"...then you would be missing out on 3 channels of music(center and 2 surrounds). "

At least with both of my denon equipments, avr3300 and dvd2200, you can enter which speakers you are missing and it’ll redirect sound to the mains. Although I’m not exactly sure if it’ll redirect signal from surrounds to the mains spkrs in a 5.1 sacd w/ only a pair of speakers, I do know it’ll redirect the center channel as well as the sub signal to both mains.

The sailor does not pray for wind, he learns to sail. --Lindborg