Analytical observations.

As a owner of a Onkyo AVR with Audyssey I'm a believer. Once set-up properly, see (http://www.audyssey.com/blog/2009/05/small-vs-large/#comment-306965417) it can work wonders for a space such as an apartment room where acoustical mods are limited. It really smoothed out my Def Tech Mythos STS speakers and self powered subs.

I know when I have the funds to upgrade to separates for dedicated 2 chan audio the pre amp I choose must have a HT pass through. Until then I'm listening to music via CDP analog out to AVR analog in with Audyssey. HDMI for SACD.

Nsgarch, plugging one ear might(?) demonstrate your point, it all the channels played the same thing (dual/multi mono?).

Unsound, I'm not sure I'm understanding your question, but maybe I can be clearer . . . . .

No matter how many loudspeakers there are in the room, or whether they're all even playing the same material or not, as long as all the audio information is being delivered to your brain through ONE ear, and one auditory pathway, your brain will not have the information it needs to tell you about the space you are in (or the space the recording was made in.) The brain needs to "hear" differences in: arrival time, phase angle, reflection times (aka: echos) to "know" something about the spacial environment.

And this is true, whether the "information" is generated in the space itself (like you listening to a live performance,) or it's on a stereo/binaural recording, or if it is virtual space, generated in full or part using DSP hardware/software.

So, one ear = no sonic hologram! BTW, you should try the "one earplug" first, then compare that experience to no earplug (both ears working ;--) but with your preamp set to 'mono'. Do both situations sound the same to your or different?
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