Poll: How do you primarily listen to audio at home?

[Scytales]

Since I have put a real full range center speaker in use thanks to a multichannel preamplifier, whenever I can, I choose to listen to front end multichannel recordings in 3 channels.

In France at least, several dozens of disc albums recorded in 5 front end channels have been released. I consider myself lucky, for this recordings are mostly fantastically good even in 3 channels only compared to the best 2 channels albums. But the old 3 channels (or 3 tracks) recordings of the past are also fantastical compared to their reduction in 2 channels.

Multichannel is so better than plain old 2 channels stereo that I definitely plan to increased the number of available channels in the Hi-fi system.

 

[AdamG]

Yes, quite impressive.

Thinking will close it later tomorrow.

Completely your call Sir. But Wow what a response and I can’t wait until we start drilling down and exploring where the data points us. Incredibly thankful to our ASR Community for sharing their setups with us.

As a matter of a fact we are open to any and all suggestions as to what questions might be asked next to further refine this research effort. What is the data telling you? What questions are being raised and what can we explore further?

 

[pseudoid]

I have to confess to a few of my sins before this thread closes:
*Would it matter [a hill of coffee beans] if I admit that I use Dante AoIP dongles (XLR/USB) to shuffle my music between the 4 audio systems around the house?
*My primary system (Rotel separates) is capable of multi-channel audio but… meh?
*Does my use of both active/passive and cheap/expensive speakers make me a stereophile; rather than an audiophile?

 

[Sal1950]

Another way to interpret it is, there aren't nearly as many multichannelites as we might think. They're just more vociferous than the stereo sorts

I'm not sure how you total that?
With 5.,7. and Multisys votes at 329 and, 2ch total 824 and eliminate the headphone only guys.
That comes in at around 35%, fairly substantial as I see it.

 

[Robbo99999]

Completely your call Sir. But Wow what a response and I can’t wait until we start drilling down and exploring where the data points us. Incredibly thankful to our ASR Community for sharing their setups with us.

As a matter of a fact we are open to any and all suggestions as to what questions might be asked next to further refine this research effort. What is the data telling you? What questions are being raised and what can we explore further?

What about a poll where you can choose more than one answer. How about being able to choose a first / second / third "most used" or maybe instead "most important to you re music quality/measurements". Maybe rated by the "most important to you re music quality/measurements" is the most important question to ask as this site is mainly about being able to find good measuring gear (for good prices), so understanding where the community sits re the types of systems they're shopping for could be useful for ASR to know. Also, if rated by "most used" then that could really be something like a car stereo or somekind of rubbish portable speakers at work where excellent audio quality / measurements are not that important or related. Maybe instead the poll could be two parallel questions - choose first / second / third "most used" and then also choose first / second / third "most important to you re music quality/measurements" - so altogether respondants would be choosing up to 6 types of systems arranged over two seperate questions. That way you could see patterns in "most used" vs "most important to you re music quality/measurments", which could be quite useful & interesting. I don't know if the forum software enables you to create a poll that has the option for two seperate questions and a group of system choices for each of them (albeit they would be the same system choices replicated under each of the two questions). EDIT: if the forum software doesn't allow for that then you could always have a seperate thread/poll for each of the two questions, and you'd probably run both threads in parallel with each other - ie you'd post them up at the same time and maybe provide a link to the other poll (albeit the link to other poll would be unnecessary because they would both be next to each other on the home page I suppose).

small edit: when I use the word "music" above then you can also replace that with "audio" just to include other uses like TV/movies.

 

[pseudoid]

With 5.,7. and Multisys votes at 329 and, 2ch total 824

I was forced to vote for the "MultiSys" but all four systems use only 2-channel (w/o even subs) stereo feeds.
Multi-Channel is just too laborious and high 'maintenance' to image correctly for each content... and maddening when it is not.

 

[Sal1950]

I was forced to vote for the "MultiSys" but all four systems use only 2-channel (w/o even subs) stereo feeds

Multi-Channel is just too laborious and high 'maintenance' to image correctly for each content... and maddening when it is not.

Ah, but maintaining 4 2ch rigs is easy peasy?
So if you took your best 2ch rig and added equally good surround speakers and source, it could never sound good again?
Sounds like a cop-out to me, but your the only one being left in the cold.

 

[pseudoid]

Ah, but maintaining 4 2ch rigs is easy peasy?
So if you took your best 2ch rig and added equally good surround speakers and source, it could never sound good again?
Sounds like a cop-out to me, but your the only one being left in the cold.

Sorry, Sal1950, I really am a 'cop-out' when it comes to not wanting to know that the helicopter is about to shoot at my seating position from the left-rear (0730).
It (surrounds) will sound complicated and most definitely different.
Four (4) rigs because there are four areas in the house that require music... varying degrees of quality for the purpose.
Have you ever had to update a passive speaker? Yeah, me neither.
Besides being 2 brown-bag coyote (the WAF), I really don't want warts popping out all over the house that you call surround speakers.
I've experimented at home and have set-up other systems capable for multi-channel A/V for at least a decade. I even have the T-shirt.
You don't need to worry as no one is ever left in the cold here in SoCal!

