The Death of Home Theater. What Happened? Well, it has finally been replaced with something new.

Home Theater has been the focus for the home buyer for 30 years now. So what happened to cause its demise? Watch the video as I explore the history of home entertainment and how it has evolved for over 100 years. What might this mean for stereo manufacturers and vintage audio? Will our beloved Pioneer, McIntosh, Sony, Sansui gear still be relevant? Dolby 4k, 7.2.4 surround, 9.2 surround, Atmos, the Roku Streambar, Elac Debut speakers, Sonos Arc, Vizio Elevate, 8k video, Sennheiser Ambeo Max, are all the newest latest and greatest for home theater, but will the Apple Vision Pro eclipse them all?
Video: • The Death of Home Thea...
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[@stereoniche]

What do you think about the future of Stereo? Will the release of immersive personal video help drive more interest in Stereo? Chime in here with your thoughts and experience.

[@david020218]

now that the 2 channel streamers are coming out and technology is getting better like the eversolo dmpa8 im loving 2 channel all over again

[@robertliskey420]

A thought, what goes in comes out. I have (in no order ) experiences I will share. Most of you are perhaps little too young to remember when cd was making inroads. The record companies were fighting back with PCM discs, Direct to digital, and the king of all (very few made due to process) Direct to disc at 45 rpm. I cannot tell you how great they sound if you find any and you have a half way system they will shock you. Love folks getting back into stereo.

[@kennethanway7979]

​@@robertliskey420 good to know! Thanks!

[@stereoniche]

@@robertliskey420 I think it will continue. It just feels like a renewed interest is fueling it.

[@operamatthew]

a great stereo system is the foundation for a home theater. no headset will replace a room shaking when king kong pounds his chest. home theater isn’t going anywhere.

[@GodsHeretic]

THIS. There is no replacement for the sheer immersiveness of bass that shakes the furniture and the walls!

[@steve4321able]

I built a very impressive system in my home and without a doubt it delivers! My girlfriend has a sound bar in her home and I was quite surprised at how well it sounded. It will NEVER be even close to what I have but it works for her and its not complicated. She watched Top Gun Maverick in my room and was absolutely blown away but her appreciation for the sound was just not there like it was for me. The normal person usually doesn't care about that type of sound and just want to enjoy the movie. I can respect that. The downside of this is visiting others, watching the same movies and thinking to myself they are missing so much this sounds like absolute garbage. I'm the one always grabbing their remote and trying my best to adjust what they have for the best sound LOL.

[@stereoniche]

That is essentially the summary of my point, with the exception that new tech (like a VR type experience) will slowly take more and more market share. Go give the Apple Vision Pro a try. On the optical side, it is exceptional. The audio side has a way to go to match current 9.2 Atmos level, but maybe that is an area where it can help expand the experience. For that, I think it may need a full helmet type of gear which may be to claustrophobic for many. :-)

[@vincezwane5499]

I can totally relate

[@teddine7366]

My brother in law and sister are the same way. They have a beautiful 75 inch Samsung tv screen and say that the tv speakers are good enough and they don't need all that. Where as my philosophy is the sound should match the picture.

[@steve4321able]

@@teddine7366 Absolutely!

[@paulv22]

I think the big downfall with typical home theater implementations is the complication. Juggling remotes and trying to get the females in the house to understand which remote to adjust volume with just isn't worth the effort. With a nice vintage system, all that is obvious and straightforward. I agree though, all this makes a 2 channel system make more sense.

[@stereoniche]

I went for about 10 yrs with just a vintage receiver hooked up to the television. We also struggle with the "what remote do I use" issues. LOL

[@kennethanway7979]

Nothing beats simple surround sound..

[@atulpandey6500]

Modern systems connect with earc and everything could be controlled through tv remote. Only occasionally you will need ht remote

[@paulv22]

@@shahross8366 They're all garbage.

[@Gman2002]

@@atulpandey6500E-Arc can sometimes be finicky with different brands or when the new owner doesn’t know a firmware update will fix their handshake issue.

