The problem for me is that in 2 channel I like Audio Note speakers a lot more than I like the sound of M&K standmounts with a sub for the reproduction of 2 channel music. To me it's not close.

I like the sound of the M&K in movies and surround sound music mind you but to me I would be giving up a LOT in 2 channel.

So the choices either become buy a second system for home theater/MC which I have often considered doing - or taking my system and adding to it by adding 2 rears and a pair of speakers to be used as a center channel which does work and then adding two subwoofers. My mains by themselves go below 30hz so I can set two subwoofer low enough that that I should not be able to locate them - which for whatever reason I always seem to be able to do. Apparently people should not detect location of subwoofers below 80hz but after a while I tend to locate a "weight" in the given region - ie the left if that is where the sub is situated. It's annoying and a reason I got rid of my highly touted subwoofer back in the day. UHF and others note that to do it right you really need two subwoofers and my experience concurs with that.

I can get speakers that are voiced similarly but to get the 2 more sets is well out of my price range. The cheaper alternative is actually a whole second dedicated system for me.

And some of us are picky about electronics - I have yet to see a a 7.2 Single Ended amplification system with zero feedback. That SS glare just doesn't go away - I can put up with it for home theater since we don't have reference point cues for explosions and our ears will likely focus on "effects" related sound through rear channels lessening the focus on instrument timbre. Ie - there is more to try and concentrate on and the finer points or details will be less noticed or "forgiven" by our ears due to more stimulation. The brightness in the M&K is far less a problem in home theater or MC music than it is when directly comparing it to better speakers on 2 channel for instance which is probably why I liked it for one application and not the other.

I think all of the above is different if you are starting out. Ajani noted that he has no vinyl turntable - well if you live in an area where this none - and the relatively high expense to geta high quality turntable - and then all the accessories and good phono stage and record cleaners - bah- don't bother.

As I said - if someone has invested $20,000 on their home 2 channel stereo and they own AN E speakers or Quad 2905 planars there is only so much one will be able to do here. Especially if they love the sound of it and own SE tube amps. Most of these amps do not have subwoofer outputs for a start - they are old school and have limited connection options.

If they love their speakers on 2 channel and have 5000 albums what can they realistically do here? There is not "matching" with Quads to a dynamic coned box. As the AN guy I can get "close" and run some of the smaller sets of speakers but again my amp has no Sub out. There is no SS amp that sounds like the OTO on two channel music (read or remotely as good) so it has to stay in the chain at least on 2 channel. A separate amp can drive the center and rears and do the processing and I'd be fine with changing the cables over (some people would not).

There is a lot of things that MC has that put a lot of people off. The ergonomics, the expense, it forces many to sell their systems, the space requirements and in the end IMO it is not done cheaply while retaining the quality of two channel - there is a reason I have $5000 standmounts not $500 standmounts. And I have heard most of the big time professional grade loudspeakers "before" I bought what I did - Genelec, PMC, B&W, M&K for example. If I liked their $1000 speakers better I would have bought them. In B&W's case I like their $15k+ speakers less let alone their $1k speakers.