3 channel
 

Colleagues,
I have been enamored with 3 channel audio (L,C,R) for some time now. It started when I purchased a McIntosh C-26 which had a center channel out. I was also aware of the Klipsch derived center channel, which was part of the Klipsch Wide Stage stereo system. I tried the center channel of the C 26, and I have never gone back to 2 channel. Of course in those days, (before the earth cooled ) 2 channel was the only stereo available. but then we got Quadraphonic
for good or ill, which never found favor with the masses.
As a classically trained musician, I thought the 2 of the 4 quadraphonic channels were misused.

As a performer, I am surrounded by other players, but as a listener the orchestra is in front of me and the venue surrounds me, and I do listen to the hall. 90d% or more of my listening to recorded music is classical, and I have become to prefer minimalist micing tecniques, as practiced by Mercury, the older RCA Red Seal, Decca, Telarc and more recently Reference and Delos. These labels used the Decca Tree, or some variant.

No matter how recorded however, the Violins are always jammend in to the left speaker and violas and cellos in the right. If I use a center channel of either Dolby PLxII or Harman Logic 7. it helps fill the hole in the center.

Recently I've been able to find 3 channel sacd's and blu-ray discs that have the missing center channel, and am now closer to audio perfection than before. It makes me wonder why we don't see more 3 channel recordings? Market I guess.
I know most high end systems are 2 channel, and the sweet spot is occupied by an Eames chair.
My question then is this: why? If any of you have an answer to this I'd like to hear your response. Also what kind of music you listen to would be helpful, and do you listen to 2 channel.

The reason is that adding the surround channels (so you can listen to the room) is even better and there are many that you can choose from. You can even down-mix them to 3 channels, if you so desire.

I listen to classical music almost exclusively and in multichannel (3 or more) formats. I have thousands of them. I do listen to stereo when there is some music I want that is not available in multichannel.

3 channel
 

I listen mostly to 2 channel, occasionally to 5.3. 3 channel doesn’t seem to me to add much value over a well set up 2 channel system. I suspect most people who go beyond 2 channel, do so in combination with a home theater surround system - in which case, why stop at 3? I listen to lots of classical and jazz, but also rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, country, Cajun, world, and so on.

FYI, if your two channel has all the instruments jammed to right or left, you may want to spend some time experimenting with speaker placement. A well-set-up 2 channel system should produce good soundstage and imaging with good center fill.

This just not seem right. Without getting into a debate about the potential benefits of 3-channel, a properly configured two-channel system is certainly capable of a convincing soundstage.

Thank you for your responses.
Perhaps I used the wrong term when I said "jammed". I agree that two channel is or can be very rewarding, and can give a convincing sound stage. When I do listen to a two channel source (ie. vinyl or reel tape) my system can give a satisfying sound stage. I do have an sacd that has a two channel performance of Scheherezade and and a 3 channel, direct from the original
3 channel RCA recording, and BAM! there it was! There it was the violins ( remember there are about 36 players in a large romantic orchestra) were spread in a much more convincing manner, center instruments, violas, woodwinds were right there. Also the sweet spot was greatly enlarged.
In response to Kal, I do listen to 3,5 and 7 in discrete when Available, and use PLx II when not. It can be pretty convincing. Like many I have to share my listening space with a scandinavian style living room that's filled with plants so it's not perfect, but it works. Someday my dedicated room, filled with fabulous gear I can't afford.

I've done that very demo many times with that very recording and no one fails to hear what you describe.

There is an interesting interview with Keith Johnson (the professor) Stereophile (Volume 7 No4) on this and other subjects. Prof. Johnson is one of the finest audio engineers extant. I highly recommend it.

Very interesting discussion so far.

So Colleagues I'm wondering, how many of you (besides Kal and myself) have experienced discrete 3 channel audio.? and did you find it compelling?

Apparently not too many it would seem.