Hate to ask......

Mid-fi HT sound quality is below hi-end! I mistakenly thought good HT also meant good music. After years of suffering through "bad" music on my Denon AVR 5600, Def Tech BP 2000, and SONY DVD C3000, I added the Classe 150 integrated amp and ARCAM 92 CD to run my Def Tech's and the sound improvement was astounding! Furthermore, I pre-amped out from the Denon to the Classe for the front left & right HT channels and got that same improved sound quality for my HT. Before the Classe/ARCAM I was ready to ax my Def Techs but now I love the newly configured HT/music sound too much. Lesson? If you love music, using mid fi HT gear will not be satisfying so that's why I'm "down" on HT.

I did'nt read all these responses, but has anyone realized that HT has opened the eyes of many WHO WOULD HAVE NEVER FOUND 2CH NIRVANA AT ALL? I feel that HT has helped two channel audio, not kill it. In this post I'm reading about some really impressive home theaters that; reguardless of what some 2ch "only" people say, are capable of producing some wonderful 2ch music. No,.. you will not have "the best" 2ch reproduction with a TV and some componets between your main speakers, but if you pull the mains forward a bit you will have better sound than 99% of the listener out there today. This is a great hobby, and I say the more use you can get out of your hi-end componets, the better!

THIS TECHNOLOGY IS COOL, DONT FORGET TO ENJOY WHAT YOUR INVESTING IN!

Mhubbard, what you're saying applies to me. I plunged into the world of 2-channel in search of a musical experience my HT couldn't provide.

Jwong, You can still get excellent 5 channel sound quality from the same companies that make your 2 channel gear. It is a fact that Classe takes as much care with the two channel analogue sections of their 5 channel gear as in their dedicated 2 channel products. Congratulations on getting good results from your new gear, but don't blame the Denon, it's a decent product, it just wasn't high end enough for you, and don't forget your listening skills and taste are always evolving.

I don't hate HT I find it INCREADABLY expesive for premium equipment, requires more space than I have available and will require massive accoustic considerations (usually room reconstuction) and logistic considerations. Most new movies are crap and the sound tracks are even worse (car crashes, squealing tires, and gun shots that can not be reproduced realistically). Current American video standards are a joke when compared with motion picture film and even my high quality projection TV (52") pales with the size an scope of a theater screen. I find that I can listen to a CD or a vinyl album dozens of times and still be enthralled but after a few times of viewing, a movie becomes BORING. I have broken up a decent mid-fi surround-sound system and put the money into hi-end two channel which also sounds much better as a stereo sound system for movies.