I don't believe that is a defensible position any longer.
That is. However, the argument that bothers me is the one that says that moving from a good stereo system to a multichannel one of the same cost is inevitably a compromise. It presumes the incremental expenditures on a stereo system are as rewarding as applying those expenditures to multichannel expansion
Kal, not really. Example:
I found a used set of Revel F12's for $800. That is coupled with a Buckeye stereo NC502MP, which is now about $700.
To go with 5.2, and sticking with the same brand, vintage, and quality level, I'd need three M12's and a couple of, say, B10 subs. The M12's seem to get about $300 each on the used market, and the B10's about $500. So, that adds up to $2700--not a lot to spend on very good stuff, of course, but 3.5 times what I paid for speakers.
And the Buckeye amp that would drive six channels would be a lot more than the stereo model I bought--about a thousand bucks more.
And then there's the preamp. My vintage stereo preamps cost a few hundred. Finding a vintage multichannel preamp with preamp outputs isn't that easy, to be honest. But I see an Adcom GTP750 5.2 preamp that went for about $700. That's $400 more than I paid for any of my preamps. I bought several because that's where my hobby went, but frankly the first one I bought was fine (an SAE) and I only paid a hundred bucks for it. But I'll compare the Adcom 750 to the Adcom 565, for which I paid $300.
So, what I paid $1800 for would have cost $5100 for a 5.2 system--same brands, same vintages, same used stuff, same quality. Yes, I would expect a more immersive experience, especially for multiple listeners. But my current system sounds superb, especially considering what I paid for it, and 99.8% of my library is stereo anyway.
What might I find for for $1800? Probably pretty close to what I have for watching TV: a Yamaha AVR that I paid $600 for used, but it lacks preamp outputs, so I use the built-in amps. I have a pair of Linn Index Plus speaker for L and R, but those are so old as to be worthless. So, let me suggest: Infinity Reference speakers which might fetch $1200 for a preowned 5.2 set including two towers.
I'm sorry, but even though I think that would make a competent system, I think that's a cost-driven compromise when listening to stereo stuff, which, as I say, is 99.8% of my collection, compared to what I have.
Rick "everything is a compromise" Denney