Why is 2 Channel better than multi-channel?

While Herman nailed it on the head, you also have to consider that you now have an even greater amount of speaker to room interaction taking place. If you have actually ever taken the time to try to obtain optimum performance with TWO speakers, you already know that you don't want to mess with trying to set up a half dozen. Sean
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Good thread. Glad to see some diverse opinions with valid points being made on both sides of the fence.

As to the stance that i ( and probably others ) took, let's just say that we have been pretty dis-illusioned with what the industry has had to offer. After all, they've handed us line after line after line of bogus advertising and propaganda regarding every "high tech" advancement that they've come up with. If this multi-channel does take off, will we have to buy a pro logic decoder ? Then what about an AC-3 decoder when that format arrives? Then what happens when DTS comes out ? I think that you get the point.

On top of that, it has "only" taken 15 - 20 years to get "redbook" cd's to sound good. While a lot of the digital knowledge that they've learned along the way can be applied to multi-channel sound, the question is will they ??? If so, to what extent and when ???

I hate to sound like a dinosaur clinging to existence as i know it, but i don't think that ANYONE wants to go through dozens of "upgrades" and "new investments" every time that they come out with a new format. Even if multi-channel SACD or DVD-A do take off, what is to say that these formats will last a reasonable amount of time ? Personally, i would put my money on DVD-A becoming a commercial success over SACD due to the multi-channel sound and video potential. I think that this is becoming more evident as commercial artists start to embrace it. While SACD may sound better ( when done properly ), quality has little to do with what the public likes or thinks is convenient.

As it is now, neither is good enough or has enough software available to make me think twice about becoming a hardcore advocate. Doing such would cause me to have to replenish my "software" collection with yet another format AND make me rethink / re-invest a large amount of time / money into making my systems "multi-channel" compatible. As such, i'm sure that i'm not alone in these thoughts or feelings.

Then again, the "commoner" with a small investment in their entertainment system might not think twice about buying the latest & greatest "full featured" multi-channel rack system from Best Buy / Circuit City for $499. To some extent, this type of division ( quality vs quantity ) pits the "audiophile" against the "average consumer". As such, we will probably end up becoming an even smaller "niche market" as things progress. After all, to the average person, "more" IS "better". Sean
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Darryl, the speakers in the rear of my HT system are identical to my mains from 200 Hz on up. Below that, the mains have dual 12's in each cabinet and the rears make use of dual 10's in each cabinet. They all use a single 8" lower midrange driver, a dome upper mid and dome tweeter above that. My center uses identical dome mids and tweeters to those found on the mains and surrounds with two of the identical 8's going down to their natural roll-offs in the 30 - 40 Hz range. I also have two subs, each housing identical 12" drivers to what are used in the mains. For power, i have 1200 wpc driving the mains and 800 wpc driving the center, surrounds and two subs. Those are all factory ratings and from the testing that i've seen, somewhat conservative numbers.

As it is, i'm "fully equipped" to do "full range surround sound" in "audiophile fashion". Truth is, i have NO interest in music being reproduced in this fashion at this point in time. Truth is, most of the recording and production techniques are SO lacking that i think it would be more of a distraction than an improvement. They've been trying to get two channel reproduction dialed in for years and we still have drum sets that span the entire width of the stage, intstruments that wander from side to side at random, etc.... How much "better" do you think that they would be able to cope with a half dozen different channels to mix and pan between ???? Sean
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PS... Supposedly, JJ's "Death Star" multi-channel recording process holds GREAT potential. He is one of the few audiophile scientists that tries to use both test equipment and his ears with common sense to improve upon what we currently have. Too bad he is retiring and the company is going to drop the project.

My comments were based on what i purchase in terms of recorded music. In plain English, i think that the "average recording" is strictly "average" at best. Those that truly stand out are far and few between. As such, i think that until the bar can be raised on 2 channel recordings to the point that the "average" recording is quite good, we are doomed for an even longer "learning process" and "fiddling with controls and effects" in multi-channel. While this is not to say that multi-channel doesn't have potential, it is meant to say that the old "K.I.S.S." theory ( Keep It Simple, Stupid ) is still quite valid. Even in these days of "high tech" and "digital ready" gear and recordings. Sean
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