[@jeffmeier1663]

I worked with 1000's of home theaters throughout the years. People have viewed these differently. They range from stereo sound and a TV in a living room to a dedicated room with a projector and surround sound. The reality is that many people with dedicated rooms do not use their rooms very much. Others like myself use them a lot. Dedicated home theaters with platform seating are not very social compared to a living room setup. Dedicated home theaters were thought to bring increased value to home resale. This is probably not the case in most instances. The advent of 4K HDR and larger TV's have made the need for a light controlled room and projector much less. The current generation of projectors are also very weak at 4K HDR compared to flat panels. The fact that HDR is mastered for light levels that projectors cannot achieve without an industry standard strategy for remastering the content for the display or room environment is also problematic. IMO the industries constantly changing standards discourages people from investing in this technology. There is always something better around the corner and some of these changes are hard to retrofit. More people are probably understanding their cost to benefit ratio of the options available and deciding against a dedicated theater room or a large investment in this form of entertainment.

[@stereoniche]

I did not get into that level of detail, but I had pretty much the same thoughts overall. As with anything, it is not a single issue that results in change, but many. As well, just as vinyl never completely went away, HT will have its fans for decades to come, but the vast majority, I believe, will adopt much more modest systems. The heyday of the dedicated HT will be relegated to those households with enough financial resources to accommodate a room dedicated to a HT that is just used periodically. Thanks for adding to the conversation, with your level of actual experience in the market, it helps confirm some of my assumptions. I did not consider the point about the experience in a living room, but it makes perfect sense. The majority of folks will want to get the most value of their square footage.

[@brianhope5853]

I think the difference between video/audio experience and a music experience is that when you're watching video/audio you want it to be immersive, yet while listening to music you want it to be present. Stereo gives that sense of presence to music that surround lacks.

[@stereoniche]

All true!

[@Yooyangs]

I took another route and did both. Dedicated home theater and dedicated 2 channel system. Of course they take 2 rooms, but I’m satisfied. 😊

[@stereoniche]

Well, that is certainly the best of both worlds!

[@leeleew7524]

Same here, dedicated theater in basement, two channel in living room!

[@prashantchutke5521]

Same here . 1) dedicated Music listening room in the basement. - single ended Tube amp , single ended phone preamp, Turn table , high sensitivity speakers, 2 subwoofers , cables etc 2) second listening space with vintage stereo speakers, CD player, Classic Marantz solid state stereo amp 3) Movie room with TV , DVD , home theater However , if the sound from HT becomes too overwhelming, it distracts me from the movie on the screen . It goes against being "immersive " , may become a bit distracting, just my own experience

[@Goodboy0953]

Never Not For Me!!! Home theatre will stay a Theatre at my home….

[@stereoniche]

Thank you for commenting!

[@lenimbery7038]

After many years I’ve finally bought a house that had a dedicated home theatre space which I’ve developed into a nice music and theatre room with a projection system and I enjoy it almost every night. I’m happy with it all!

[@lenimbery7038]

I’ve got a quest 3 headset and it’s pretty good and I’m pleasantly impressed by it’s immersive sound

[@radioflyer2030]

This video fails to address the fact that there is literally nothing to watch anymore. Home theater died for me when, instead of writing compelling stories, Hollywood decided to try to force ideologies I'm not interested in and don't care about down my throat. I think Hollywood forgets that the entire rest of the world exists. Where I live, we absolutely do not care about the crap that people in Hollywood & some / most first world countries are on about these days. Also, attention spans get shorter every year, and people consume so much media on their phones that it gets hard to actually convince a handful of people to sit down & watch the same thing at the same time. And of course there is the complexity of HT systems... we live in a world where nobody wants to know anything, everybody wants easy, so dealing with a fancy, complex system is not in the cards for a lot of people these days. I get my loud rumble & thump these days from doing live sound for bands... no neighbors to complain about the noise... 🤣🤣🤣

[@stereoniche]

A couple of key points there. Many folks are getting more comfortable watching personal video which, I think, is what will continue to drive the adoption of this new technology. It will take time as the cost is too high, but as with any new tech, the price will fall. The experience is far too great to big ignored. Secondly, complexity in setting up an Atmos system was a bridge too far for many. Not that there won't be some technical issues to address with a Vision Pro, but one plug is all that is needed.

[@chrisduncan3943]

For me, I lost interest when they started making so many superhero movies which I cannot make myself get interested in no matter how hard I try.

[@Mr_Spock512]

@@chrisduncan3943 I totally agree ... I hate superhero movies.

