Home theater: 2 channel vs. 5.1-7.1 (1 Viewer)

[Seth=L]

I recently downgraded, or upgraded depending on your view, my system from 6.1 surround sound to 2.1. I couldn't be more pleased with my decision to do so. I can now use my amp to it's potential as well as my speakers. I mostly use my system for music though I watch many movies, but when I really want to relax I listen to music. I don't like frivilous and gimmicky DSP modes when listening to my music because it wasn't recorded that way and was intended to be listened to with two speakers and possibly a subwoofer. This of course doesn't include DVD-Audio and SACD that was recorded in 5.1 or very well remastered to 5.1. A receiver or processor simply can't provide that same affect for 2 channel sources. If you can get a deep and centered soundstage a stereo setup should do quite well for a movie sound track and can produce many effects of surround sound such as things flying behind you, the catch is you have to be in the sweetspot and no one else who is watching it with you will get the same experiance. This is of course your choice to allow your company to get the sweetspot, most of my company doesn't really understand or believe me anyway so I just keep my sweetspot in most cases.

Also has anyone else tried to get a friend to sit in the sweetspot and simply refuse to do so. I have people come over and just stand or sit in the seat off to the side. My personal favorite is when you go to your friend's place and he tries to "show you up" with his big MTX speakers and Kenwood receiver and plays the thing so loud you can hear clipping, or they take the speaker covers off and go "look how much the woofer moves", wow,.... I am impressed.

 

[Citizen87645]

It's kind of strange actually. I usually offer it up to my guests, but they all hem and haw like they'd be taking the last piece of cake or something. Usually I wind up sitting there because no one else will. What's up with that?

Although one time I did offer it to someone using my best Barry White voice - "Hey baby, wanna sit in my sweet spot?"

 

[Seth=L]

I am not sure what the deal is, maybe they think we are trying to seduce them into some kind of cult by putting them in the sweet spot. Suddenly they will hear strange things like a center channel that isn't there and just like that they become a brainwashed audiophile cult slave (insert evil laugh here).