Why is 2 Channel better than multi-channel?

I have been into HT for a while and currently have a system that rocks with movies that are produced well. My whole set up cost me less than 7K. Certainly not audiophile class.
I recently started to listen to more music and was trying to figure out what the best solution would be ie. upgrade home theater system or a separate system for each. Here what I have learned so far.
For home theater fronts and rears are best using identical speakers. Center channel would probably work best with the same speaker again. This usually becomes a problem with regards to shielding.
If you were to set up a system like this for music as well as HT it would work fine if you use a processer with 5 channel stereo (a dsp mode).
Problem is the cost/space for extra speakers.
For audio two channel seems to be the way to go since there is very little that is produced to listen to in any other format and even less that is done well.
I just picked up a pair of Joseph Audio monitors to use for music and will probably purchase a new amp to run them. Hopefully this will make a big enough difference in quality to justify the cost of additional equipment.
So here's the end result of my research so far. Ht set up is for HT and if you want to listen to music, get the best pair of speakers and amp you can afford and stick to two channels. At least until there is something produced for multi-channel listening that's worth doing an all in one system.
Just a newbies opinion.

"Certainly not audiophile class."

What are you talking about, man? Proper component selection and matching is what makes a system "audiophile class". If you know what you're doing, get your electricity properly filtered and your speakers and room acoustics setup right, you'll have "audiophile class" without having to spend outrageous money.

More than a few people have expensive systems that are not musical. A total waste of resources, I would say.

Musicality is the name of the game.

Take it from one of the kings of bargains...

Most engineers can't get it right with only two channels, I have very little faith that any will get it right with 5, 7 or 10 channels.

I'm using a Primare P30 pre/pro in my 2-channel system. It has a 100% analog by-pass mode which really helps sonically. I've compare it with an Ayre k3-x preamp in my home and the Primare was signifanctly better in most respects. It retails for $4k but you can probably do better price-wise.

There's probably a number of reasons that a good 2-channel is usually better than a multi-channel setup. I'll take a stab at a few reasons:

1. Perhaps because it has to do more, multi-channel equipment historically has usually been sonically inferior when compared to traditional 2-channel equipment. Though that is changing.

2. An excellent multi-channel system would cost significantly more than an excellent 2-channel system. Therefore, if one had a budget of say $10k, the sonics would hopefully be far superior in the 2-channel because one would be able to afford better quality 2-channel equipment than spreading that budget out for 5 pair of cables, speakers, amplifiers, etc..

3. I just don't know why. I've listened to some very pricy surround systems costing $50k or more and it just sounds, shall we say, different.

So I figure, why hassle with the added expense and headache of all those cables, speakers, etc. and just enjoy what one has.

I believe that if you purchase the right 2-channel equipment and setup your system properly, you'll be in want of nothing.

Besides, life's pretty complicated as it is.

-John

My 2-channel HT is starting to sound *really* good. The Swans have finally broken in and dynamics have increased tremendously...

I've had a couple people listen to movies on my JVC XV-45 DVD player and they don't feel any need for surround speakers. The DVD is sitting on four Vibrapods which in turn rest on an MDF board coupled to the TV table with Blue Tack. The digital signal is sent via a 50' coaxial run to my Soundstream/Krell DAC-1 and the sound is really something! Pretty amazing for so little money...