Who Uses Rear Surround Speakers For Music Playback?

I use the rear speakers and center when I listen to classical multi channel music. Some that are recorded well are fabulous. Some not so much. It depends on whether the recording was actually made that way. 

I think it really has to do with the source material. Some music sounds great up mixed to surround. If you can adjust the center fill on your pre/amp or receiver in Dolby Music setting you can really get some good results. One of my favorite albums to listen to in this mode is Radiohead's Kid A.

For me it's a NO. But whatever sounds good to you.
Fuzztone - Be more polite and no racist comments.

There is a rational for it. You can hear the "size" of a venue by how long it takes the echo to reach your ears. If you have the ability to delay the rear speakers you could mimic the size of any venue by adjusting the delay and relative volume. You would not need much of a loudspeaker either. It would not be an inexpensive thing to do. You need two speakers, a two channel amp and a digital processor to manage the delays. $5K anyway to do it right. Maybe some day when I have a bunch of spare cash lying around. 

If the music was recorded with surround channels I'm inlined to use them, but I tend to avoid the derived surround modes the Bryston SP3 processor can generate.  I use KEF LS50s for side and rear surround.

When I am in the family room listening to music I will sometimes run the surround system with the rear speakers on and it sounds fine to me. I have a Velvet Underground CD box set of their album Loaded and it includes an Audio DVD in surround and it sounds pretty cool. 

With that said serious listening is always on the 2-channel system.

Whatever sounds good is where it’s at. Those who thumb their noses at it can stick the whole fist up there.  
ML Motion 2s sound pretty sweet in back.  Best with seperate amps.

doesn't work for me......I have a 5.1 system in another room....whenever I want to hear music I go to my 2 channel system.

My take on it is that it’s all good...whatever the listener prefers.  There’s this “as the artist intended” school of thought.  I prefer the “as the listener intends” school.  Sometimes this listener likes “as the artist intended” so I have a fairly minimalist (although I did break down and buy a Loki...lol), 2 ch rig sharing my Audio cabinet aside a 5.2 setup for when I want a little more “stadium” than the artist intended....

I decided to ask one of our all time great audiophiles. Decided to film it so as to not risk a misquote. https://youtu.be/VKcAYMb5uk4?t=6