Two Channel Audio for TV and Video


Up until a few years ago I have always had a moderately nice Surround System that doubled as my Two Channel system.  Fairly nice stuff; Classe Pre / Pro, Parasound Halo A51 amp,  B+W N802, 805 and  HTM 1 speakers, M+K subs.  Movies and TV sounded great, but I always played it  in 2 channel for audio.  Now, I have changed homes and put in a  dedicated two channel system (better - Audionet Electronics, Tambaqui DAC, YG Hailey speakers, REL subs).   So I listen to my Netflix and Apple TV shows in 2 channel.  Guess what?  The vocals are better, the imaging is better, the music is better, the L/R sound movement is better. Everything is better!  Well maybe not the helicopters in the rear or rockets incoming or gunshots ricocheting, but action movies are not our thing anyway.  It is the best TV audio I have ever heard.  You would swear there is a center channel speaker.  And the overall sound quality is amazing.

TV  Optical out into my Tambaqui DAC. So my advice?  Don't do it.  Don't go surround unless it is a dedicated theatre room.  Spend the resources on the best two channel you can, and enjoy it all!

fastfreight

Never bought in to 5.1.

Too complicated and sounds fake!

Stereo in home theater setups are best IMO too!