Home Hi-Rez Highway

New high resolution SACD releases, players and technology.

[ Follow Ups ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Hi-Rez Highway ]
[ Alert Moderator ]

Two questions about your comparison methodology, Robert.

When you've done multichannel-vs.-two-channel comparisons on the same system, have you done the two-channel audition with the three additional MCh speakers removed from the room? And, if so, have you optimized the speaker positioning for two-channel listening or have you left the front left and right speakers in their MCh position during two-channel playback?

I ask because on a friend's MCh rig the two-channel results are significantly different when the MCh speakers and overall MCh alignment are left in place and when the center and rear speakers are removed (on well-recorded material, the two-channel presentation fares much better in the comparison). In my two-channel system I hear a significant difference in playback when: (1) my Maggies are toed-in per the MCh alignment of the month and when they're in their (optimized) straight-out position (and I have to adjust seating position and room treatment for the changed first/second reflection profiles of each speaker configuration); and (2) when I "salt" the front center and/or rear positions with the (mute) stand-mounted Paradigm Mini-Monitors I use in my separate video system. Even with their relatively small footprint they compromise phantom-center imaging and overall ambience, partly, I suspect, because of suckout issues and partly because of their absorption/reflection profiles in the MCh positions. Removing them from the room opens up the presentation sufficiently to make a perceptible difference.

From this experience I've concluded that simply switching from MCh to two-channel playback without modifying the overall placement configuration to fit the playback mode is not a valid comparison. Doing it right may be a pain in the neck (or other part of the anatomy) because of all that has to be moved and rearranged, but it's more revealing of what each mode is actually capable of.


Jim
http://www.geocities.com/jimtranr/index.html

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  VH Audio  

Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
You can not post to an archived thread.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]