Do NOT Blow Your Entire Budget on Two Channel Audio

I applaud you for trying to open some eyes.  Yes it’s not for all but when starting from stretch it’s not an impossible task.  If you have two rooms even easier.  I have a dual purpose room and use a JL Audio CR-1 as the linch pin to make my room do that. My 2 channel issues it as a xover for my G25HP Rythmik subwoofer.  With a push of a button it’s the 2.1 part of my 7.1.4 Atmos system I can use for both movies and music.  Eversolo now streams my ripped 5.1 library replacing my oppo.  My 2 channel system is waaay more costly than my theater.  About 70k vs 30k.  Don’t forget I count the 2.1 in each system.  So speakers  are a large chunk of the 5.1. 
 

just added my AirLens to compare streaming.  Why not if you can. And yeah if it does not tickle your fancy then don’t.  

@kota1 sad but Auro went under a few months back. Plenty of good Atmos out there in Blu-ray and streaming. 
 

And the Eversolo works great streaming my 60+ multi channel SACD/DVDA and few DTS CDs I ripped. I just plugged in a 1TB drive in back and use their software. Roon works too but seems to push the core to its limits.  Even dorect connected some SACDs seem to push the limits.  
 

the CR-1 was one of my best investments. It really lets me get the most out of two systems that happen to share 2.1 speakers. And it’s a great sounding xover I will add for a two channel system. 

@kota1 

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/11123

@donavabdear You may be right. I am looking at changing the direct side walls to combo devices like I have in the corners. Moving the curved absorbing to back rear wall. I have a false wall where the rears are hung at approx 20ft. Rear wall is at 24’. I also have diffusers for front wall planned for winter. Moving everything is a big project so wait for cold days.

treatments are a combo of Vicoustics and UA Acoustics

i too find the pre a bit loud too. Looking at AR LS28 SE.  cannot find a silver used one. But I will. 

Oh not my diagram 

@donavabdear How do I have a square room?

24x13.5x7.25 all feet. Non are divisible by another too. Not sure what you are referring to. Did I do a typo?

I see o talked about what I call false wall.  It’s an 8’ wide floor to ceiling. The floor is the top riser btw.  It’s insulated inside. I use to hold rear speakers and projector.  But it’s 4’ in from rear wall and has 3’ on each side open.   So when you walk in you see that wall and it has light up posters.  You can go left or right like a real theater to get in. I think it’s pretty cool and functional. But certainly does not make room square. 

I keep seeing post on its either a processor or pre.  You can do both in same system. So many come with bypass no. Many have done it for years.  Sure if you don’t want don’t do it. A vinyl enthusiast is certainly not going to to but many others would.  
 

Honestly the bigger issue is all the speakers and their wiring not the pre.  It’s a ton of work hanging and running the wires and in many cases finding the place to put them.  I built my room with this in mind so it was easier for me.  But I get those who have a living room system or even a den it’s a big ol mess to install.  But I agree with OP it’s worth the squeeze. 

@britamerican i am not sure what you are referring to as there are more options than just the windows tools.  BACCH for MAC and the. There is a $28,000 all in one box that has roon core I believe as well as dac. Just add amps if you want. Those systems you just feed music to them and the filters are applied live.  There is a whole thread on this on PSAudio on this very subject. A few people have bought it along the way.  

BACCH is wonderful from what I heard from others. I have not heard it myself. Too hard to do. I don’t want a Mac and it seems a bit too customer. Edgar comes over and does install and super expensive. I will wait for the BACCH in a box for less than 5k. Then I will jump in. The bonus of that kind of system is any 2 ch music to feed it. Atmos or object based has to be mixed and will always be limited. 
 

For the poster that says their tuned 2 channel system is just as good as a 5.1 has not listened to a proper system. Also atmos is min 5.1.2. Just adding a center for dialog improves movies.  2 vs multi ch for movies no contest. Playing a 2 ch song via some stupid DSP to multi ch surround. Yuch. Just have a good 2 ch setup is better.

I think the bigger point is you can have both. As long as your pre has bypass.  If it does not then you will end up compromising the 2 ch system to share speakers and amps.  

Comparing Quad from 70’s is not exactly even close comparison to object based music. 

Streaming also has opened the door to make this generation of multi channel music to be more successful. Comparing to SACD and DVDA is unfair. Need special players and setups etc.  not to mention to finding the discs. Millions upon millions have apple and Amazon and tidal. It’s there ready and waiting. The entire library of them. 

this forum is not exactly know for its open mind-ness and probably not the best place for the OP to try and find others to join in the fun. 

@britamerican  A few hundred is not dominant  did you mean few hundred thousand?  Even so most have zero clue what BACCH is outside the audiophile world. But millions know what spatial audio is as they have tried it since it’s on mainstream’s streaming services  D o they like and use? Justly still out  will they build a 5.1 system just for it, prob not   But 5.1 systems have sold and continue to be sold at numbers greater than people like us who have dedicated 2 channel systems.  We are the outliers.

Also when I said anything will work I was referring to BACCH  you just play the 2 ch through the filter no mixing needed as it is with object based  object based needs studio work  

@kota1 when I said someone has not listened to a proper 51.1 I was was referring for only movies.  Not music  I do not recall who posted they have heard movies on both and said the 2 ch was just as good.  

@britamerican Please join the PSAudio forum and ask those guys. They do not have special music and I would not call it spacial. It’s filters they control with an iPad.  I don’t own I just read their posts and they love it. Hard core 2 channel people.