 

[Sal1950]

Sorry, Sal1950, I really am a 'cop-out' when it comes to not wanting to know that the helicopter is about to shoot at my seating position from the left-rear (0730)

If that's what you believe immersive music is about, your very mistaken,
But its your loss so ----------

 

[pseudoid]

If that's what you believe immersive music is about, your very mistaken,
But its your loss so ----------

It is not too late to change your vote and join those of us who prefer the shallow-end of the 'immersitivity" pool!

Cheers...

 

[AdamG]

It is not too late to change your vote and join those of us who prefer the shallow-end of the 'immersitivity" pool!
View attachment 340771
Cheers...

If he has a Multi channel system he also has a 2 channel with the click of a button anytime he wants to enjoy 2 channel stereo. So it’s assumed that he has this. You can’t have a multi channel system without the front two.

 

[pseudoid]

If he has a Multi channel system he also has a 2 channel with the click of a button anytime he wants to enjoy 2 channel stereo. So it’s assumed that he has this. You can’t have a multi channel system without the front two.

Very true!
My main A/V system is a multi-channel separates setup that has been 'demoted' to 2-channel duties:

...The 2 DSPs and array of 6 Wolfson 24-bit/192kHz audiophile grade DACs support configuration options from 5.1 to a complete Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 home theater. There are 12 channels of RCA audio outputs for a fully customized installation.

I was forced to vote for the last choice (#10. Multiple systems @15.6%) and my vote is not included in the top two choice counts (@58.8%).

 

[ryanosaur]

If he has a Multi channel system he also has a 2 channel with the click of a button anytime he wants to enjoy 2 channel stereo. So it’s assumed that he has this. You can’t have a multi channel system without the front two.

This!

 

[Rick Sykora]

Very true!
My main A/V system is a multi-channel separates setup that has been 'demoted' to 2-channel duties:

I was forced to vote for the last choice (#10. Multiple systems @15.6%) and my vote is not included in the top two choice counts (@58.8%).

Not graded, but you may be judged!

NO poll fascists here. Free to change your vote as you see fit. Just do it before the polls close tonight!

 

[mhardy6647]

I should know better but...

If he has a Multi channel system he also has a 2 channel with the click of a button anytime he wants to enjoy 2 channel stereo. So it’s assumed that he has this. You can’t have a multi channel system without the front two.

That's how we roll here at the ol' casa when solid state power is required (or desired).


Straight from the Grantham, NH dump.

 

[Cbdb2]

5.1 for video, stereo for music, same system.

 

[Propheticus]

Other: a 4.1 setup in the living room. I had a centre speaker smaller than and mismatched with my L+R (no room for bigger below the TV), but that sounded worse than using no centre at all. The centre channel is now mixed into L and R channels.
The system is mostly used for watching movies and series. Stereo music is upmixed to virtual surround.

 

[georgeT]

2.1 through my PC's integrated soundboard, because it's the year 2024 and a 5.1 DAC costs more than my entire setup.

 

[Sal1950]

Other: a 4.1 setup in the living room. I had a centre speaker smaller than and mismatched with my L+R (no room for bigger below the TV), but that sounded worse than using no centre at all. The centre channel is now mixed into L and R channels.
The system is mostly used for watching movies and series. Stereo music is upmixed to virtual surround.

Good ole Quad arrangement has always been just great for music, etc.
Center channels can sometimes be an advantage to lock dialog to screen with movies, specially when the
L & R speaker position is very wide or there are multiple listening positions like in larger home theaters.
Enjoy!

 

[jhenderson0107]

I love music and enjoy it everywhere.
Roon and LMS servers feeding raspberry pi 4s as sources to all listening stations
Family Room: 7.3.6 - Genelecs 8361 surr.+center/W371+8351 LR, typically using Auro3D upmixer from Trinnov Altitude 16
Living Room: 4.0 - Linkwitz LX-521 with custom MTM rears, RME ADI DAC Fs Pro->Meridian Trifield->MiniDSP->NCore amps
Den: 2.1 - Genelec 8341+7360 sub (room), RME ADI DAC FS->Sennheiser 800s/HD650 (chair), Sabaj A20D->Sennheiser HD650 (desk)
Game: 2.1 - Genelec 8341+7360 sub and Beyerdynamic 880 via RME UCX II (Digital audio workstation), RME ADI DAC FS->Sennheiser 800s/AKGK1000 (chair), 4.0 4x iLoud MTMs + 7360 sub (gaming simulator)
Shop: 2.0 - Sony bookshelves via Sabaj amp. Only useful when cleaning the shop, since tools are so loud. Sony WH-1000xm4 for noise cancellation when woodworking.
Sewing: Logitech Boom
Patio: 3x Sonos Move
Master Bedroom: Squeezebox SB3s on each endtable, Grace amp->Senn HD650 (him), Meyer amp->AKG701 (her)
Airpods when walking dogs