reluctant about home theater

A lot of people combine the two using the HT pass-through when they want to go the purist 2-channel route. If you use a projection system instead of putting a big TV between the speakers then the imaging shouldn't be compromised.

Other folks have used Home Theater and transitioned to multi-channel surround sound, although I can't say I've heard any of those sound quite as pure as an excellent, dialed-in, 2-channel system. I allow that multi-channel systems with naturalness and transparency might exist, but I haven't heard one at this juncture. (When I use words like "naturalness," and "transparency," realize there are many levels to such adjectives and it's a matter of which particular levels (or degrees of those qualities) one has personally experienced.)

It is possible. Set up the stereo system as you would and only add the necessary speakers for HT. I prefer to use an analog multichannel preamp which accommodates HT but is not a compromise for stereo.

Kal

:), Audiophile first and formeost means what? That you like music more than movies?

What is a non-compromised purist audio system in your mind?

You assume that everyone agrees that these purist systems some how manifest themselves as a monolithic device and yet somepeople think you can use a paper cone 10" for a midrange with a 30 watt amplifier while another sees fit to use a 2" diamond midrange and 500 watts to drive the bass in that system. Some use tube amps at 200watt and some at 2watts, some no tubes at all. So why is adding a few speakers suddenly such a terrible idea, there seems to be a great deal of flexibility in what constitutes an audiophile system, more tubes? why not more speakers?.

Movies are surround sound so if your system cannot do surround it is going to be a pretty lame movie system, no?

So what is your expectations and budget, what system did you own before that you feel is beyond the capacity of a Home theater system to surpass? Do the two really have to be mutually exclusive, or can you imagine a Home theater playing music as well as the monolithic "purist" audiophile system you seem to think exists. Maybe the more relevant question, do you wish a HT could be as good on music as a purist audiophile system?

I have to tell you, I don't think a theater and a "purist" music system are all that different, in my house turning on the video is the only way I define the difference. many here of course would disagree with me on what a "surround music system" is capable of but I have yet to chat with anyone here that can even setup their center channel correctly....so there is a disconnect on what is possible in my mind. So define yourself and we can discuss what is possible. BTW I'm not interested in your "bad" HT experience with sound, one of the easisst things to get in this world is a bad HT demo time and again.