For the high end audiophile...do you prefer...

B

bluegrassphile

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...2 channel for listening to music or 2+ channels? I saw Dr. Toole's set up is multi channel.



 
I never have enjoyed surround sound, even for watching movies. But 100% for music 2-channel!!!
 
I like native. That means:
-Stereo recordings in two channels.
-Surround recordings in multichannel.
- Movies in multichannel

But I do use a sub all types.
 
Multichannel music is way easy to screw up set-up and, material-wise, you have to really dig classical music. I have 5 identical Gallo Stradas and two JL Fathoms set up in an equidistant array per the diagrams from old Sony SACDs, so no audio processing necessary from the AVR. Sounds good for a lot of classical SACDs, but every now and then the recording engineer can’t seem to help themselves and they jack the rear channels’ volume to such a degree that you get more than ambient noise from behind — can be a little odd when the orchestra sounds like they’ve sent some performers into the back of the auditorium. Rock albums like Pink Floyd ‘s DSotM and Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues end up just sounding contrived. It really is about capturing the ambience of a live venue. Surprisingly, I don’t know of any good jazz multichannel.
Parker
 
PS looks like maybe you changed your font to a really light gray somehow?
 
I’m not even remotely a high-end audiophile, but for me, it is 2-channel all the way. I used to run HT 5.1 for movies but found that I prefer 2-channel for both music and movies. My speakers are full-range, so I am not wanting for bass especially since music doesn’t really go into sub-woofer frequency range anyway.
I rarely ever watch movies and I don’t watch TV at all, so HT has become completely useless to me and I don’t miss my sub.
 
I think I prefer 2 channel because when I hear a band play almost all the sound comes from in front of me. For me, 2 channel sounds more realistic. But, as with so many things that's subject to change.
 
For music it's 2-channel ( to date)

I absolutely love surround sound for movies. I do use the auto set up EQ. It's incredible when you hear the soundtrack the way it was meant to sound. The effects are clean and controlled. Too many treat HT like car audio, hello, it's really not, all about that bass.

There is a company who usually demos at AXPONA in the marketplace a surround music set up and they produce music Blu-ray. I've heard they won't be there this year and I regret not being able to take in one of the demos. Just a timing issue. I've heard the sound is good. Your music choices would be somewhat limited i'd think.

Besides 2-channel quality is expensive enough, to get 5 or more channels of high end amplification and more over a surround preamp of that quality......
 
Mr Peabody said:
For music it's 2-channel ( to date)

I absolutely love surround sound for movies. I do use the auto set up EQ. It's incredible when you hear the soundtrack the way it was meant to sound. The effects are clean and controlled. Too many treat HT like car audio, hello, it's really not, all about that bass.

There is a company who usually demos at AXPONA in the marketplace a surround music set up and they produce music Blu-ray. I've heard they won't be there this year and I regret not being able to take in one of the demos. Just a timing issue. I've heard the sound is good. Your music choices would be somewhat limited i'd think.

Besides 2-channel quality is expensive enough, to get 5 or more channels of high end amplification and more over a surround preamp of that quality......
Click to expand...
My MC setup is basically 5 decent matching bookshelf speakers, two basic JL subs, an old Pioneer Elite AVR, a Sony ES 5400 SACD, a starter-level AQ hdmi, and Audience's most basic speaker wire. I think MC can provide on the cheap what we spend so much trying to get from 2-channel: that sense of musical envelopment and immersion. I really enjoy listening to this MC setup and I'm hard-pressed to fault the SQ -- the real limitation for me is, as you say, the limited music choice. MC is best for ambient large-scale classical, which I have to be in the mood for and can't listen to for hours on end. Plus, the effect is pretty much wasted if you don't stay in your seat. I wander all over the house with all kinds of music on the two channel.
Parker
 
I prefer 2 channel also. It might be part of my many years of conditioning:P I have a 7 channel home theater and do listen to internet radio stations on it. All it does it present the same level to the side and back speakers in that mode. I do like the surround for movies as well.
 
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