[jdodmead]

You will get much more enjoyment out of a good 2 channel system. You can always add more ht components later.
My humble opinion, even though I have both.  2 channel is always going, ht is only occasional.
Jeff

[satfrat]

You will get much more enjoyment out of a good 2 channel system. You can always add more ht components later.
My humble opinion, even though I have both.  2 channel is always going, ht is only occasional.
Jeff

Like you said, that's your opinion,,,, I humbly disagree. To my ear, multichannel music, specifically Dolby PL-2x with the front center channel shut off but the rear channel left on, simply blows away simple 2 channel. That has held true in other properly setup surround systems including a Salk HT-3 system that I just recently heard with a Salk center left on to boot! But I will agree that 2 channel is a good place to start.  aa


Cheers,
Robin

[keenween]

Robin,

Do you still use the ERTs with the Loreleis? Which crossover setting? How might they have benefited your system with the Loreleis? I actually have a pair mated with my RS450s and use the 15khz xo, I thought the 11khz setting was too much. I also thought they were easier to detect swapping them in and out when I was in a larger room and sat farther from them. Now that I'm fairly nearfield I don't think I miss them as much if I unhook them.

[satfrat]

Robin,

Do you still use the ERTs with the Loreleis? Which crossover setting? How might they have benefited your system with the Loreleis? I actually have a pair mated with my RS450s and use the 15khz xo, I thought the 11khz setting was too much. I also thought they were easier to detect swapping them in and out when I was in a larger room and sat farther from them. Now that I'm fairly nearfield I don't think I miss them as much if I unhook them.

Yep, I use ERT's on my main Lorelei's and 1 on my Usher X-616 center. I use the 11Khz @ 89db setting as I found the 15Khz toally ineffective. Could be that I'm 56 and being an exheadbanger might have something to do with that also.  I also use VMPS Ambiance Tweeters that are attached to the back of the main Lorelei's and sitting on top of my rear Lorelei's & rear X-616. I feel the ERT's simply present a larger sonic picture of the soundstage as does my ACI Force XL. For the price they can't be beat and I'm not ready to spend 10 times that amount to try either. I don't ever see myself parting with them or the Ambiance Tweeter for that matter. I will say that I have never even considered listening to 2 channel music in my lifetime til just recently. Ever since I added those Ambiance Tweeters, I have been toying with stereo and enjoying it too. But I've always enjoyed total room involvement myself, even when all that meant was running a rearchannel signal 90 degrees out of phase. I'm way past that point today tho. 

Cheers,
Robin

[keenween]

Robin - its probably not your ears...at the 15khz I can barely detect them...but thats how I like 'em. At 11khz I think you can really hear them at play. Thats also cool that you are happy with the multi-channel set-up. When I had MC I worked at proper set-up but I don't think I ever got there. I really loved a couple of MC discs I had, Queen, Beach Boys, Beck, Flaming Lips and such, but I never thought the dolby processing on cds properly wrapped around like it should on my set-up...I could hear holes. I was grinning last night as I put on some Wilco and the music wrapped around and behind me. I've read many people state a proper two channel will allow for that, but I think I'm just getting my system to that point.

On an unrelated note, I've been re-ripping my cds to flac like a madman and I think I'm 2/3 of the way through...the last 1/3 being my favorite 1/3. It will be such a relief when that chore is done. I've had the Squeezebox for 5 months now and I bet I have less than 80 hours on it!

[satfrat]

  Keep pluggin' away keeween, I have 3103 albums now on my hard drives using WMA VBR Q90. Yea, I know what you mean about them holes but I've done enough different tweaks that have really expanded the depth of my soundstage, above and beyond what the Ambiance Tweeters actually accomplish in my smallish 11' x 17' room. That's one of the things I love about having 4 Lorelei's, where they are not the most accuate speaker made, they are a very entertaining speaker with a generous soundstage imaging to work with. I would compare an accuate speaker as one that makes you sitting in the front row where as the Lorelei's to my ear are more entertainin  by placing you further into the center. It's actually this depth that I so cherish and have really been able to expand upon using such things as room treatment & Bybee's,,, just to name a few. When I listen to progressive rock, electronica, new age, fusion,,, ya'know the real heady stuff that reeks of ambiance, my room explodes in Dolby Pro Logic 2x(with the front center off). I lose that in 2 channel bigtime. But then with vocals(especially female),,, like folk, R&B, jazz, etc,,,, 2 channel can make for a more accuate center stage presense that I've just started to really appreciate. For me, it's great to have that type of flexibility in a system. 

Cheers,
Robin

[keenween]

Very cool Robin. And thats partly what has me interested in Loreleis/Syrens. I've listened to a very nice Salk HT3 two channel before, and I really admired the presentation they output...but I thought to myself how terrible a good portion of my albums might sound on them. And I definitely like something which isn't front row. I'm just really happy right now that my system is running again.