Do NOT Blow Your Entire Budget on Two Channel Audio


Yes, two channel audio is here, and is not going away. However, object based audio is delightful, widely available on Tidal and Apple Music, and should be in the listening room of every music lover on the planet, not just "audiophiles. If you plan to be a music fan a year from now start building your object based audio system today. You will need:

1) A receiver/processor capable of Dolby Atmos.

2) A subscription to Tidal or Apple music.

3) A Firestick, ATV, or Nvidia Shield.

4) A minimum of 7 timber matched speakers and a subwoofer.

Once you experienced stereo would you ever go back to only mono? No, you would build a system capable of either mono or stereo. Now that object based audio has arrived do the same thing. Build a system capable of mono, stereo, AND object based audio. When Elton John heard Rocket Man in an object based format for the first time why did he demand to convert his entire catalog to Atmos? If you don’t know, then you need to go listen to Rocket Man in a good Atmos setup ASAP.

So, take your budget, DIVERSIFY, and get a good Atmos capable receiver or processor. Object based audio is NOT last decades surround sound or home theater. It is for MUSIC first, if you need a recommendation on how to allocate your budget feel free to post a question. Most importantly, you don’t NEED two systems, one for music and one for movies. A good object based audio system can play two channel music just fine. A two channel system on the other hand can’t play object based audio without a proper processor or receiver.

Greg Penny talks mixing Rocket Man in Atmos.

https://youtu.be/ggzfcUKDqdo?feature=shared

 

kota1

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?   

I'd take high quality mono over mediocre stereo.  If I needed 7 speakers I could never afford the quality I can with just 2.  I also don't have the space or inclination for a digital processor that'll cost a lot, has a million functions that will break, and will be obsolete in a few years.  

I think the consensus re: budget so far is it is better to have fewer high quality components than many mediocre ones. Question, can you actually buy high quality components without an exorbitant budget?

 

Vintage proven high quality products of the past...

I bought my 1987 Sansui alpha 300 dollars , it sell over 1000 bucks, some higher models sell at many , many thiousands dollars after all this time , mine  now after 35 years is always sought for , guess why ?

Read his description and reviews ...

My hybrid AKG K340 headphone payed 100 bucks rival any headphone i listened to and beat them...To upgrade i need a Susvara or any very costly headphone and even that i am too afraid to upgrade it because it is such good and with a completely unique holographic sound "out of the head"  and i will die with it,...Or buy another one...

This is my main system...

Inform yourself about some products and buy it used....Simple...

A flagship of the past is not necessarily obsolete...A Bugatti 1934 is not obsolete compared to a Veyron model...

 

Buy a pair of vintage Tannoy dual concentric  gold 15 inches and install them in a designed for them acoustic room and call that your audio journey...

The only costly upgrade after that it is BACCH filters 😁 But you know already that and my opinion  ...😊

Price tags dont means audiophile experience; the right gear synergy in an acoustic space means audiophile experience...

i am envious of no one even from those with better and costlier system than mine ... Why ?

Because there is a minimal  treshold of quality , a minimal or optimal one for EACH acoustic factors... When you are there you listen music in ectasy ... Upgrading appear a bit preposterous even if it is possible ...And it is...

 

Question, can you actually buy high quality components without an exorbitant budget?

@kota1 "Question, can you actually buy high quality components without an exorbitant budget?"

Define exorbitant for you.