For me, when I used a AVR receiver, I would play music with what ever setting I wanted that sounded the best.  There are not rules.   It was fun for live performances to use all 5 channels or at least 3.1.  Usually though, just 2.1.   Now that I am just 2.1 (or actually 2.2) with no AVR, there is no center channel for music.  The imaging takes care of it all to present an audible soundstage.  

@kota1 Uh, maybe my math is off but that’s a surround system, not a 2-channel system.  I also don’t have a TV between my stereo speakers, but that’s me.  Maybe you should bring this thread to the Home Theater section where it’ll likely find a more receptive audience, and then you can discuss which preamp/processor sounds almost as good as a stereo preamp but at quadruple the cost.  Yay!

@soix

BTW, notice the title of the Toole’s article:

The ULTIMATE "Real World" Home Theater and LISTENING Room

Go look at the pics of my system and its the same setup:

TWO center channels=check

Wide channels=check

Use of front rear and rear monitors as height channels instead of in ceiling=check

VOG channel=check

MLP equidistant from front and back wall=check

Dude that means whatever you think your rocking, it is far, far NOT the ultimate. Serviceable? Probably but LOL.🤡

Me and the Toole can rock everything from stereo, to surround sound, to Auro 3D and Atmos.

Priceless 😎

Dude that means whatever you think your rocking, it is far, far NOT the ultimate. Serviceable? Probably but LOL.🤡  Me and the Toole can rock everything from stereo, to surround sound, to Auro 3D and Atmos.  Priceless.

So I guess that makes you right and the rest of the high-end stereo manufacturers and listeners wrong.  U do u dude.

@soix

It doesn’t mean that I’m right, it means I have compared a high end two channel system with an ultimate "real world" high end system and chose to have both. The button on my remote allows me to switch my setup from as few as two channels to as many as 9.2.7 depending on what best suits the content.

It also means you haven’t been able to audition an ultimate "real world" system like mine, the Tooles, or the one at USC in YOUR own home in a properly treated room. The room is 50% of the ultimate experience and hotel rooms at shows are maye real world, but far from ultimate.

So, in a nutshell, don’t dismiss using a center channel for music and I provided many references (COB,PWK,THX,DrT, etc) to help validate my opinion.