Pick your poison...2-channel or multi?

Wouldn't you speaker need to be as accurate as possible in order to reproduce the tone...of the recording? Or is it all about the over all tone of the system? We can go back and forth about the format, but I haven't heard you mention anything about the tone of the recording. If the system has its own tone, which dominates the tone of the recording, then where do I hear what the recording is supposed to sound-like? Isn't this the key to fidelity and tone? Or is it a matter of matching components to counterbalance another? You can add the multiple drivers and achieve the intended tone...of the recording...as long as the speakers are accurate. Thats like saying 2+2 doesn't equal 4 unless you use a simple calculator. It doesn't matter which calculator you use, if its programmed wrong, you outcome will not be accurate. But if the scientific or basic calculator is programmed correctly, then the outcome will be accurate.

Would you agree Phil?

Ideally, one builds a system, 2C or otherwise, that does not "add" tone to a recording that doesn't have it, nor delete tone from a recording that does. Certainly, I build my systems that way.

Of course, fidelity is a function of a whole system. A speaker, amp or source alone cannot save it if the remaining components underperform. Balance of factors is essential, since nothing is perfect.

No, I haven't yet found you can add multiple drivers and achieve intended tone if the drivers are accurate. No two drivers are fully matched. Just close. Having more just makes the inconsistencies more audible and disruptive to fidelity.

So no, I don't agree.

Phil

But this is what I don't get. Accuracy plus accuracy equals accuracy. Accurate speakers plus matching accurate speaker...equals output less than accurate???? Please explain further, if you will.

Then if no two speakers are exactly alike, just close, when why don't you listen in mono?

No, Cdw, you're missing my point. Taking one accurate driver and adding another is revealing the error between them. Then do it again, and again, and again, and you begin to have slightly distinct voices. Clarity and tone are the casualties. There are no two exactly matched drivers. This is just one of the many problems with line-source loudspeakers, even in 2C.

Phil