If I had to drop stereo and had a choice of Atmos or high quality mono, I'd pick mono.
This new object stuff is too artificial from the demonstrations I have heard. Probably not the technology, just what has been introduced. Now, if you go back to the 60's and the research AR did on how many discrete channels it takes to actually provide a realistic 3D soundstage ( 16 if I remember) and figure out how to record them, let me know. It would also require a spec listening room which would make it useless to me even then. Still, I'd love to hear it.
My HT is a 5.1. Small room so not suitable for more advanced arrangement. I don't mind the rears, but it is only a few movies where the surrounds are not fakey. Not as bad as 3D video, but not far off. All my other systems are stereo, or at least two channel as a lot of my music is R-L, not stereo. Beatles anyone? Yea, on my desk I need to play with cross-talk some. Nearfield, close boundaries. Horrible imaging. I winder what a Schiit Syn would do with a center above my monitor?
I have not experienced BACCH filtering. I'm not aware of any available product or what requirements it puts on the playback system. I listen in my living room, not a special built listening room and I am not sure I want a laser tracking my head.
PS: Audiophiles do have a budget. When we were young, we were poor so that set a limit. Now we are older, if we want to stay married.
PPS: I did hear a reproduction, stereo, that was almost believable. If you closed your eyes, it was close enough to real it might fool some. Upright bass, 2-mic to a Revox, played back in the same room on B&W/Levenson etc. Best I have ever heard, but it was an un-mastered direct half track tape. Circa 1980, so how far have we really gotten?
