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Do NOT Blow Your Entire Budget on Two Channel Audio

Yes, two channel audio is here, and is not going away. However, object based audio is delightful, widely available on Tidal and Apple Music, and should be in the listening room of every music lover on the planet, not just "audiophiles. If you plan to be a music fan a year from now start building your object based audio system today. You will need:

1) A receiver/processor capable of Dolby Atmos.

2) A subscription to Tidal or Apple music.

3) A Firestick, ATV, or Nvidia Shield.

4) A minimum of 7 timber matched speakers and a subwoofer.

Once you experienced stereo would you ever go back to only mono? No, you would build a system capable of either mono or stereo. Now that object based audio has arrived do the same thing. Build a system capable of mono, stereo, AND object based audio. When Elton John heard Rocket Man in an object based format for the first time why did he demand to convert his entire catalog to Atmos? If you don’t know, then you need to go listen to Rocket Man in a good Atmos setup ASAP.

So, take your budget, DIVERSIFY, and get a good Atmos capable receiver or processor. Object based audio is NOT last decades surround sound or home theater. It is for MUSIC first, if you need a recommendation on how to allocate your budget feel free to post a question. Most importantly, you don’t NEED two systems, one for music and one for movies. A good object based audio system can play two channel music just fine. A two channel system on the other hand can’t play object based audio without a proper processor or receiver.

Greg Penny talks mixing Rocket Man in Atmos.

https://youtu.be/ggzfcUKDqdo?feature=shared

 

kota1

Showing 1 response by elliottbnewcombjr

elliottbnewcombjr
5,202 posts
 

I agree, object based ain’t gonna happen except for very small minority

Music, with a physical library of 2 channel content, best engineering ’capturing imaging’, and best audio playback system ’re-creating imaging’ is all you can get out of that content/equipment. Very enjoyable, far better than ’good enough, although we must admit: we are a minority, most people are content with ’good enough’. iPad to usb to ____. alexa play me _____

Streaming and re-creating ’object based’ music (no video) is a huge difference which I cannot imagine will go beyond a minority at best.

Home theater, video with directional sound: 5.1 is easy, darn good, ’good enough’. equipment and setup, relocation to another space or home. A few people go beyond 5.1 (7.1; 9.1) but a minority for sure.

4. a dual music/video system is also going to be a small minority (already is).

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Historically ’good enough’ wins. Convenience, cost’s less, ’good enough’.

33 beats 45 due to length of content/unit

beta beats laser disc; vhs beats beta, primarily due to length of content/unit

two channel audio beats short lived 3 channel for ease/cost/minimum advantage: simply duplicate existing mono setup for stereo.

refinement of alternate formats to the point of simply better happens

cassette for dictation advances to smaller and better mechanisms and tape formulas than 8 track for cars and home recording.

CD, perfect, noiseless/indestructible, smaller, initially: what’s not to like

MP3, crappy sound, I have 7 million songs on my gizmo had quite a run.

Streaming: finally back to high quality: ease, cost, no physical library, now no quality compromise, access to ’everything out there’, fits existing 2 channel system is a huge draw for many,

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Object Based is the opposite: very complicated, understanding, equipment and placement decisions; big equipment investment, physical construction involved; fixed in one specific location, not easily moved to a new space or home: ALL a heck of a lot, for ’not that much better’ when 5.1 is already darn good.

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