Vote

Not ot hurt anyone's feelings, but, a multichannel system is not in my future.

Like most home owners, I do not have room for two separate systems. So when I put my system together, I put a lot of emphasis on picking components for music first, then video second. Contrary to many of the "audiophile" snobs and their ravings, it is possible to put together a system which sounds great for two- and multi-channel music and video. My system consists of a Levinson 37 CD transport, Proceed AVP, Proceed HPA2 amps, Thiel CS3.6 and MCS1 speakers, Transparent cables and a Sony S7700 DVD player. Many of my audio buddies have left my house shaking their heads in disbelief that a "home theater" system can sound so good. Note, however, that I always listen to CDs in 2 channel mode and I avoid the badly mixed multi-channel music CDs/DVDs.

Pardon me, ladies and gentlemen, but television, even if it's meant to replay a movie, is just not enough for me to lay out serious green that I earn as a letter carrier. I have better things to spend my money on.

I'd rather optimize two channels than compromise with six channels.

I am ashamed to mention it, but yes, I am segragationist! It is just not appropriate to mix two differnet systems. Tubes must stay with tubes, stereo with stereo, and the home theater must be only with its own kind! I find I do not need stuff as good with home theater as I do with stereo. So, even though they sit beside each other, they do not cross each other's paths. Now, once in a while one will swap with another, so I really am not a total segragationist, now am I?

For my stereo and SACD listining enjoyment, I have a pair of B&W Nautilus 803 Loudspeakers, a Krell IL30i Integrated Amp, and my front end is the Sony 555ES SACD player. The entire combo sounds superb on both Super Audio and regular CD,which is set up in my living room. In my den resides my home theatre. I use a 36" Sony WEGA XBR television, and a Sony DVD/CD/SACD player, the DVP-NS900V, and a Sony reciever, the 120 watt per channel DA5ES, which is a 6 channel model with all the latest bells and whistles. My home theatre speakers are the Infinity IL50 towers as the main front pair, with matching center and wall mountable surrounds in the timbre matched IL Infinity line. Needless to say, the sound is superb for both movies, DVD concerts, CDs and I am also enjoying multi-channel SACDs on this system. For pure stereo sound, I still greatly prefer my two-channel B&W rig. But to be honest, I also love my music in surround sound. To hear SACD in surround mode is just fantastic. In fact, I also love to listen to my jazz and classical on my Home Theatre system played through the Dolby Digital 2 mode, which can often enhance recordings. So, I listen to both systems quite a bit, but I'll always treasure my two-channel system.

I'm still in college, so I can't afford two systems. I do try to get the best for a 2-channel front end and go from there. Only 1 more year till real money!

went from dolby digital back to two-channel! Home theater takes up so much space, plus you can get much better quality for your money without spending too much if you stick to 2-channel.

I had a theater, but now it's my son's room. In my office, I have a two-channel system. If my son does good in school I told him we could put the theater system (upgraded, of course) in his room. So all I have now is good old two-channel for the Zeppelin to play through.

Too many cables

When I bought my A/V receiver I also bought a home theater speaker system. I was disapointed with the response of the "main" left/right speakers, so I went to the atic and retrieved my Ohm Model L speakers to use as the main speakers, then I found that the center chanel did not match the sound of the Ohms so I went upsairs again and got one of the Dynaco A-25s that I was using for the rear speakers in my quadraphonic system from the seventies and after finding the proper placement to keep it from interfering with the TV picture, I found the sound for my music restored. I now use what were the front speakers in the rear chanels and I still use the sub although its need is questionable.

Home theater is of absolutely no interest, nor is multi-channel audio.

Separated at birth! The male is a beautiful two-channel fellow with devastating athletic ability and his sistere is complete with all the accessories any properly-dressed lady should have. Both have grown to fine individuals with nary a health problem. All praise to the audio gods on high!

I'd eventually like a home theatre system, but of a lower quality and thus far less expensive than the music system. Got to get the priorities straight!

I like having my DVD and VHS players hooked directly to the TV. That is good enough for me. I just do not see the point of surround sound for movies. And I am perfectly happy with good old two-channel sound for my music listening.

The built-in speakers with "Spatializer 3D Sound" in my Panasonic rear projection TV are good enough for video. It actually works! Images float all over the place. It sits next to my $25,000 pile of hi-fi stuff, and sounds just fine.

My dream system is in its own dedicated listening room. MY ROOM. Total investment about 10K if you count the room itself, 7.5K for just the components. The HT system is a small one in the living room. Small speakers cheapy reciever and DVD player. Total investment is about 2.5K including the 32" TV. Its fine for what we use it for.

I have a dedicated music system and another "general purpose" system. My music system is optimized for two-channel music playback but does have a center and surrounds for embellishment where music such as ambient, dance, and new age lends itself to this. My general purpose system is geared toward doing movies, games, and music reasonably well without particular priority for any one mode.

Lack of space prevents me from having 2 separate systems. However, that is the dream.

I went with separate systems several years ago in order to be able to listen to music while my family watched TV. I have also invested a LOT more in the two-channel system.

2 channel forever

I have a receiver for both music and HT. If speaker upgrade does not fix the harsh sound while playing music, I am getting a two-channel system.

you can't really get a true video system out of a two chanel system and believe that two separate system is the only way to go.

My two channel is a high end system, and my home theater system is low end, but adequate.

Ain't need no stinky HT. Ynot just go to the theather for the real thing? Unlike spending $100 buying ochestra seat in hell, $20 per person can by you ticket and plenty refreshment at even NYC.

The two channel is in my office with a tubed amp and pre. The multi is downstairs in the living room and is solid state. I like them both for what they do and don't sweat the stuff they can't.

home theater upstairs for movies, two channel downstairs for music.

Space precludes me from having a surround setup. At a certain point, however, cost starts to become the overriding factor, and to have five mono amps and five speakers, all of the same caliber, can be hideously expensive. I view surround speakers for movies as an extra thing to have, more for placing sound around you, as opposed to being there for ultimate fidelity. Most movies have artificial sound, that is, the sounds of almost everything is done separately from the video parts. Therefore, you are only hearing something that is similar to a glass breaking or a door slamming. Therefore, I do not care too much for movies about having ultimate resolution in the surround channels. If I had the space, I would keep the front left/right that I have now, and just tack on some rear speakers and a less expensive amp for those. I really do not like center channels, unless they are of the same quality as the front l/r ones. I would rather go without the center than compromise, just for the sake of having it. I do not know if music surround will sway me either way, but I won't jump into the water until a good universal player comes out that will play dvd-a, sacd, and whatever else is out there. Two players are one too many for me, and most other people.

The joys of living with roommates! I have TWO two-channel systems and a home theater system!

I have no desire to try and recreate the movie-going experience in my home. My wife and i will sometimes listen to a movie in stereo just for the hell of it, but my real passion is strictly two-channel stereo.