Forums - 2-Channel Home Theater ??

DBC

Seasoned Member

Posts: 423

2-Channel Home Theater ??
12/12/13 at 16:21:35

I was just curious how many of us are using our 2-Channel music systems for Home Theater use also?

In my case I had the entire 5-Channel system with all solid state gear. Once I started getting into Decware for 2-Channel music listening I eventually decided to go strictly 2-Channel for Home Theater also.

I think my 2-Channel Decware powered system sounds better on Home Theater than the multi-channel system it replaced. I should also mention I have a lot less invested in the 2-Channel system. Some advantages of 2-Channel HT from my perspective include:

Almost always more cost effective for those on a budget.
Decware clarity & dynamics creates a big sound stage from 2 speakers.
Despite no center channel speaker dialogue is more audible in my system.
System is much simpler (fewer cables & boxes), fewer equipment synergy issues.
I still get plenty of realistic 3D spacial cues with Decware 2-Channel.
It's a great music rig which my multi-channel system never was.

Now I have to say if you are forced to slam your main speakers up against a wall with a big box in between them then a multi-channel system can help make a bad situation sound better. But if you have speaker placement flexibility then I have found very engaging results can be achieved.

Just wondering if others have success stories with 2-Channel Home Theater ???

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Main System: Oppo BDP-105D, SE84UFO amp, Omega Super Alnico Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 15's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).
Room #2: Oppo BDP-83SE, SE84CS amp, Omega Super 3i Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 12's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).

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Lon

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Posts: 25771

Re: 2-Channel Home Theater ??
Reply #1 - 12/12/13 at 17:17:56

I've been doing this for about seven years. Happily! With the RL2, the ERR and then the HR-1 sound is almost as surround as a 5.1 system, and less "gimmicky" to me. All the advantages you cite I find in my system as well. I think sometimes "How awesome a five ERR system would be!" but in actuality I can't have one in my present home, and would listen more than half the time to two speakers only any way.

I love TV and DVD and Blu-ray on my two channel Decware system!

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HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

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DBC

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Posts: 423

Re: 2-Channel Home Theater ??
Reply #2 - 12/12/13 at 21:08:11

I started out with Solid State 2-channel and eventually upgraded to Solid State 5:1. The 5:1 seemed like a big upgrade at the time for Home Theater (bigger sound stage). But I was never satisfied with music play, especially multi-channel music play (just not natural to my ear).

When I purchased my first Zen some 10 years ago I could not believe how much audio detail was actually on different source material (DVD, CD, Digital Dish). It did not take long for me to start selling off the Solid State gear and settle into a very simple 2-channel system.

As Steve indicates in several of his papers Decware Tube amps get to the audio sweet spot even at lower volumes and the dynamic range really pulls out the details.

I know my Decware 2-Channel system does not play as loud (according to the SPL meter) as my old Solid State 5:1 system. To the ear however, it sounds bigger, louder & so much better.

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Main System: Oppo BDP-105D, SE84UFO amp, Omega Super Alnico Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 15's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).
Room #2: Oppo BDP-83SE, SE84CS amp, Omega Super 3i Monitors, Twin Custom SLAB 12's (Low Frequency Open Baffle).

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Lonely Raven

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Posts: 3567

Re: 2-Channel Home Theater ??
Reply #3 - 12/13/13 at 14:19:20

I have an Onkyo 7.1 recevier from '08 that is the head of my Home Theater setup, and since purchasing my Oppo Universal player, getting my 15 year old Zen Amp tuned up, and picking up the Decware MG944 speaker...I've actually merged my two systems in the same room.

The 7.1 System has it's own set of speakers (though I'm sharing the sub with the 2.1 setup) all run off the Onkyo, but the Decware setup is run off the Oppo directly. While the 2 watts and lack of room correction put a damper on real movie watching, it's great for general TV viewing! I've caught myself looking out the window when I hear some nasty weather, only to realize it's coming from the Decware setup and it tricked me into thinking it was really outside! Now that's surround sound with detail! ;D

I'm looking forward to trying out the Mystery Amp for movies since it clearly has the torque to make them come alive...I'm just afraid it will make me want a Decware tube amp just for the central channel! Next thing you know I'll have a 5.1 setup all run off tubes! Not that that is a bad thing...just hurtful to my savings. ;)

So yeah, check back with me in a few weeks when I'm playing movies with the ZMA, I bet it will get the movie bug going in me again.

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ski bum

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Posts: 196

Re: 2-Channel Home Theater ??
Reply #4 - 12/13/13 at 23:16:08

Two channel will always produce a phantom center image with perfectly matching timbre to the left and right channels. No center speaker can do that, even an identical speaker (due to differences in room interaction between speaker locations).

Of course you have to arrange the theater seats in a line down the middle of the room so everyone get's the effect. Roll Eyes

At my house we do two channel HT simply because we lack a room to do multi-channel properly, and I am too compulsive to do it in a half assed fashion. I'm more a music lover than film buff.

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