Is it a Merger or Bust?

Consider a good Stereo set-up. Room and all. How do you get audio in without all the hoopla of a surround set-up?

What does this even mean???

the answer all depends on your expectations, for either 2 channel or multi-channel/Home Theater. are you all in on one, or both?

i have 2 completely separate systems both quite all in. my 2-channel is more all in.

and know that your father’s discrete 5.1 or 7.1 multi-channel has little to do with todays object based Dolby Atmos high speaker count 7.1.4 or 9.1.6 heavy dsp multi-channel. and that 2-channel rooms like diffusion and little absorption. whereas multi-channel likes mostly absorption due to the effects of high speaker count. so no room will be perfect for both.

object based dsp multi-channel can do some amazing things when executed at a high level, as can 2 channel. a processor can work for music if you can get your head around what it can do right. but it takes some work to get to the good part of surround sound. adding a few speakers to a 2 channel system won’t get you there. personally i prefer my music with the signal path purity of analog 2 channel. and my asset allocation reflects that view. but to fully serve movies and streaming video programming having Dolby Atmos based multichannel is important. music with multi-channel? less significant right now but trending up.

what does all that mean in real world terms?

most ’merged’ system are 2 channel focused with some discrete surround sound speakers and a subwoofer. and maybe a flat screen or front projector hanging between the front speakers. which gets both jobs done. but both are likely less that fully executed. again; where is your main focus?

likely the best way to decide which way to go is to look at what media is most important to you......or your family. if you like golden age jazz, classical and rock, then 2 channel is where you will hear it as god intended. not a home theater set up.

as far as adding multi-channel to a 2 channel system there are multiple ways to do it. you can buy a surround sound processor that also has an analog 2 channel preamp, this would be the simplest way. next would be a 2 channel preamp with a pass-through that hooks up with a separate surround processor. so movies then would come into the processor and 2 of the channels get sent to the analog preamp that just passes them through. lots of systems are hooked up both ways.

With the right room, and the right equipment, you can have an excellent stereo system, and a good sounding multi-channel system. It takes a lot of equipment to do it right, though.

I use a separate preamp for stereo, and a separate two channel power amp. My 2 channel line source feeds into my preamp-processor, the processor feeds into the 2 channel preamp. I can listen to very good analog through the two channel system, or digital, or multi-channel music also sounds great, with just enough subwoofering to make it sound right in my large listening room.

It may be more than most are willing to do, but I enjoy it greatly. 

Agree with @islandmandan

You can have both, and can combine and also completely separate 2 channel from a HT set-up with the right equipment. I do. Granted, I concentrate much much more on my 2 channel quality than the ‘wiz bang’ HT technology and tricks, so that’s just there to do it’s job when called upon when watching TV in my dual purpose living room.

Don’t believe those who say you can only do one, or the other. You can do both. For ease of integration though, a 2 channel pre or integrated with HT bypass makes things much easier, but in that respect, can be a limiting factor. Does not mean you cannot get pretty great sound though.

Well leave out the hoopla, and just hook up a stereo. TWO main speakers, left and right. Set up a couple of subs and go from there.

Make it simple..  I use two channels for everything.. If you want to listen to a recorded "live concert", works perfect.. 

Been a while for even 3 main speakers, for me.

For me... a trinaural processor was the best 3 channel.. set up I've heard.. Not a digital 3 speaker guy.. Analog is better..

Regards