My Infinity speakers bought "back in the day" have long since rotted and my heavy silver Pioneer receiver was given away in a move.
Since 99% of my music is in digital form and my life is a bit more transient than it had been, my "system" now consists of PC de-jour, a 10 watt Memorex amplifier designed to power rear speakers for a surround sound system, a pair of RS Minimus 7s, and a small subwoofer to "thicken the soup". I also use some signal processing on the PC to improve the lacking sound of some digital music. I always get the comment from friends, younger and older alike, "that sounds good!"
I'm not a big movie fan and as such, not into "home theater" which, I think, due in part to marketing, has gutted the audiophile market. True, technology has changed but some time ago I was a spectator at a demonstration as a sales associate switched between a high-end 5.1 system and comparable quality/cost stereo speakers. Though the associate was pushing the 5.1 system, that system was not in the same league as the stereo speakers. Yeah, I suppose the frequency range was about the same from bass to "shimmer", but NOTHING else was comparable, dynamics, fidelity and the most glaring difference, SPACE. Despite the 5.1 speakers placed judiciously around the well dampened "speaker room", the 5.1 speakers could not fill the space and could not create the depth and warmth of the pair of stereo speakers setting about 30 degrees in front of me at the front of the room. The stereo speakers created more "surround sound" than the marketed surround sound system. Since then, I've felt that 5.1 systems are a cheap gimmick for manufactures/marketers to sell to consumers rather than quality stereo speakers at equitable prices.
As for consumers...
My first job out of school was selling consumer electronics at a mid-end store. At the time "Top Gun" (HORRIBLE Hollywood drivel), a hot video at the time (does this age me?), was used to help demonstrate systems.
Years later, my brother-in-law, bought a new sound system (no, not from me), a Mitsubishi mid/high end consumer grade amp, respectable Jamo bookshelf speakers and a sizable sub-woofer. To demonstrate his system, my BIL puts on neither Tchycofsky, Sabbath, nor Steely Dan like many audiophiles of the day, but puts on, you guessed it, "Top Gun". With the Jamo speakers fully recessed to the back of the deep bookshelf (so he didn't have to see them), he turns up the volume on some "fly by" scene and says. "Doesn't that sound great?" I, then, screaming over the din, replied with, "You're listening to engine noise!!"
Consumers don't want quality, they want quantity.
5.1, 7.1, 9.1 > 2
It's as if consumers listen with their eyes rather than with their ears.
73
dim
