2-channel + 3-channel amps, versus 5-channel amp


I am considering an amplifier upgrade for my system, which pulls double duty for 2-channel and HT. In truth, I have been listening to more HT (what with kids and all), but most of my critical listening is good old 2-channel. My initial thought would be that a really good two channel amp, and then a separate 3-channel amp for center and surrounds (not worried about 7.1, for now or the foreseeable future) would be the way to go, but I do see a number of really nice 5-channel amps out there (Theta DII is enticing). My concern with 5-channel would be a single power supply trying to handle all 5 channels. But I do see that most of these amps use a very beefy, and significantly upgraded power supply over their 2-3 channel brethren.

And advantage of the 5-channel approach is that all three of my front speakers would receive the same power, which is nice. But then this begs the question of whether or not I would be better served by getting a better/more powerful 3-channel amp, and then a smaller 2-channel amp for surrounds! Talk about choices (then of course, there is the option of 5 mono amps!).

For speakers, I am driving Thiel CS3.6's, which are notoriously hard to drive, and spend a good bit of their time in the 2 ohm region, a Thiel SCS3 for the center (which is loads easier to drive), and currently I have AR TSW-110's for surrounds, though I may replace them with two more SCS3's. My processor is a Rotel RSP-1066. Brands which I have been looking into include McCormack, Krell, Bryston, Theta, and Classe.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks, Tom.
tombowlus

Showing 1 response by cdimi

IMHO go 5channel only if you believe in 7.1 ...that,s what I did 2years ago ...and i use 5.1 today... how many films do you know at 6.1? yes you can count the crapy ones too..if your setup is good ... room treatments,speaker placement etc.. good sub to pressurize your space you should be in 3d heaven..that's as good as it gets ..now I've
been to demos and movie theaters wwhere there's no 3d surround and it sucks...so i challenge 7.1 8.1 ............
if it isn't seamless who gives a [edited]