Analytical observations.

Siddh, I'm glad you clarified the purpose of your post as it was not quite clear.

I likewise have heard (and presently own) a two-channel system with excellent imaging, depth and marvelous tonal colors. That said, I'm sure it could be improved even more by inserting a Lyngdorf Room Perfect component.

One of the great benefits of using room correction like the Lyngdorf is that you can lay in other voicing curves (subtly different from one another) at the touch of a button, to get the best possible presentation from any given recording (both in the main listening position and in other positions you select during set up in your room).

For me, that kind of awesome control and flexibility is surely worth the price of admission. That and the fact that it sounds wonderful and can replace 3 or 4 other pieces of gear. In fact, I just sold my Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 because with the Lyngdorf it was no longer needed. I also removed a very good tube line stage because it didn't improve anything.

On the other hand, in another room I have a 5.1-channel Home Theater setup and it sounds marvelous because the room is excellent. Still, it does not approach the ultimate transparency and majesty of the Lyngdorf 2-channel system, which admittedly uses higher-end components throughout.

The bottom line is that it does not take more than 2 stereo channels to get great sound and imaging in a given room. We seem to be in agreement on that point.

As a owner of a Onkyo AVR with Audyssey I'm a believer. Once set-up properly, see (http://www.audyssey.com/blog/2009/05/small-vs-large/#comment-306965417) it can work wonders for a space such as an apartment room where acoustical mods are limited. It really smoothed out my Def Tech Mythos STS speakers and self powered subs.

I know when I have the funds to upgrade to separates for dedicated 2 chan audio the pre amp I choose must have a HT pass through. Until then I'm listening to music via CDP analog out to AVR analog in with Audyssey. HDMI for SACD.

Nsgarch, plugging one ear might(?) demonstrate your point, it all the channels played the same thing (dual/multi mono?).

Unsound, I'm not sure I'm understanding your question, but maybe I can be clearer . . . . .

No matter how many loudspeakers there are in the room, or whether they're all even playing the same material or not, as long as all the audio information is being delivered to your brain through ONE ear, and one auditory pathway, your brain will not have the information it needs to tell you about the space you are in (or the space the recording was made in.) The brain needs to "hear" differences in: arrival time, phase angle, reflection times (aka: echos) to "know" something about the spacial environment.

And this is true, whether the "information" is generated in the space itself (like you listening to a live performance,) or it's on a stereo/binaural recording, or if it is virtual space, generated in full or part using DSP hardware/software.

So, one ear = no sonic hologram! BTW, you should try the "one earplug" first, then compare that experience to no earplug (both ears working ;--) but with your preamp set to 'mono'. Do both situations sound the same to your or different?
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