[@RobertR3750]

"This video fails to address the fact that there is literally nothing to watch anymore." Not true. There are new movies that are worth watching. It's true that they are few and far between, but that simply means that Sturgeon's Law is true. And you're forgetting the literally thousands of worthwhile old movies that can be enjoyed.

[@michaelweber5968]

Problem with 2 channel stereo listing is that most people dont get the real magic of it because speakers suck unfortunately I didn't get it in full until i built my own speakers i didn't know how good it could really be. I built a set of speakers that had 2 8" woofers in a box for bass and di pole plannars on the mid and tweeter section on top When i pluged them in and listened to them my god i was blown away i thought to myself is this what its supposed to sound like thats wonderful and my mind went to other places But for most normal people they haven't heard music in this way most people just throw up a set of speakers in a box and figure thats the way it is but it can be so much better I sold my speakers now (building a new pair) but the guy calls me at least twice a weey raving about the speakers and thanking me say this is the best speakers ive ever heard 😊 I always tell people you dont know until you hear it 😂

[@stereoniche]

As with anything really, once you see/hear quality, only then can you realize what you were missing.

[@kennethanway7979]

Please... tell me more! Seriously!

[@kenandbarbie-b6c]

Personally I think home theater sales have slowed because it is a luxury. People are spending money on food & gas to get to work. Much of the working class used to splurge on home theater as a hobby, but the poor economy with inflationary issues puts priorities up front, especially for the working class. Headphones are cheaper. 😢

[@rico387]

I made it to a point in life that I can afford high end equipment and a dedicated theater room with amenities. Now, there is nothing I want to watch.

[@stereoniche]

Quite the dilemma isn't it? We love movies and there is nothing I like more that popping some good corn, spicing it up and watching a movie with the family, however, it just doesn't happen enough as there just isn't the quantity of great movies. Besides, I rarely watch a movie a twice, but can listen to great music tracks over and over again.

[@prashantchutke5521]

⁠@@stereonichelistening to music in a dedicated room never gets boring. You can listen to your favorite albums again and again and again ....

[@tomreidy1237]

I graduated from HS in 1976 and experienced my first hi-fi stereo equipment when I got to Purdue that Fall. Prior to that- my brothers and I used to listen to records on my parents console stereo. There was a whole world of incredible stereo equipment and I was hooked. Just in a small section of my dorm there were Macintosh preamp/power amps, Crown, Kenwood- any high end brand you could imagine was there for the listening pleasure. Not having the financial wherewithal of many of my neighbors I put together a modest system with a Kenwood KA9100, Yamaha NS1000M, Teac cassette deck, and a Marantz 6300 turntable. It was a very exciting time to grow up with the Wattage Wars kicking in at that time. I still have most of the original equipment, but I did have one major misstep when I traded the Marantz for a B&O 4004 linear tracking turntable (stupid). As life progressed- I got married, kids appeared, and I had to mothball the stereo equipment to keep it from getting destroyed by kids. VHS movies were invented and to keep up with the Joneses and not deprive your kids you were expected to buy every Disney movie in VHS formats. A few years later DVD’s were invented and you had to re-buy every Disney movie in DVD format. And a few years later Blu-Ray movies were invented and Disney was lurking over my shoulder waiting for me to start buying the same movies for a third time and I decided I was done. I was able to survive the pressure from friends and family and resist investing in the latest and greatest movie format for twenty years. That was until this past March when I was laying in bed and was watching a short clip with Andrew Robinson and this great deal on an AVR. So I bought it and the 5.1 surround speakers which lead to remodeling the basement with stadium seats and purchasing another 85” Samsung 90C TV, and a 4K Blu-Ray player. And of course the 4K and Blu-Ray media that is necessary to complete the experience. Since I am a little late to the dance on this technology I think I will pass on going to the Apple Store until my bank account recovers from this latest onslaught of technology buying. Scott- I still think that the younger generation will be buying streamers and equipment that they can shout at to play music for the foreseeable future. My daughter has one of those streaming devices that she just speaks what genre or song she wants to hear and how loud to play it. I think in the next couple of years the streaming devices will become “cooler” with LCD screens that show the song and album art similar to the Cambridge Audio model that I have forgotten. I also think that sound bars will still be the device most used to improve the sound quality of flat screen TV’s. I do have a sound bar hooked up to my family room TV because my wife will not tolerate exposed AVR’s and speakers in this room. An 85” TV is okay, but no exposed sound system! Anyway, another great video and I do enjoy watching them. Just don’t try to get me to buy into another new technology for awhile please 🫣

