Can Home Theater be "High End"?


I have an ongoing arguement with a friend of mine about this topic. What are your thoughts on this subject guys? Who considers home theater to be capable of "high end" sound and why? Or is it just all about high spl and super low rumble? Let's hear from ya!!
kgb540
Of course you can have a highend home theater, but highend two channel (for music) costs much less for the same quality, and the music software is more plentiful by a margin of 100,000 to one. I'd love to have a Runco/Stewart Filmscreen/Faroujda setup, but I can't afford $150,000 for a home theater, and enjoy my $15,000 2 channel music system as much, or more, than I would the home theater. If you have little interest in music, and primary interest in movies, by all means invest in the best home theater you can afford.
My Idea was to build a quality two channel system first: Jeff Rowland Consummate Pre Amp Jeff Rowland Model 7's Power Amps Duntech Sovereign 2000 Speakers Alpha Goertz AG2 speaker cables Magnan Signature Balanced interconnects Theta DVD CD transport Theta D/A Converter Now add for home theater: Hitachi 60" HDTV, Mono blocked center chanel (200 WATTS) Jeff Rowland Model 5 Stereo for rear channel power Duntech Prince's for rear channel speakers EAD Theater Master to control the 5 channels & last but not least a 16 x 24 building to put it all in. This is dicated 2 channel & an acceptable Home Theater. This my life long dream system. I am moving in the new building this month, I have all the electronics boxed & standing by, can't wait. Heaven can't be better than this,LOL mtineagle
As someone who custom designs and engineers hometheaters from an accoustical, visual, structural, design, and visual standpoint, I would add that, as in two channel audio, you can build a satisfying audiophile set up for HT, at all price/ambission levels, just like in 2 channel systems! I've ussually found that given the complexity of sytems usually ivolved in 5.1 channels vs 2 channel set ups, and considering the source material recorded (mixed) for movies, I'd say that the more refined experience is usally going to come out of the 2 channel system more readily, with a lot less $$$ output! The 2 channel recordings, as a whole, are simply more pure sounding than a movie mix to begin with, which would warrant a certain amount of inherrant compromise in sonics (to a point) for the movie source material! All things being on an equal playing field however, I think your going to find that It takes a lot more know how to squeeze a more refined sound experience out of a HT set up(at all price points) than with a dedicated 2 channel set up....There's simply a lot more variables to consider with HT! But, as with all equipement related considerations, there are certain tools (equipment choices) that one can zero in on, at any given budget, that will help maximize one's experience bassed on one's needs and expectations, given the medium of choice! If you'd like some suggestions, or even some quotes, I'd be happy to throw some your way! Best to ya...Alex
Besides, are there any movie soundtracks that sound as refined and natural as the best stereo discs? Not from what I've heard, and I've heard some of the so-called best on the so-called best HT setups. While it is possible to make an HT setup that's also high-end for music, the aesthetic is fundamentally different. In HT the visuals distract you. And the mix favors boomy bass and ear piercing highs. Ultimately, if you're an abs. sound kind of guy, movie sound just isn't optimized to do acoustic instruments right. Even the human voice sounds processed and electronic.