Why is 2 Channel better than multi-channel?

The holy grail is a cohesive soundfield with holisonic acoustical presentation that allows the listener the freedom to occupy that space without trying to suspend his disbelief that he is experiencing a mechanical event. We all are seeking that " you are there presence " that sitting before live musicians affords. After the mastering of the equiptment chain and learning the specifics of speaker placement we are left with the most compelling issue that is inescapable: the damn room and its effects on our work. The decades of slaving over just 2 speakers has been replaced by the near impossibility of integrating 4, 5 6 7 or god help us , more speakers in that same space. We have been so reluctant to utilize dsp for fear of corrupting the purity of our work that much r and d was lost . Tact came along and shut most of us up. Rives is taking the lead too and we all need their help as the equation expands . My audio listening prowess dramatically increased as i have spent countless hours working on my own multichannel system and I swear , my Aerial 20 t s sound just fine all by themselfs thank you but still I forge ahead seeking that grail myself. Maybe we just need something to occupy ourselfs as most of us here on this site are focused or obsessive already and it keeps us interested in our hobby. I neeed to wash my hands, again.

I dont think i can accept the position stated above that by the very nature of the multichannel configuration , imaging constraints are aleviated. This is certainly just my opinion but quite the opposite is what I have concluded.....sorry. What I am getting at is that the adding of more speakers and channels of music contaminates the imaging without the meticulous protocol of proper integration . That trial and error journey has created some serious late night hair pulling sessions but breakthroughs eventually evolve . I understand Slappys thinking in that with movie soundtracks that rely on sound effects, imaging problems are ameliorated with the addition of more speakers but I evaluate multichannel strictly on music coherency and once you are somewhat satisfied with your work there , movies sound excellent. I agree with him that 2 channel smokes mullti in all but a few demonstrations I have been a part of { including ces shows } and that itself illuminates the issue of the great difficulty we are facing in mulltichannel integration.

correction. Multi... not mullti. got excited for a moment.

Eldartford , I look forward to that opportunity and will make efforts . I agree wholeheartedly with you in that a poorly mastered multichannel disc cannot be salvaged by any means for the most part . The thrust of my observations about the difficulty in achieving coherency in multichannel sound presentation was just that : its difficulty. I am a firm believer in multichannel and by evidence of my investment in my "theatre " / multichannel setup , I am in this to win. Its just that Slappy is damn near correct in what he is saying. Note the word near. I keep stumbling into this scenario whereby frustration in the results keeps many from appreciating what a properly set up multichannel system can be like. I am a certified soundfield coherency freak and my relentless pursuit of perfection leaves me thirsty which in turn keeps me studying and experimenting. There is and has been a dearth of knowlege and readily available articles that articulate a definitive and widely agreed upon formula to once and for all settle the question of how to get sonic bliss in a multichannel configuration. Widescreen Review was one of the first to insist on ditching bi or dipolar surrounds in favor of 5 identical , equidistant { from listening position } full range speakers in the room. Equal speaker legnths were part of that equation I seem to remember as well as equal amplification . . These articles have been long forgotten by many as the magazine has been obsessed with video for a couple of years now but they did indeed lead the charge in advocating this setup. Its a near unrealistic goal as most simply cannot do much of it ; but we should try. I would not give up multichannel and done properly , can and does out perform 2 channel with good software. I like G Holts articles too by the way. Eldartford , what are some other good recordings in multichannel you like?

What Eldartford is saying is correct in that gen x-y ers are growing up in automobiles and that is where they are cutting their " audio teeth". They spend gobs of cash on car systems and the sense of surround is mandatory and the progression to dvd-a discs will be the next rage . This is where dvd-a will take off . I am in the sacd camp however and hate to witness this fight .