Hmm, some good points for and against continue.

I have a far superior 2-ch system than my very enjoyable HT system, but I have to admit, the benefits of multi-channel audio outweigh the benefits the superior equipment give me. My stereo system cost double my HT, but the HT playing a DVD-A or SACD will sound better than overall than the stereo system playing 2-channel. I recommend Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon for anyone to test this out!!! To each their own, but I can't wait until we finally move up from 2-channel.

Pogue: I have to agree with Sir T and gang on the imaging/soundstage advantages of multi-channel over stereo...Even the best, wide-dispersion speakers with superior off axis response will tend to result in a collapsed/skewed image as a result of the precedence effect. This is just physics. With a fixed dedicated center channel, you are allowed much more flexibility in listening location. Much like being off axis at a performance.

As for the added costs - that's misleading...setup difficulty increases, but extra speakers of a lower level of performance can actually acheive greater synergy and acheive superior in room performance IMO. You're often paying huge premiums in 2-ch equipment to improve on the flaws that exist in the 2-channel format...not so in multichannel.