2 channel vs. multi-channel

[Feanor]

I only voted once, which was an attempt at humor (which obviously I failed at), but I'd vote for multi-channel, hands down, if I could do a do-over.

I voted 2C music, MC for HT, but that leaves the wrong impression that I don't favor MC for music.

Now hear this: MC sound from a good recording is much more real than stereo.

[GMichael]

I only voted once, which was an attempt at humor (which obviously I failed at), but I'd vote for multi-channel, hands down, if I could do a do-over.

HAHA I was replying to someone's question as to who had voted so far. I thought your joke was fine.
It's good to see so many diverse answers.

[radtech13]

For music I preferr two channel. Multi channel really does nothing for me. It is not bad when listening to a live M/C recording, but that is about it. For H/T it good, but even then it depends on what type of movie is being viewed. It does nothing for a comedy!

[PeruvianSkies]

Well, this is a close race for sure!

[GMichael]

Well, this is a close race for sure!

Well, let's see. We have 5 for 2 only and 12 for 2.0 for music. I will put these two together for 17 total.
Then, 3 for multy, 2 for 50/50 and 9 for whatever it's recordered in. (I know that it seems that this could be added to the 2.0 as well but IMO the 2 only folks would never ever buy a multi track. So, this is multi for me)
Make that 15 for multi.

I forget what the two "others" were.

Yeah, kind of close. That explains why there have been so many arguments in the past. The sides are too even.

[PeruvianSkies]

While this poll started out pretty strong, just like other polls, after a few days they die off. I wish there was a separate section just for POLLS that was more visual and interesting and might engage people to do more voting.

[GMichael]

I'm happy with the 37 votes. It was a good turnout.

[westcott]

From a theoretical stand point, the more speakers the better to accurately produce sound. From a reality standpoint, tough to get good recordings in any format. I voted multi although I still have a dedicated two channel system.

[E-Stat]

From a theoretical stand point, the more speakers the better to accurately produce sound.

You might find this guy's ideas interesting.

rw

[PeruvianSkies]

I'm happy with the 37 votes. It was a good turnout.

Probably from the 37 of us 'regulars' on here.

[Sedan Delivery]

2 channel before dishonor

[Rock789]

My vote is for .1 LFE. I am surprised no one else said this yet, but I prefer to listen to all my music and movies with no speakers involved except the .1 LFE sub channel. It get's a little hard to hear what they are saying in movies at times, but some guys with deep voices sound pretty sweet coming through the sub.

ROFL!!!
thats too good!

[Rock789]

I voted whichever it was recorded...
but given an option, I like multi channel...

[PeruvianSkies]

When this poll first appeared I wasn't sure what type of outcome there would be, but now looking back and see the responses and the results it's nothing really that shocking, in fact the results pretty much conclude exactly what happens on this forum and is essentially a good summary of the people who are here and such. If you think about the results and compare them to many of the threads/arguments/discussions over the course of time it's no wonder we have a variety of opinions, but the most common one always seems to be between dedicated 2-channel and 2-channel w/ multichannel capabilities, which essentially boils down to 'what it was recorded in' for most folks.

[kexodusc]

If this poll was representative of the population, I'd say it was a major coup for multi-channel music. Considering the decades stereo has had to establish itself, and the overwhelming edge it has in numbers still today, for multi-channel music to enjoy the support it's received here is really saying something.

Most people have little knowledge about good stereo sound, and only a fraction of that would be familiar with multi-channel music. Think it's safe to assume even fewer would have experienced a well set up mulit-channel system for music only (not home theater). Too bad, really.

I went into a BestBuy recently to buy some DVD-A's/SACD's, since this thread started. I asked 2 guys there where the DVD-Audio's were and both directed me to the concert DVD's. I can say with great certainty that the majority of the time I mention DVD-A, people think concert DVD's. With SACD's it's not much better.

Not sure what else to add to this thread that hasn't already been said.

[Rock789]

I went into a BestBuy recently to buy some DVD-A's/SACD's, since this thread started. I asked 2 guys there where the DVD-Audio's were and both directed me to the concert DVD's. I can say with great certainty that the majority of the time I mention DVD-A, people think concert DVD's. With SACD's it's not much better.

Not sure what else to add to this thread that hasn't already been said.

the Best Buy's around Ohio have done away with their SACD and DVD-A sections!
it's crazy!
I use ebay mostly for my SACD purchases now ;o)

[filecat13]

I chose the 50-50 option, since it was the only thing that sort of represented my position.

I think some of us have more than one system, some with both stereo and MC. I try to have the best I can afford of each, though the MC ultimately costs more.

I've got a bunch of money (well, in my world, anyway) invested in the MC set, and the 2 channel set is quite special, but they both have different personalities. So in many instances it depends on the room I'm in and the mood I'm in and the music I'm listening to...

