Answered my own question. Using a 7.1 receiver that also allows a 2nd zone using internal amps. The 2nd zone is always stereo and the primary zone can be configured for no center and can then be run in all channnel stereo.
That will work provided the surround speakers are treated as a discreet stereo pair in the "all-channel stereo" mode. Are they?
The Zone2 outputs will be limited to an analog input which probably will not be a problem considering what you are doing.
This article will introduce a step by step guide on how to change audio channel between 6 channel, 5.1 channel, 2 channel stereo, mono and etc. Then it is just easy to achieve the following demand: at How to Convert Video Audio Channel to 2 Channel, 5.1 Channel, or Mono?JohnMark said:Kind of an off-beat question not related to HT, but I need a receiver that can power 3 pair of stereo speakers and was hoping that one of the HT receivers had a 6 channel stereo mode that might work.
Anybody?