Do NOT Blow Your Entire Budget on Two Channel Audio

I agree, object based ain’t gonna happen except for very small minority

Music, with a physical library of 2 channel content, best engineering ’capturing imaging’, and best audio playback system ’re-creating imaging’ is all you can get out of that content/equipment. Very enjoyable, far better than ’good enough, although we must admit: we are a minority, most people are content with ’good enough’. iPad to usb to ____. alexa play me _____

Streaming and re-creating ’object based’ music (no video) is a huge difference which I cannot imagine will go beyond a minority at best.

Home theater, video with directional sound: 5.1 is easy, darn good, ’good enough’. equipment and setup, relocation to another space or home. A few people go beyond 5.1 (7.1; 9.1) but a minority for sure.

4. a dual music/video system is also going to be a small minority (already is).

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Historically ’good enough’ wins. Convenience, cost’s less, ’good enough’.

33 beats 45 due to length of content/unit

beta beats laser disc; vhs beats beta, primarily due to length of content/unit

two channel audio beats short lived 3 channel for ease/cost/minimum advantage: simply duplicate existing mono setup for stereo.

refinement of alternate formats to the point of simply better happens

cassette for dictation advances to smaller and better mechanisms and tape formulas than 8 track for cars and home recording.

CD, perfect, noiseless/indestructible, smaller, initially: what’s not to like

MP3, crappy sound, I have 7 million songs on my gizmo had quite a run.

Streaming: finally back to high quality: ease, cost, no physical library, now no quality compromise, access to ’everything out there’, fits existing 2 channel system is a huge draw for many,

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Object Based is the opposite: very complicated, understanding, equipment and placement decisions; big equipment investment, physical construction involved; fixed in one specific location, not easily moved to a new space or home: ALL a heck of a lot, for ’not that much better’ when 5.1 is already darn good.

I agree with @lynn_olson

We have a modest 5.1 in our shared living space for TV/movies. It is satisfying enough. My dedicated 2ch system in a dedicated room is 10x the cost of the 5.1

@roxy54 and @oddiofyl have made valid points. It’s not gonna fly for many of us, IMO.

I have multiple systems in the house (4). I will limit this blurb to my 2-channel “A” system versus my “HT” 7.1 system herein.

- My “A” system is high-end 2-channel ($50 grand-ish) that is great for audio via cdp, or streamer / network NAS server. I also prefer QUBOZ streaming over TIDAL and APPLE.

- I’ve also got a 7.1 channel separate and discreet “C” system down in my HT mancave. But it is now limited only to multichannel BluRay movies and concerts. A lot of the material is distributed in 5.1format and no ATMOS. It’s a decent enough system FOR ITS INTENDED USE ( about $20K …half for MARTIN LOGAN 7.1 system speakers & half for electronics (2&3 channel YBA power amps, discrete all digital AV 7.1 preamp processor, & 7.1 channel digital player )

KEY POINT

Without prejudice to:

(i) the many logistical hurdles and the like already brought up in this thread about ATMOS speaker placements challenges etc,

(ii) the music industry following Elton John to re-recording in multichannel is still very limited in product choice or availability.

Simply put, there isn’t an AV multichannel receiver on this planet that can compete with a high-end 2-channel system for premium audio performance …. Not even close …. Full stop. I had the very top model CAMBRIDGE AVR and an ARCAM in prior iterations of my current HT system.

If eclectic multichannel audio stirs your drink .,,, fine …. Carry on, sir! But it is not going to influence the overwhelming cohort of mainstream 2-channel hi-fi fans, - especially the high-end audio enthusiasts - to steer away from mainstream 2-channel.

The side to side and front to back soundstage created in highend 2 channel audio is a superior 3-dimensional depth musical experience anyway IMO

Do you know where i can find a Dolby Atmos tube amp?  :)

@oddiofyl 

I ditched 5.1 20 years ago and never looked back.

That's exactly why I started this thread. Object based audio is NOT surround sound and many music enthusiasts such as yourself got burned by "surround sound". The content is already available on Tidal and Apple Music.