Almost all music sounds great in MC through PLIIx-M, but my DVD-As sound great in the two channel room, too.

If I could only have one, then I'd choose MC, because when I put that system in two channel mode, I get excellent stereo, too.

[PeruvianSkies]

If this poll was representative of the population, I'd say it was a major coup for multi-channel music. Considering the decades stereo has had to establish itself, and the overwhelming edge it has in numbers still today, for multi-channel music to enjoy the support it's received here is really saying something.

Most people have little knowledge about good stereo sound, and only a fraction of that would be familiar with multi-channel music. Think it's safe to assume even fewer would have experienced a well set up mulit-channel system for music only (not home theater). Too bad, really.

I went into a BestBuy recently to buy some DVD-A's/SACD's, since this thread started. I asked 2 guys there where the DVD-Audio's were and both directed me to the concert DVD's. I can say with great certainty that the majority of the time I mention DVD-A, people think concert DVD's. With SACD's it's not much better.

Not sure what else to add to this thread that hasn't already been said.

I asked a guy one time at Best Buy (actually I wasn't planning on asking anyone a question, but he asked me if I was looking for anything and he was the 3rd person in about 2 minutes that asked me, so I obliged and asked my question) where the SACD's are and he lead me on an adventure over to the blank media and handed me some CD-r's, which I laughed in his face for a second and then asked how long he had been working there, to my shock...5 1/2 years. I then proceeded to explain what an SACD is and he then directed me to a few titles that he could find....guess what....they were DualDiscs. I walked out a few minutes later empty handed.

[emorphien]

My local best buy has had a 3'x3' section of display shelf dedicated to the multichannel discs. I check it once in a while, there are some things there I want to get but I just haven't gotten around to it. I've never tried asking if any could show me to where they are.

[kexodusc]

BestBuy's have been an invaluable source of MC music for me - every few months they seem to dump all the crappy titles that don't sell - including oddball formats. I routinely find DVD-A's and SACD's on the cheap there.
2 Widespread Panic DVD-A's for $15.98 last time. Woo hoo.
They don't know much about the, don't display them, and they barely sell them, but thank heaven the monkeys at BB command keep sending SACDs and DVD-As to the stores.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I asked a guy one time at Best Buy (actually I wasn't planning on asking anyone a question, but he asked me if I was looking for anything and he was the 3rd person in about 2 minutes that asked me, so I obliged and asked my question) where the SACD's are and he lead me on an adventure over to the blank media and handed me some CD-r's, which I laughed in his face for a second and then asked how long he had been working there, to my shock...5 1/2 years. I then proceeded to explain what an SACD is and he then directed me to a few titles that he could find....guess what....they were DualDiscs. I walked out a few minutes later empty handed.

That's funny PS, but it's pretty much representative of the retail stores I've checked into around my area. I have to admit though that one time when I went to a BB, it only took two store *clerks* to get me pointed in the right direction. And like Kex pointed out, the rack was filled mostly with off-the-wall titles.

I really think some of these retailers just don't get the MC concept, because it seems like for one thing they're not pricing these based on the disk's resolution or capabilities, at least that was the case at my local BB store, and the employees for the most part don't have a clue about this technology (What ever happened to the "know your product" sales approach?). This is just another reason to buy from the Amazons and CD Universes of the world, where all you have to do is plug in DVD-A or SACD into a search box and with a little refining, you'll get right where you need to be. I get a lot of free shipping deals, no sales tax, and some fuel cost savings to boot. But to cloud the matter even further, DVD-A's aren't following any particular content layout standard. I've got five DVD-A's now, two are layed out in "group" fashion, the two Genesis disks are layed out more like a conventional DVD with a separate DVD-A disk, and Dream Theater's Systematic Chaos set with a "bonus" DVD which has the MC mix as well as a documentary, which I assume is also a DVD-A (nothing on the disk label to indicate that).

[GMichael]

That's funny PS, but it's pretty much representative of the retail stores I've checked into around my area. I have to admit though that one time when I went to a BB, it only took two store *clerks* to get me pointed in the right direction. And like Kex pointed out, the rack was filled mostly with off-the-wall titles.

I really think some of these retailers just don't get the MC concept, because it seems like for one thing they're not pricing these based on the disk's resolution or capabilities, at least that was the case at my local BB store, and the employees for the most part don't have a clue about this technology (What ever happened to the "know your product" sales approach?). This is just another reason to buy from the Amazons and CD Universes of the world, where all you have to do is plug in DVD-A or SACD into a search box and with a little refining, you'll get right where you need to be. I get a lot of free shipping deals, no sales tax, and some fuel cost savings to boot. But to cloud the matter even further, DVD-A's aren't following any particular content layout standard. I've got five DVD-A's now, two are layed out in "group" fashion, the two Genesis disks are layed out more like a conventional DVD with a separate DVD-A disk, and Dream Theater's Systematic Chaos set with a "bonus" DVD which has the MC mix as well as a documentary, which I assume is also a DVD-A (nothing on the disk label to indicate that).

