Does one normally use 2.1 (and not 5.1 or 7.1) for listening to pure audio content (not movies)?

Question

Does the addition of surround speakers erode the quality of audio sound delivered through, say a CD player? If so, how?

Answer 1

Hi.It is entirely up to you. There is no correct method when listening to audio .Not all CDs are recorded the same .Some times the ambiance is hidden when listening to two channel stereo and your surround speakers may recover it which will add depth to your music.The quality of your sound is determined by how well your electronics maintain or degrade the signal.If your Source equipment alters,changes or degrades the original signal from the software ,no other component in the chain can fix or improve it so when the signal reaches the preamp it is already degraded and may be degraded again by the power amp.


EDIT. Ever since the beginning of Stereophonic Recording the goal has been to playback music with the realism of a live event. We have come a long way since then but we still haven't got to the stage where we are fooled into thinking that we are listening to a live event because stereo sound is subject to fundermental distortions of spacial information that even a 6 year old child can't be fooled into thinking he/she is listening to live music. When you listen to a live event ,say a concert in a large auditorium.You hear the direct sound from the stage first and a couple of milli seconds later you hear the reflected sound bouncing off the walls, floor and ceiling which gives you a sense of depth to the sound depending on how long the reverberation lasts.

When a concert is recorded in the same auditorium the microphones are used at various locations around the room.Lets say there are 3 microphones on stage to record the musicians.and there are another 2 or 3 along each side wall and 2 or 3 at the back.to record the reverberant music. So our master tape will have the direct sound and the reverberant sound recorded together with a slight delay of the reverberation. Now when you play back a copy of the recording ,your receiver should be able to decode the signal into direct sound and reverberent sound.So your 2 front speakers will give you the direct sound from the stage and your surround speakers should give you the reverberant sound of the recording which should give you a sense of being in a large auditotium . Thats if the receiver can do that.I dont have a surround sound receiver so i don't know. This is what multi channel is all about really not just sound effects from movies. If you listen with only the 2 front speakers and have all the others turned off you will not hear the reverberation properly because it is mixed in with the front sound..Set up properly the sound of music can give you awseome results.

Answer 2

Pure audio content ... you mean CD or radio? It is in stereo so you will only use 2.1. However some surround sound receivers have psuedo surround sound modes that might allow you to hear sounds from the other speakers but you may not like the effect.

Now if you had some surround sound audio you might be able to use 5.1.

Answer 3

2.1 for audio, people believe just because they have 5.1 speakers there CD is now "surround sound". Which is not the case because music is mainly recorded in stereo which is only a left and right Chanel. And in terms of quality i think using 5. for music ruins your imaging and sound stage i prefer stereo because it was how the music is meant to be heard.

Answer 4

Listening to music in stereo or surround is a very touchy subject for many audio enthusiasts....most of which will say 2.1 is the way to go.

But try both and listen to whichever your ears like best.....personnaly I enjoy both....stereo gives you a tighter sound while surround gives you some added ambiance that you might not normally hear depending how good your speakers/equipment are.

Answer 5

Music is a stereo thing. What was the last concert you attended that was in surround? Aside from Pink Floyd, I can't think of anyone doing a concert in surround. I've run into concert DVDs in surround and always wonder why.

As for the difference in quality, try it and decide. If it sounds good to you, fine.

Answer 6

Stereo music can sometimes benefit from virtual surround sound. It all depends on your preference. There is no erosion of sound quality in a technical sense.

Answer 7

Oh, i'm 13 and that i hear to Earth Wind and hearth. and that i'm not conversing with regard to the songs like September and enable's Groove, i'm conversing approximately like the instrumentals like Departure and New international Symphony and the religious songs that they have got and the "unknown" songs like Cruising and stuff like that. human beings poke exciting at me for it, yet I actually think of that's the main suitable music obtainable! Oh, and my mom makes me hear to classical music at evening, and that i actually do not thoughts it!