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Author Topic: Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?  (Read 4449 times)

trcns

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Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?
« on: November 15, 2014, 03:35:15 pm »

I am not sure what is the reason. But I alway like to listen the music in multichannel (7.1). Originally I thought it's because of the smaller speakers and same with other equipment. So little by little I changed all my whole equipment. And I am not talking about hundreds. As of today I have over 40k in speakers, power amp, processor, cables and so on. But still if I play music in stereo mode it feels that some thing is lacking.
One problem I have is that I cannot make a perfect triangle with speakers and my sitting place. The distance between speakers is 12 ft where as sitting place is about 18 ft away.
So if i play music in stereo, I can feel the distance. So multichannel fills up the room. But side channel speakers and cables are not as high end as the front speaker and cables.

Any advice?
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6233638

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Re: Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2014, 04:21:41 pm »

Any advice?
Stick to 7.1 if that's what you prefer.
 
I'd maybe see about buying DVD-A/SACD/Blu-ray audio discs when available if you have a really nice surround setup, instead of stereo.
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Arindelle

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Re: Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2014, 12:58:46 pm »

I think every one has there preferences, and I have a similiar problem with being forced to put my speakers way to far apart and compensate with too much "toe-in". So if you are enjoying it go for it :)

However, I'm old school and most head phones and surround sound for music are not my thing personally.  I want to listen to music like I hear it live from a stage, or a small club ... I like hearing that the drummer is behind the vocalist and I think that some of the "spacialization" is lost unless it was mastered for multi-channel . Saying that, they are opening a really interesting music hall for the Paris Philharmonic , which is all based on acoustics, with performers being more or less in the center of the hall -- this should be interesting to hear (mostly classical, but electro and jazz too). In any case, the music will not sound like stereo they are saying.


. With new array

I do believe with your budget, you would have a mind blowing 2 channel system (or 2.1 ) with some sound treatment for your room corrections thrown in. But I think its very personal. As long as you enjoy it, that's what counts.  The only thing that gets my dander up is when people listen to their system more than the music.
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trcns

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Re: Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2014, 01:41:58 pm »

I like the idea of Audio DVDs and Blue Ray Audio. I have plenty of sacd
'S. I have an Oppo DVD player which plays all my sacd's. But the problem is we like one or two tracks on a cd not the whole cd or DVD in case of audio dvd so how can I rip them in jriver with multichannel sound?
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6233638

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Re: Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2014, 01:54:04 pm »

You can rip DVD Audio discs with Foobar if you are technically knowledgeable, or DVD Audio Extractor if you don't mind paying for an app: http://www.dvdae.com/

These will give you individual tracks that can be played in/managed by Media Center alongside all your other tracks.
 
Ripping SACD/Blu-ray can get quite a bit more complicated, though it is possible.
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mschneid

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Re: Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2015, 05:21:09 pm »

My two cents....  You need a better DSP solution for your 2 channel music....     You have lost all of the imaging of your 2 speakers and are just moving lots of air with your two channel source music dsp'd to 7.1 outputs.    No matter how great your speakers are.... it will not be very resolving.

Perhaps your two main speakers can't manage the room and no amount of DSP or acoustic room treatement will help.... but I would explore using Audessy and then try using MC's DSP tools....    Its tough when you deviate from the golden triangle rule.   If you go with MC DSP.... you have the advantage of setting up two zones for the same room.... One zone for just your two channel music... and the other zone set up for multichannel.
Don't know if Audessy is that flexible.
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Matt

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Re: Is it normal to play music in multi-channel stereo?
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2015, 05:50:57 pm »

Personally I love the effect JRSS has on stereo sources upmixed to surround sound.  It just sounds awesome.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center
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