Well we all have our own scenario's and what may suite me, may not suite you. I have an 11.5' wide CIH setup in a room that's more than 30' long. My screen is not acoustically transparent because there's a large window on the backside. The room acts as a library, sitting room, bar and theater. It's not dedicated to any one thing. However, I could easily see adding front height and wide channels would add to the sound stage considerably.

That being said, I can also see how Trinnov/Audessey XT might add a serious improvement since the front channel resides below the screen. This may negate the need for extra channels, but I don't know since I've never heard the difference. At times I can notice the placement of the center channel even with some of the center channel spread to the left and right.

With all of that, I could see the benefit of more channels for my situation. On my second system, I know it wouldn't benefit much, if at all. Obviously everyone's situation unique, but just because some people hit a wall - when it comes to the number of channels - doesn't mean everyone does.

So you may be right, the vast majority may not feel the need, but there are those of us the certainly do. You can make a blind judgment, but until people have the opportunity to listen to the difference in soundstage for themselves you're implying judgement based on your own needs and experience.

Now that new episode of the BBT last night was pretty damn good.