Holy 2-Channel HT, Batman!

ajzepp · « **on:** 2 Apr 2006, 06:30 am »

I'm neither a 2-channel 'purist', nor am I all the way into 5.1+. Just so happens that I sold off some of my gear in anticipation of upgrading, and I'm running my HT in 2-channel right now. I was excited to watch King Kong tonight since it's the first 'big budget' film that I've watched on my new DeVore Fidelity Super 8s.

I've been playing around with my Outlaw 950 pre/pro and Denon 2900 the past few days, going back and forth between using the DACs of the Outlaw with the digital cable, and then the DACs of the Denon into the analog bypass on the 950. Well, about half way into the movie I decided to switch over to the Denon DACs and put the movie through the analog bypass. As I was doing this, I noticed that I had the SRS Tru Surround feature on the Denon. I've seen it on all sorts of other DVD players, I just sort of forgot to see if it was on mine since I'm so used to just running the digital signal into my pre/pro. So for the first time since I bought the thing three years ago, on goes the SRS feature.....up goes the volume a little.....and WOW.....maybe the best HT experience I've ever had.

The SRS effect is relatively subtle, but still gives a bit more depth to the sound and effects. It was certainly enough in this room for me to really give serious thought to just sticking with 2-channel in lieu of the full compliment of side/rear speakers. Now that I have some real good speakers in here, the need for 5.1 seems to have dissipated. I can't imagine how much better things are going to sound when I upgrade my outlaw amps to something from Van Alstine, Odyssey, or Butler Audio.

So for one night, at least, 2-channel HT RULED!!!

audiojerry · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Apr 2006, 06:37 am »

You're doing it right - fewer speakers - better quality - congrats!

ajzepp · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Apr 2006, 07:42 am »

Thanks, Jerry

I still can't get over how good things sounded.....Now I really need to decide if want to incorporate a stereo preamp with HT bypass into my rig, or just go ONLY with that and forget the pre/pro. The latter would really be a big step for me, cause I'm a HUGE movie fan....but after tonight, I'd say it's a dead heat.

The only concern I'd have with a strictly 2-channel set-up would be the use of my subwoofers. There is an anthem preamp that has two sub outputs - one that incorporates a fixed 80hz crossover and one that relies on the subwoofer controls - but a subwoofer 'out' feature isn't really common to most stereo preamps, is it? I don't need the subwoofers for music, but they are a must for HT. Any advice? How do you 2-channel guys manage it?

BobC · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Apr 2006, 02:50 pm »

I played around with my system a little like you did.....switch between 5.1 and 2 ch.....and I agree that the 2ch only is compelling. But I found that on some movies I still needed the center channel for dialog. So I've decided to keep my center and surrounds with pre-pro, but plan to also add a dedicated 2ch pre with HT bypass.

I havent done this personnaly, but I know there are high quality external sub crossovers on the market that you can use to integrate a sub into your 2ch. Also many subs come with a built in adjustable crossover and outs that you can send on to your mains.

I would encourage you to try 2ch during dialog scenes with some kind of background noise / effects. If it works for you then wonderful! - think of all the money you'll save on the center, 2,3 or 4 surrounds

and pre-pro that's certain to become obsolete quickly!!

Good luck!

bubba966 · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Apr 2006, 04:43 pm »

A good test for dialog being drowned out by the mains (i.e. the do you need a center or not test) is the Extended cut of LOTR in DTS. There's many a scene in the first movie that the music/effects in the mains will drown out the dialog when listening to it in DTS. I don't know about the other 2 as I found I didn't like listening to the first one in DTS due to the mix, so the second 2 I only listened to in DD.

ajzepp · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Apr 2006, 06:56 pm »

Thanks guys! First of all, Bubba, you have excellent taste in women

I have always had a love/hate relationship with center speakers. For some reason there are times when they just sound so damn harsh and in your face that I end up turning the whole system down, even though it's properly calibrated. Other times the dialogue seems a bit faint, so I turn things up. Once I got the damn thing outta there, all of a sudden it seemed like my problem was solved....by accident, lol. It could have just been the fact that I haven't used a center speaker since I had Paradigm studios, and maybe the matching center for my DeVores will not have that issue after calibration. I'm definitely going to keep playing around with things.

If you guys haven't watched King Kong on your systems yet, you gotta hear this. Kong's breathing was so realistic, in addition to the many other amazing sound effects, it was surreal. I enjoyed the film more than I thought I would, and that was a big reason why!

I'm hopefully going to be picking up a Butler 5150 amp this afternoon, so that might take things to another level

Al Garay · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Apr 2006, 11:19 pm »

So why would you need the 5 channel amp?

ajzepp · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Apr 2006, 11:56 pm »

Quote from: Al Garay

So why would you need the 5 channel amp?

He already had the 2-channel demo amp out to someone else

Besides, I still may stick with 5-channel....not sure. I just was really taken back by how good things sounded the other night.

By the way, the Butler amp is amazing. Anyone who says that all amps sound alike is full of it.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 04:05 am »

Quote from: ajzepp

By the way, the Butler amp is amazing. Anyone who says that all amps sound alike is full of it.

Yes....they make some nice amps....

ajzepp · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 06:31 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42

Quote from: ajzepp

By the way, the Butler amp is amazing. Anyone who says that all amps sound alike is full of it.
Yes....they make some nice amps....

I'm sure part of it was the fact that I've never owned an amp of this quality, nor have I ever owned any sort of tube amp, but nonetheless the improvement was shocking. It was the type of improvement that you would typically expect from a significant speaker upgrade, which really caught me off guard. The thing is a damn TANK, too. Excellent build quality. I usually get tired of hearing people say "I listened to my music collection over and heard stuff I've never heard before!!" all the time.....but I have to say I'm guilt of experiencing the same thing today, lol. It gave me a new respect for my Denon 2900, that's for sure. I didn't realize how good of a player - both video and audio - this thing was until the last couple of days. All of a sudden my Outlaw pre/pro has become the weak link in my system.