Flatscreen between speakers

@spenav 

Not sure where you got that definition of stereo!  The word stereo actually stems from the Greek word for solid.  In modern usage it refers to playback through two or more speakers.  I don't think two-channel stereophonic was designed per se, rather it evolved and continues to evolve, especially outside North America.

The problem with multichannel is that it requires a much higher expenditure in money and space. Stereo on the other hand seems simple and clever.

Never thought an audiophile here would baulk at the cost!  Agree a little bit on space, I've had to find room for two rear tower speakers, but then I deliberately shun a centre channel.  The four height speakers are flush with the ceiling.  On the other hand, my TV (home theatre) shares the same living space as my 'stereo'.

It is quite obvious to me that if you have say 9 channels available, you can always choose to use just two.  Many multi-channel classical recordings tend to use the extra channels for ambience, but some really open up the immersive experience.  Add in video from the Berliner Philharmoniker's Digital Concert Hall and you may be in for a real treat.

Not so much in the pop/rock space but try Dire Straits on SACD, or Pink Floyd in Dolby Atmos.

Personally, I prefer a simple microphone approach, exemplified in the US by Mercury Living Presence, RCA Living Sound and then Telarc.  Set the microphones and recording gear up and let the performers control the balance.

In Australia there was a series of adverts for the Northern Territory, about the most remote tourist destination imaginable.  The tag line was "If you never ever go, you'll never ever know".

@richardbrand 

I've had some experience with multi channel classical, jazz, and rock on SACD and DVD-A. I never had a really good multichannel system so it's fair to say I really haven't tested the possibilities yet.  My house needs to have a bunch of clutter cleared out of a couple rooms. When that's done I may have the space to get a decent multi-channel setup going. I still own the discs. 

@richardbrand. You and I both have a hybrid system. I have a 9.4.4 Dolby setup.  As for the definition, check here. That’s what the patent for Stereo Phonic Sound System calls for. I would encourage you to read it. The idea that stereo systems are supposed to be flat is misleading. When done right, the musicians are placed in time and space very realistically. It can be spooky at times. Of course, the recording itself must be done right. People sometimes refer to it as speakers disappearing: it’s not magic, it’s by design.

@spenav 

Amazing how two people can interpret the written word so differently!  From your Wikipedia definition:

Because the multi-dimensional perspective is the crucial aspect, the term stereophonic also applies to systems with more than two channels or speakers such as quadraphonic and surround sound. Binaural sound systems are also stereophonic.

Then you quote a US patent filed some 40 years after the pioneering work by Alan Blumlein which was patented in the UK in the 1930s!  In Australia we have a clear distinction between Patents and Trademarks

The word "stereophonic" itself is not trademarked. It's a descriptive term referring to sound reproduction using two or more channels, and therefore cannot be trademarked

The Wikipedia article discusses the use of close microphones and subsequent artificial mixing for pop/rock and then notes:

Classical music recordings are a notable exception. They are more likely to be recorded without having tracks dubbed in later as in pop recordings, so that the actual physical and spatial relationship of the musicians at the time of the original performance can be preserved on the recording

I absolutely agree that two-channel recordings can be stunning - I currently buy anything Decca (London to you?) puts out on CD with Klaus Makela conducting (unlike most European classical record companies, Decca does not seem to do SACD).  My main speakers emulate point sources of sound and throw a huge soundstage with a sweet spot you can walk around in.

Many years ago I auditioned Duntech Sovereign speakers which each contain 7 drivers in a vertical d'Appolito configuration.  They weigh 190-kgs each and are precision time-aligned.  I found that moving my head vertically by just a couple of inches suddenly produced the huge soundstage, then just as suddenly it disappeared.  John Dunleavy used the apparent point source Quad ESL-63 as his reference, which were many times cheaper and had a huge sweet spot but could not play as loud!

Most centre-channel speakers use d'Appolito configurations, but sideways.  Enough said?

What do you do with your centre channel when you are playing two-channel?