Hate to ask......

I think the HT and High-End audio are a deadly combination. Unfortunately, to get into the high-end home theater, it tends to cut into the high end audio budget. Baby steps is easy to preach, but hard to practice.

With my most recent 2-channel system, I started with NHT 3.3's and a Sunfire stereo amp, Proceed PCD and PDP digital front end, with a BAT VK-3i preamp.

That has since evolved into NHT 2.5i's in the rear (wall-mounted!! I'll send pictures, if you don't believe me), NHT HDP-2's on the sides, and an additional Sunfire Cinema Grand to drive them all. And the preamp is in constant rotation. I'm currently using a Sherwood (Not as bad as you might think) AVP-8090, as I just sold the Acurus ACT3.

I'm also running DUAL Mirage BPS-400's (front and rear).

Sometimes I consider the gear I could own now, if I hadn't bought into the home theater circus. But... No regrets. But upgrading the system requires lots more hardware than it used to.

For the most part, I hate it. I mean, the average $350 receiver yesterday was better than the ones today. A $350 receiver rated at 100*2 or 100*5, they don't even specify frequency resp. anymore. The hundred watts is at only 1khz usually. Why bother making the amp so "powerful"-- to sell it. Specs aren't everything but when they are that bad.... The designers have to squeeze five channels into one box plus the decoders. And inflation isn't such nor is lowered production costs enough to make a decent unit. I still don't see the point of full frequency extension in the surrounds. The luxury of stereo bass in two channel isn't even that great sometimes depending on alot of rooms. (And its hard enough to get one sub in the right position much less four) And marketing has "everyone" thinking they need it these days. Not to mention the big dumb TV screen between the speakers can't help imaging one bit. And who really watches that many movies compared to music anyhow? You can do home theater as good as 2 channel--its just going to cost super-exponentially more get the same quality in a 2 ch when you have to buy all these other speakers, amps, processors. And the only way to alleviate the dumb tv screen is to buy a rear projector with a retractable screen. But if you like your movies. Of course this is coming from someone who doesn't even own a TV.

I somewhat agree with cornfed's comments about the distraction caused by the center channel speaker. However, while I don't have HT in my home (yet), the salient feature for me has always the presence of the rear channels, and not the addition of the center. I have no problems hearing a full soundstage with my 2 channel system, and can't imagine how the presence of a center channel (mixing issues aside) will add anything of significance. However, I can see how the addition of rear channel information could certainly enhance the musical experience, if done properly.

I both rue and look forward to the day when multichannel audio is readily available. Sadly, it'll likely require a center channel, and will certainly burst the seams of my wallet to get the kind of audio quality I've become accustomed to. However, its very likely to open an interesting new bag of musical experiences that I'm dying to have.

Cheers,
Ken

I will most likely catch it from Cornfed, but my two channel system is also my HT system, and they occupy the same space.

I agree with him that you cannot have ANYTHING in between your stereo speakers, so my big screen Pioneer goes away and comes back (on wheels) when it is needed for HT. My center channel is a Vandersteen Dialogue speaker, powered by an Atmasphere OTL. All is wired with Purist Proteous speaker and interconnect cables. My side channels ( were ) Fosgate SD 180 THX bipolars powered by mono bloc Sound Valves with Telefunken tubes. These too were wired with Purist Proteous speaker and interconnect cables.

In anticipation of the new Dolby system ( with rear centers ), I just purchased four B&W surround speakers last week to replace my Fosgates. I plan to install them as the construction/acoustical project in my listening room draws to a close. I have already had the sweep tests run by a recording studio design firm, and know exactly where and how to treat the space.

My movie player is the Sony SACD/DVD 9000, and there are multiple runs of precision video cable from the progressive scan out to an outlet in the floor beside my right channel. These hook up directly to the big screen Pioneer only on Friday and Saturday night when the family groups up for movies.

My stereo speakers are Soundlab Ultimate 1's powered by Wolcott tube mono blocks. These become the right and left channel for the HT when all is fired up. I also have two 15" sub woofers manufactured by Unisphere of Canada which are run exclusively by the sub woofer outputs on my processor. Otherwise it, and all the other HT gear is disconnected from the wall when it is time for the two channel to reign supreme.

My Callisto preamp has one input marked video. I select that input and the signal from the Dolby 5.1 processor ( FRONT channel only ) is fed through that input. My Callisto's preselected volume setting is 12:00 O'clock, and the long run of Dominus RLS cable between it and my Mono blocks remains undisturbed.

At this point, the remote control for the Dolby Digital 5.1 processor becomes the volume control for the entire system. When the movies are done, the HT system is disconnected from the AC supplies, and the stereo system stands alone again until the next family gathering for movies.

Could better HT be had? I have heard many systems demo'ed at stores in various cities, and multiple times at CES over the years. Mine will not play as loud as most of the crash bang demo's I have suffered through, but mine is the lowest distortion and most magic I have ever heard. It is fun enough to enjoy and will still allow you to watch the movie and accept the sound as part of the visual experience rather than the reason for its existence.

To Kjg and some of the others, a center channel works best if you have your mains spread out quite a bit and you are seated a bit away from the screen. There is NO advantage to using a center channel if the mains are only 6' - 10' apart ( depending on their size ) and your sitting on top of the screen. Given a situation like that, it is probably a disadvantage so long as your mains are "decent".

In a wider room and sitting back a reasonable distance from the screen, mains that are spaced a good distance apart add even more "ambience" or "spacial cues" to sound effects and imaging. After all, a plane that buzzes from left to center to right in an 8' distance sounds a LOT different than one that motors across a 13' - 15' distance and slowly blends from left to center to right. Of course, not everyone has the room to accomodate such a system or speakers big enough to work well in a situation like that.

Something else that comes into play in a major way in situations like this is the dispersion patterns for the mains and center. Most people don't even think about the height or angle of the center speaker or take the time to properly aim it. Like anything else, "garbage in equals garbage out". It takes effort and planning to get ANYTHING to work at full potential. Sean
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