move to multi-channel audio-only

There are some great jazz 5.1 sacd's. Best to hear the Miles/Blue hybrid. It duplicates the original mono, three channel source material, no mixing. Hear the 'real thing'. I have red book cd's of Blue, together with original vinyl, sacd sounds best.

There are others out there and when the blu ray audio format is settled on, many old masters will be available at 256 bit rates. While the surround is ify, the three channel source material will open up new listening experiences. The sound stage and imaging is truly best in three channel.

I've used the Sony TAP-9000es multichannel analogue preamp in conjunction with the Sony SCD-XA777es multi-channel SACD player for about the last six years. With a properly set-up multichannel speaker system, where the center is dead ahead, the fronts are at offset 30 degrees from center and the rears 110 degrees from center, all equidistant from the listener, the results in my opinion are spectacular and far more engaging than standard two-channel. About a year ago, I replaced my Sony prepro TAE-9000es with a Sony STR-DA5200es receiver which I use only as a preamp. It has a "Multistereo" mode which simulates surround sound playback from two-channel sources such as redbook CDs and comes very close to the immersive effects of true multichannel SACD playback. Perhaps I am at odds with purists who prefer two-channel reproduction, but I am always more engaged and emotionally inspired by the multi-channel soundstage, observing greater sonic clarity and imaging with this setup.

That's what I am all about. See www.stereophile.com/musicintheround

BTW, there are thousands of multichannel SACDs which you can browse at www.sa-cd.net

Kal

I had a high quality surround system, in a fairly large room, a few years back...Sony XA-777es, Krell amps, Apogee speakers, VMPS subwoofers. Sound was outstanding at times, except...I was an early adapter, and good surround disc's were far and few between. Most were remixed garbage, or...just plain over the top, with show off effects that I didn't like.

I may give it another go someday?

Dave