Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Poll - How Do You Listen To 2 Channel

2 channel.

Stereo now; before I got the M50s it was predominately PL II

I submit that whether or not DPII or DTS:Neo provide an appreciable improvement has a LOT to do with your speakers and your room.

On Dennis/Tharkun's system, for example, you wouldn't believe the improvement DPLII makes over standard stereo. The difference is quite amazing.

Big assumption there....or should I say assubtion?

I have no sub in either of my 2 channel "stereo" systems.

I voted Stereo - Pure Direct , but it is actually 2.1 though. My pre/pro has a nice analog bass management feature for two-channel.

Yeah Peter, I can almost "picture" the difference in sound in Tharkun's system!

I can imagine dropping down from about 50 drivers to mearly 12 Would be quite a difference!!

Seriously though; I used to listen to PL11 all the time for two channel in my old house with the old system. I've only had about two opportunities to listen to two channel since I've added new speakers AND a new receiver in this new house, and while I'm currently very excited with the sound I'm getting with just the mains alone, once I get SACD up and running and get the surrounds dialed-in, who knows?!!

Bren,
When I first received the axioms, I listened in DPLII. Now I listen in either Pure Direct or Stereo modes. The soundstage with the 80s is just awesome.

All in all, I was kind of curious about this. Two factors at play here. In pure stereo (or 2.1), you're listening to exactly what's on the disc without any kind of tinkering with the sound.

But on the other hand, after paying for the other 3-6 speakers - even a lot of times overbuying in those positions - to not use them might be a waste to some people.

One of those quandries about what wins out in people's minds. For most it seems precise audio reproduction.

Bren R.

In reply to:

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For most it seems precise audio reproduction.

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One of the things that surprised me is the idea that I enjoyed music at all in something other than stereo.

When I first started reading about DVD-As and SACDs carrying mult-channel sound, my thoughts were: Who really wants to be ON the stage, and who has time to sit in a sweet spot while listening to music anymore?

The surprise was (and maybe this is entirely because of my satisfaction with the Axiom surrounds and center) that I DO enjoy multichannel sound, even if I'm in and out of the room while multitasking. It's not so much a matter of being "on the stage" as much as it is having a "room full of sound" that envelopes you when you walk in. Sometimes now, if I'm only in stereo, it seems like everything's "collapsed" and is only coming from one direction.

These feelings, of course, are totally dependant on the fact that I very, very rarely listen critically and in the sweetspot. If I'm sitting in the room at all, I'm just as likely to be turned sideways to the system to read the paper or something. It's also, of course, largely dependant on the material. I suppose if I were to listen to a stereo recording of a jazz trio, my thoughts would be far different than listening to something more "pop/rockish" where you really don't have the same levels of imaging. Either way, the sad reality is that I'm unlikely to spend much time critically listening.

Finally, I'm surprised how well Neo:6 and DPLII do in their music modes. Many times, it seems as though they are "right on" in placement for vocals in the center for instance, and almost always "dead-on" correct in putting crowd noise of live recordings in the surrounds.

same here. call me a heathen but 90% of the time i listen to stereo material in the "5 channel stereo" mode on my Denon. if its not there. then its usually on Neo:6. i guess i just like that Phil Spector-ish "Wall of Sound", just without the dead women in the house.