Pick your poison...2-channel or multi?

You can have both!!! I just recently went back to multichannel and for those guys that say they aren't missing anything b/c all their music is two channel or it's less realistic b/c all the info comes from the front anyway probably haven't heard what surround formats like Prologic II can do to recordings. I love the subtle ambient info my rear channels pump out. It pulls you on stage with the performer rather than in the audience. Is it as realistic? Maybe not, but in a good concert hall you'll have a domed ceiling which will greatly amplify the reflected sound you hear and almost mimic a surround sound setup. That said, I built my system around the front 2channels and when listening to music the rears are set to small and slightly attenuated, and the center is off so the majority of sound still comes from 'stereo'. I have a seperate 2ch amp which helps as well. I don't think a center channel does a good job with music (it sits in a cabinet shelf below my TV which isn't great for sound). For movies and concert DVD's all five are properly balanced so the soundtrack determines speaker volume.

Perkadin...thats just one of the many benifits audiophiles are missing with MC. I personally prefer the center channel on a blended in with the fronts. But thats the option that I can choose. Its flexible to my taste. With 2 channel, your just stuck. What you see is what you get, unless your willing to part with another $5k. Glad to see you've come back to light.

Any other converts among us?

I'm sorry, I guess you haven't heard 2 or 4 track pre-recorded factory Reel to reel tapes. Played through one of the many fine systems that so many of us in paritcular have. You can't even think about going to put on a CD let alone a Multi track recording. Capturing the musuic in this way opens up ones senses to the art of reproduced music.

I have both. All ALON speakers on the multichannel set-up.
$10K to spend... I'd be happy as a pig in #$% with the 2 channel set-up I'd be buying.

Surfgod...Your guess is correct. I have never heard 2 or 4 track pre-recorded factory reel to reel tapes with musuic. I'm not sure if many people have heard such a thing. I'm sure that you could probably count on your hands and toes as to how many people still have cassette players, let along reel to reel players. I was born pre-1975. Can't say I've had the experience. Actually, the recording sessions I've been involved with didn't use reel to reel either. They've used 24 track digital Hard drives or ADAT type tapes. This is for pre and post production.

I would assume however, 2 or 4 track reel to reel doesn't compare to CD. Nevertheless, how would this be better than multichannel? Superior quality? Ambience? Does it capture the recording accurately for future reproduction? I would believe not!! But hey, I never heard 2 or 4 track so what do I know???!

Wait a minute surgod...but wouldn't 4-track be multichannel? Wouldn't anything more than 2 tracks be considered multichannel for that matter? Sooo...I'm a little lost here. Care to explain?

Let me guess, you've been an audiophile since you've heard your first 4 track reel to reel recording?

Pardon the snideness, but I can't get the point.