Okay, Im going to sound crazy here...but I have come to the conclusion that (1 Viewer)

[Andy_A]

I agree with you 100% as well. This is why I keep advising people to only buy a mid range receiver (basically the cheapest one with the format feature set, connnections + preouts) and use it has a prepro or semi prepro with a stereo setup for the front channels.

I totally agree with this statement. You can pick up a great used receiver or pre/pro cheap and pair it with a great stereo amp for a great return on your $$$.

 

[Mark C.]

I decided quite a few years ago that the only way I would be happy is with two systems: one for home theater, the other dedicated two-channel. So the home theater stays in the living room, the two-channel system in the family room. The home theater is top-end enough that I enjoy playing my hard rock CDs there, while jazz and acoustic stay with the dedicated stereo system.

 

[Nick V]

I tend to agree with the sentiment that a nice receiver mated with separate amps and a nice 2ch. preamp with "unity gain" gives you the best of both worlds. I had been contemplating the purchase of a nice pre/pro over the last year and I couldn't decide on one as they all sounded so similar. I was even at one point considering the purchase of the Krell Showcase pre-pro which would have cost me a pretty penny.

After countless hours of auditioning and going to various audio stores over the past year, I have decided to invest in a nice stereo preamp. I've pretty much decided to go with a nice used tube preamp. Probably a Sonic Frontiers model with a unity gain SSP input.

I feel this gives me by far the best value for my money, and the best sound for my needs, as I feel most decent 2ch. preamps sound substantially better than even the great bypass in the Krell Showcase.

 

[Yogi]

Its easier to discern differences between components in a 2 channel system and its almost impossible to do that in a multichannel HT system with competent components.

 

[Tom Grooms]

I think it has more to do with the source material than it does with the components themselves.

Take Gladiator for example, I find the CD Soundtrack to be much more enveloping than the DTS-ES track on the DVD. But then again that could be due to the fact that my DVD player cant hold a candle to my CD player.

 

[RichardHOS]

Rich:

Richard, I am not sure what you are saying.

Are you saying you use 2 channel material, like redbook cds, and use a dsp to make it 5 channel?

Rich

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, except that I'd recommend making it 7 channel, not 5, and the processing has to be top notch (of which there are few choices at the moment).

 

[Tom Grooms]

I respectfully disagree. They can hardly get discrete recordings to sound decent in multichannel. Hocus Pocus DSP's are nowhere near true to the source. DPLII, Hall, Church 2, Logic 7, Drama, Jazz Club, Five channel surround, you can have them all..............

 

[Jonathann_K]

I thought I would never listen to stereo material in anything other than 2 channels. However, after I acquired a Lexicon MC-8, I listen to all my 2 channel material through Lexicon Music Logic 7. Couldn't be happier, and couldn't see myself ever going back to pure 2 channels.

I had a multithousand dollar 2 channel setup, but the Lexicon just presents such an enveloping yet totally natural soundfield I would not go back. I highly recommend people try it.

 

[Jonathann_K]

or try Meridian Trifield - open up your minds people!

 

[Yogi]

I find DSP modes distracting at best.

 

[PhilBoy]

DSP modes are fun to play with... I did when I got my new Yamaha.

Play it back the way it was mixed.

The people who record/mix/master know what they are doing. That's why they are doing it.

 

[RichardHOS]

There's a difference between Yamaha's "DSP modes" and true ambience extraction ala Trifield or Logic7.

Why hear it the way the mixers heard it... why not hear it the way it sounded in the original venue?

(Of course, I'm talking about live acoustical music on a stage or in a concert hall... fabricated multitrack studio mixes are another story entirely, there is no "reference" to speak of, so whatever floats your boat...)

 

[RichardHOS]

DPLII, Hall, Church 2, Logic 7, Drama, Jazz Club, Five channel surround, you can have them all..............

Erm... I'll just take the Logic7! Got one lying around you can spare?.. I've been wating for a sweet deal to pop up on an MC8.

 

[Rich Wenzel]

well, you can get logic 7 fairly cheaply, in an H&K

maybe its my setup, but im not in-love with dlp2 for music...or maybe its just not what i am used to....

Rich

 

[CurtisC]

Someone may have already addressed this but,if you can't play multi ch sacd,dvd-a on your set up that would be a drag.I never listen to 5/7 ch stereo or any dsp,high rez audio is on a whole different level.If a system does not WOW you with dvd-a,sacd,2 or more ch, you need to change systems.

 

[Yogi]

Good ambience exctraction is more true to the source than pure 2-channel.

But isn't that dependent on your room acoustics/ambience, which is different for everyone's listening room? Then how can a universal ambience extraction scheme be true to the source in every listening room? I can agree to it being true to the source only in the recording studio. When it is played in your or someone else's room it loses its truthfulness and no matter what mode you listen to (stereo or L7) is remarkably different from the true recording. So then it just becomes a matter of subjective preference.

JMHO.

 

[Heath_E]

I can agree to it being true to the source only in the recording studio.

Doesn't music recorded in a studio lack ambience due to the acoustically dead nature of studios? I find that I only care for live multichannel music that was recorded correctly from the get go, and properly mixed( ambient sound only in the rear channels).

 

[Yogi]

Even live multichannel music cannot sound true to the venue recording when played in your or my room. I just cant comprehend the 'being more true to...than...' phrase with a universal ambience extraction scheme. I think it just boils down to 'what ever foalts your boat' .

I just know that its easier to discern differences between components in 2 channel listening rather than any multichannel format be it music or HT. So when auditioning components it behooves us to listen only in 2-ch mode. If we were auditioning different surround modes (trifield, L7, DPLIIM etc.) then one can listen to these modes, but like the orignal poster said its not much of a difference between high end and low end stuff in purely multichannel listening and I totally agree with him.

Over and out.

 

[RichardHOS]

But isn't that dependent on your room acoustics/ambience, which is different for everyone's listening room? Then how can a universal ambience extraction scheme be true to the source in every listening room? I can agree to it being true to the source only in the recording studio. When it is played in your or someone else's room it loses its truthfulness and no matter what mode you listen to (stereo or L7) is remarkably different from the true recording. So then it just becomes a matter of subjective preference.

I don't follow your logic at all here. The purpose of multichannel systems is to remove your room from the equation as much as is possible, and in that sense the uniformity of multichannel environments will be much better and much more predictable than a "proper" two-channel setup.

Ambience extraction/multichannel setups are reliant on a fairly damped room... and that is the way it should be. Two channel playback is reliant on a rather more live room, with a greater proportion of diffusive and reflective elements. Aside from the obvious variations from one two channel room to another, they all suffer from fundamental acoustical problems that multichannel environments can address. Thus, in many senses, multichannel (whether discrete or through good ambience extraction) is more fundamentally correct than two channel.

I think I've gone into great detail in the past on just why this is true, and to be honest I don't feel like repeating that discussion. Do a search on "multichannel AND joke" and I'm sure you'll find the thread.

 

[Yogi]

The purpose of multichannel systems is to remove your room from the equation as much as is possible,

Can you really do that? Can you have a completely dead room? Or do you live in a padded cell?

Anyway I see what you mean now. Sorry I didn't read your earlier posts on this subject and was only responding in context to the orignal posters question, that is sonic differences are most discernable in 2 ch systems.

Sorry again.