Bobt, I have to agree with you on generally, well almost always, preferring two channel music in stereo with some rare exceptions like Drone, or Goa Trance styles. However . . .
I want Bach to sound like Bach, and AC/DC to sound like them off a live cd. Thats all i care about.
If you really want to feel like you are in a concert then adding surround speakers (no center necessary if sitting in the sweet spot) makes well recorded concert SACDs, DVDs and especially now Blu-rays feel like being there. When I first put together my HT system I had a friend, who’s a part time sound engineer for local bands, come listen to some stuff including a live DVD 5.1 of Lead Zeppelin. He was totally blown away at how “live” it sounded with “realistic” time delays for he echoes coming off the back wall of the stadium.
I’ve had similar results with a recording of Roger Waters in Berlin on SACD, and Toto on one of the best Blu-ray concerts I’ve ever heard. Had Blu-ray not come out I would probably not suggest 5.1 or 7.1 for music as SACD and DVD-A seem to have been dying but well mixed Blu-ray concerts are simply amazing and given the option are always my first choice over 2ch now if available.
OTOH, I’m not a big fan of Dolby PLIIx and such for well recorded 2ch music but others have differing opinions of that.
