Long Live 2 Channel audio......???

Carl, my real argument for multi-channel's future dominance is not due to any sonic superiority, but due to market forces. Today the vast bulk of consumers are not buying 2 channel systems, instead they are buying multi-channel. Like it or not, HT is the dominant driver of non-portable audio systems. To your point about CDs, a format that didn't have the data storage capabilities to be multi-channel, why do you think the manufacturers are trying to get us (consumers) to migrate to DVD? Don't fool yourself and think superior sound quality is at the top of their list. It's the multi-channel sound and video capabilities. A few maunfacturers will take the time and effort to design into HT components high quality music-only capabilities. Check out what Meridian is doing. Unfortunately, most in most systems the music will only be an afterthough to the multi-channel video. BTW, whether or not musicians and audio engineers ever make realistic use of multi-channel's capabilities is a whole other question.

Yes the vast bulk of "consumers" are buying HT, but they are not buying high-end HT, they are going to Circuit City and Best Buy. If we are going to include the average consumer in the mix, then 2 channel still wins if we include the consumers who buy Boom Boxes Stereo units which sell in the hundreds of millions world wide.

Back when I was sellinng HiFi most came in looking for surround sound. I asked them, have you ever heard a very good two channel system? Most replied no. So I proceeded to show them a highend two channel system. In most cases the customer was blown away! They did'nt know that two channel could sound that good. LONG LIVE TWO CHANNEL!!

While I too would have agreed that multi-channel audio is only for home theater, this is changing. With modern delivery devices such as DVD-A, we are not constrained to the assumption that our only choice is a 5.1 configuration. At the 109th AES convention (Los Angeles September 22-25) we were able to demonstrate a 6.0 (X-Y-Z) configuration that in everyway left the listener with the impression that simple stereo is no longer good enough. I would urge anyone that is interested in the pursuit of a more realistic listening experience to not out of hand discount multi-channel audio. A follow-up report will be available on the Muse Electronics website next week (www.museelectronics.com). The future of high resolution is coming; don't discount it without giving it a listen first. Kevin Halverson

Let me put it this way Kevin. HT or multi channel,what ever one chooses to call it,will not only have to be better than 2 channel,but vastly better in every shape,form,and fashion. Those of us who were around in the mid 70s when the first attempt at multichannel came on,kow first hand of that disaster. Basically Columbia & RCA couldnt agree of decoding to we had SQ4 and CD4. Coupled to that the absolutely horrid products in the market place. I recently auditioned a high end HT unit. Well no sale here the dynamics were extreme and exagerrated,not even close to what music is suppose to sound like.For movies it might be acceptable,though I would not buy it for that use.Having been in ths hobby since 1957 Ive seen damn near ever fad come and go,but 2 channel.I do not forsee the time when 2 channel will not be viable. Just my opinion.