was after anyway.

For example, I listen to CD in 2.1 mode, but I am certainly interested in MC SACD and DVD-A too.

I keep thinking maybe there's another chance for MC music within HD DVD and/or Blu-ray, but I fear the answer would just be the same. The masses are just not that interested.

 

[RussD]

Many dvd-audio and sacd's are done almost tongue-in-cheek. Way too much surround info. These are fun for awhile, but their novelty wears thin. I really enjoy listening to those that use surrounds for ambience, with the occasional suprise thrown in for effect. As for 2-channel, i think PLII adds soundstage depth and width, again with results dependant on recording, and providing surround levels are properly set. Some say imaging suffers, but i don't believe so.

 

[LanceJ]

Wouldn't that be classified as being kinda gimmicky?

 

[Doug Pyle]

I voted 2.0 because 2-channel audio sounds truest in 2-channel, not because I wouldn't listen to multi-channel. I prefer unprocessed sound, and bypass the DSP processors, even though the receiver I own has excellent DSP (I reserve DSP sound processing for older movies without a multichannel soundtrack). I rarely buy any CD anymore, nearly always buying SACD, occasionally DVD-A.

Some excellent multi-channel source material is out there on SACD & DVD-A. When the material is 2-channel, I prefer oar (original audio recording). My vote is by no means anti-multichannel, it is anti-processing to preserve the truest reproduction at the highest available fidelity.

 

[Michael Osadciw]

you forgot the option "2.0 channel with stereo subs"!!
(discrete left and right channel subs supplementing the bass of those respective channels)

That's my vote!

Mike

 

[Dave Moritz]

I own a pair of Altec Lancing Voice Of The Theater A-7's so I really don't need a sub. So I listen to 2 channel CD's in just two channels.