scientifically proven adding rear channels is the best way to do it.
Fact
Harvard University School of medecine (early 50's)NEJM
Bell Labs
MIT
USC
repeating Harvards study---THX
A few more that have simply confirmed earlier Bell Labs findings in the 1940's
Scientifically proven. Its the information that motivated serious companies to spend serious money to try Quadraphonic, the boat anchor of home audio.
Fact
counting on phantom speakers will never give consistent results like having real speakers. And there are other factors that profundly affect 2 channel playback of digital in a very negative way.
Fact; read the MIT paper posted by Nsgarch it is quite thorough at explaining how our current two channel setup is flawed.
draw a circle then draw a line dividing the circle in half, if the circle represents the "echo" effect on a drumstick strike your stereo system can only recreate half of the circle the rest of the circle collapses into noise. That noise is disproportionately high harmonics thus hi frequency, shift the balance of the recording.
Fact
The number of recordings that use no compression is incredibly small, like .001%. Compression is a signal to noise reality that must be addressed and not ignored.
Though the numbers may vary slightly from what I posted, that is a FACT.
You guys started in on me about digital and surround , and as you have demonstrated this area of audio is not your forte.
Fact
Mcgrogan; not being aware of the facts or refusing to acknowledge the facts does not make them opinions. This is the problem all along. I have studied and researched for 15 years. I am a film major, I have worked on feature films, I have recorded bands
etc. Believing another thing does not change the facts. Life is not that simple.
In my opinion Ive never heard an analog two channels system that even comes close to a high quality surround system. And there are many surround systems that qualify. My opinion.
Too me two channel is a joke, fact.
Doesnt matter if its analog or digital
Keep it straight dudes, Im not anti analog, give me seven discrete analog channels on an open reel tape deck and Im happy.