I’ve been running into more people who would choose tube gear for music listening. I’m curious, if one wants to enjoy good music and home theater sound, which combination below would be the most beneficial one for a 950 and 7100 owner with around $600 budget? Or, is there a better combination?

1. Integrate a stereo tube preamp with a bypass feature between 950 and 7100.
2. Integrate a tube amp between 950 and main speakers with a selector switch to choose between 7100 signal and tube amp signal to the speakers.
3. Get an integrated tube amp and feed CD or DVD analogue signal directly, then a speaker selector switch and to the mains. But unless it has a sub outlet and a crossover control, this will loose the ability to redirect low frequency to subwoofer (own only one).
4. Get tube preamp and amp both (if good ones exist at that budget) and have the same connection as #3. Again, low frequency redirection may not be possible.

Thank you.

SH is just afraid you'll hear how terrible it sounds.

Two channel...Hmmmm..oh, yeah...that's the multichannel format that came right after 78RPM slate, right??

Bosso:

I have done experimental mixdowns of master multi-track music recordings in discrete 7.0 with stereo side surrounds and stereo rear surrounds in addition to the L-C-R fronts. The increase in envelopment absolutely eclipses 5.1 - no contest. Having the ability to image accurately between fronts and sides, sides and rears, and between the two rears creates a seamless soundfield all around. With conventional 5.1, it is impossible to attain good imaging front to back and behind the listener at the same time due to speaker location constraints - 7.0 discrete solves this problem.

The problem is, you'll never hear this format....



[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited January 08, 2004).]

SH,

I'm way beyond doubting you. I just like to poke ya with a stick once in a while to see what you have up your sleeve.

The main reason I am attracted to 5.1 (or 6.0) discrete MC is the matter of headroom/per/channel. In stereo, you have 24 tracks and more that you have to mix down to 2 channels. Very hard to do with some music.

I hope never is the wrong word. Some day (maybe this coming summer), I would love to show up at your door and listen (to your system as well as your ideas and knowledge on these subjects).

BTW, does Dolby brick wall limit the LFE channel @ 120 Hz, or not?

I believe this is so, but I am not an expert on the compressed formats - when films I work on get to the stage where they're encoded for DD, I just plug my ears and tune out.

soundhound:
I guess there is a “water down” factor on just about everything made for consumers. Everyone can see that those awe inspiring concept cars at Detroit Auto Show do not end up looking the way they did by the time they reach the consumers (due to various reasons). Being an architect, I can say I share the similar experience often. What’s designed is not what gets built and almost always for the worse.

I haven’t been around in the Saloon for that long so I do not know even if you’ve mentioned it before but I’m just curious, would you list some of the film titles that you worked on?

Thanks.

bossobass:
I am new at this subject so please bear with me.
Does this article below pretty much explain what you are saying?
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/dvdaudiointerview.htm

I listen mostly to classical and some jazz. Most of those CDs have “stereo” written on it. Will there be an issue with this multi channel vs. stereo listening for those CDs?

Spiker,

What a cool article!! I just bookmarked it, and yes...it's exactly what I'm talking about.

As I've said before, acoustic, small ensemble music has always been the audiophile choice for the best stereo discs because less information in = less information tossed in the CD format.

I don't think full orchestral classical falls into that category, but most other classical does.

The short answer is, yes, you are better off with those genres of music in stereo, but ALL of them sound better in either Hi-Rez format.

Again, thanx for the link.