You should have seen what I went through trying to find an IMAX DVD. It took 5 Salespeople to figure out that IMAX really existed. Then finally one said, "Oh, you mean those nature type movies. We have those Discovery movies in that isle." I ended up buying on-line.

[Abex]

I got off the merry-go-round a few years ago and will someday get back into it since I have been trying to each some kind of sound which I do not need to worry about upgrade wars.

It seems that is what makes the cos. money is the upgrade fever.

I have the speakers I will live the rest of my life with.The only thing left is getting the playback that I do not need to keep changing units out for.

I sold a great system a few yrs. ago in favor of Panasonic Class-D .but I wish I had not now as the best system I owned was using a Passive Pre and a SS amp.

I have a vinyl collection I want to listen to again,but I will not own 2 systems in order to do so. I am not into MP-3's and all the changing formats. SACD seems to have burned many and now there is Blu-Ray or whatever they are calling it.

I do watch more TV and Movies ,but I also love Music and there seems to be trade-offs for everythiing.

Pure Digital has come a long way,but I still love vinyl.The early CD recording sucked wind and it took a decade for engineers to get the most from that format.Now MP-3's have ruined purist audio due to compression.People and the younger people don't seem to realize what they are missing when having a great system. To me it's almost a sexual ,senstional experience rather than muddled sound.Some say they hear no difference.I do!

When you have a good reproduction system then you can hear the subtle differences in playback. With a good system just changing cables will make a difference. Listening to something like Guns & Roses one can hear just how bad their recordings were.

There are many things which I have on vinyl which I cannot get on CD's. That is why I like vinyl beside the fact that the soundstaging that vinyl has is better in some instances than Digital.

To get Digital right one has to spend 1000's maybe 10's of 1000's to equal it IMO.I got great Digital playback for a few 1000 ,but one has to know what to get and what synergy is concerning their choices.

Hey that's just my opinion though and I am glad to be off the merry-go-round for awhile.Atleast till I build my house with a dedicated entertainment room designed to get the most from my speakers.

Good luck on the hunt!

[Feanor]

I got off the merry-go-round a few years ago and will someday get back into it since I have been trying to each some kind of sound which I do not need to worry about upgrade wars.
....
I have a vinyl collection I want to listen to again,but I will not own 2 systems in order to do so. I am not into MP-3's and all the changing formats. SACD seems to have burned many and now there is Blu-Ray or whatever they are calling it.
I...
There are many things which I have on vinyl which I cannot get on CD's. That is why I like vinyl beside the fact that the soundstaging that vinyl has is better in some instances than Digital.

To get Digital right one has to spend 1000's maybe 10's of 1000's to equal it IMO.I got great Digital playback for a few 1000 ,but one has to know what to get and what synergy is concerning their choices.
...
Good luck on the hunt!

Abex,

You're not the first person to suggest that they or others have somehow been hoaxed or exploited by SACD. But it's a line of logic I just don't follow. How were you (or they) burned? Did you buy hardware and software on the basis that SACD was the trend of the future, and you are disappointed that it remains a niche product?

Regardless of any insinuation to the contrary, I'm convinced that Sony and other prime players never expected or wanted SACD to go mass market. Indeed, their intention was, (and is), to make it a niche market product, that is, a market stratification product, designed to skim those who are able and willing to pay a little more than the typical consumer. Are they disappointed that demand has been as slight as it has and the selling price differential so small? Maybe, nevertheless they aren't really surprised.

Roughly half of all SACD titles are classical, even though classical music comprises a much, much smaller portion of the overall market. This is no surprising in light of the its niche status. Classical listeners are more decerning by the nature of the music they listen to; they are the elite of listeners and audiophiles. Most of us know that SACDs (by virtue of their niche appeal) are better produced that run-of-the-mill CDs. Also, we know that multi-channel sound, properly produced and played back, can deliver a realism that 2 channel cannot -- what you will never get from vinyl or CD.

[O'Shag]

I wimped out and put 50-50. truth is I do listen to two-channel for music a little more because of vinyl.

I believe many people get disillusioned with multi-channel music because they use conventional direct radiating speakers for the rear channels. This can cause sensory confusion, with too much information beamed directly at the ear from the rear. I've found that for MC to work best, then one must use bi-pole/di-pole for the rear with a broad non-focused dispersion pattern. My MC SACD/DVD-A/DTS system can sound aboslutely amazing. For me though, when I put a record on - say an original 40+ year old record of Mose Allison live at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach CA., - played on my Musical Fidelity M1 turntable through my MC Reference Prototype preamp, the music comes alive in such a way that the air sizzles with the energy - I am transported to that little jazz club one night in the 1960s.