I've Fallen in Love With My Mistress


For sure I thought I was a loyal die-hard 2-channel guy. In my mind I was kind of smug, thinking that a 2-channel devotee was more serious about hi-fi than those home theater guys, and I could never be one of "them"....they just didn't seem to be purists like the 2-channel guys. But it seems I've been smitten by another pretty girl, a mistress....and her name is home theater. Maybe it's just an infatuation, but I'm loving it. Amazingly, I once viewed high end audio stores that started catering primarily to home theater enthusiasts as "sellouts". Now I understand. Over the past few years I've seen guys selling their equipment here saying that they're moving to home theater....and I thought that they must have been crazy.

I am spending much more time doing home theater now than 2-channel. The time I have to spend for home entertainment is not very much and HT is crowding out music listening. With Netflix providing so many movies, I can't seem to get enough. I have been trying to catch up on movies that I haven't seen over the years and I'm having a blast enjoying them. Watching movies doesn't leave a lot of time for 2-channel critical listening. I listen to my 2nd system during the day (mainly the tuner tuned to the local jazz station) while I work as background music (I work at home)and I barely listen to my main 2-channel rig at all any more. It has been months since I've plunked down in my listening chair and let the music take me away.

I have no plans to unload my 2-channel stuff, but I do feel kinda weird walking past my vinyl and cd's that has been my main source of home entertainment for decades. I feel like I'm cheating on someone that has been good to me.
128x128mitch4t
I think life is full of many excellent bottles of wine and we humans only get to open a few real treasures. Enjoy the taste while it lasts and remember wine always tastes better with a great music! Cheers Dennis
Been There ..done that...I'' give you 6 months to a year before you start to kick her out of the house...I kick my out in 1 yr.
I go through cycles as well. I am a projector fanatic so there were times in the past I hardly ever listenened to music.

WIthin the last 2 years or so I have comepletly upgraded my system piece by piece, and HD DVR projection has taken a backset.

Enjoy the cycle you are in now. Get a projector if you dont already. Then in 6 months maybe upgrade a component or cables. You'll be back into 2 chan. again, maybe relegating the end of an emotionally draining and ear splitting session to half a film or Big Love.
What a dangerous topic/subject!

I love my HT system and movies are just like being at the theater. However, as much as I love my HT system, my 2 channel is as solid as ever. In my system, my HT just can't do what my S.E.T amp can do. And when it comes down to it, when I want to just listen and relax, I want my warm, musical, and beautiful S.E.T. sound.
I have an HT setup and audio setup in the same room...the only thing they share is the equipment rack. I love my stereo and just don't really care about audio too much in my HT setup. IMHO the importance of components in HT is
Display 70%
center spkr 15%
sub 10%
surrounds 5%
I just don't really care of the sound quality in the surrounds isn't perfect,,,,who cares if bullit or jet doesn't have the right timbre as it whizzes past??