[@stereoniche]

That made me chuckle. I too went through the Disney repurchase cycle, then even had Disney+ for a while as well until we cycled through all of the content we wanted. I left out the point that, although I am an Apple fan for my computers/phones, I will be a late adopter to the Vision Pro (if ever), By the time the price point gets down to where multiple can be bought and they become more glitch free, they will probably have a way to turn your dedicated theater into a holodeck experience. In the meantime, I plan to enjoy my 2 channel stereo gear.

[@tomreidy1237]

@@stereoniche as I will too Scott ❤️

[@boneseyyl1060]

Your story is similar to mine. I think we were lucky to experience all this when it was new. Now kids grow up and this is the norm for them. So they don't get excited about it the way we did. How times have changed. It's the same with computers and gaming. We could never have dreamed of what they have now, back then.

[@henrylambreton9079]

When I was in my mid 60's I picked up a used Samsung Gear VR headset and watched movies like Jurassic Park and Star Wars with headphones/earbuds. I was sold. It was like public theater quality in sight and sound. Since then, I've evolved to the Quest 2 and now the Quest 3. Current VR movie apps include the ability to "share" the experience with others who are using headsets as well. VR movie apps are still evolving and getting better.

[@stereoniche]

It has to start somewhere. Who know how cool it will be in another 10 yrs.

[@robertliskey420]

Wow just the answer I needed, do they work on a pc? Old eyes getting bad. Thank you!

[@kennethanway7979]

Prices?... what about if you wear glasses?

[@stereoniche]

@@kennethanway7979 The MSRP is $3500, but I am sure that will continue to fall. The headset is adjusted to your glasses prescription so your glasses are not needed. Quite sophisticated.

[@truhunk1]

I love my home theater, and I love my Quest 3. But I prefer movies in my theater with surround sound.

[@stereoniche]

Thank you for commenting!

[@garyharper2943]

I have a 5.1.4 home theater and a 2 channel turntable system and I love them both.

[@stereoniche]

Best of BOTH worlds!

[@cameron6249]

i haven't checked out the apple vision pro yet but, from the ads and reviews i've seen i don't see it replacing home theater. it's a personal unit and part of the ht experience is sharing with family n friends, sure you can pass the unit around but it's not the same. it's bulky and uncomfortable after about 30mins, even though it'll get lighter n smaller with time, it's still a head unit. if it replace anything i believe it'll be video games, but for those of us who love ht i see apple visison as a side chick, not a replacement.

[@stereoniche]

I think it will take several more years and the price (currently $3500) will need to drop drastically, but that has been the cycle for all major technology shifts. Those with the money to buy them will be early adopters, then as volume increases and price decreases, the masses will be able to participate. Now, that all assumes, of course, the tech gets smaller/lighter, etc, but once you feel that immersive experience from video and pictures you take yourself, there is no going back. It IS the future, just a matter of how long it will take for us to get there.

[@rocjackson5975]

Yeah, I agree with your assessment. Apple Vision is too personalized. Until they can create something that will create VR experience for a group collectively, I don't see it replacing the media where all can see, feel and hear the experience the same way..

[@ccdccd8615]

I disagree. I have long since moved beyond just a soundbar and there is no way I’m going back to just a soundbar. Nor do I see any movement back to just soundbars. I was at a product rollout by a major HT company just this week. They were highlighting their front speakers which could, for many, dispense with the soundbar AND could do a good job at 2 channel as well as HT. That is the future I see. I can see just using a soundbar to improve on the sound coming from your TV. But for anything approaching cinematic sound, a soundbar simply is not sufficient.

[@stereoniche]

For a true moviephile like yourself, that will always be true. I can tell you that the demise of many a great stereo system was the Bose Acoustimass systems because of.... women. They pushed out the big stereo setups in mass so they could "not see" the Bose systems. That is or will happen to many HT systems as they are replaced by women for soundbars. To be clear, not ALL women as some women do like a quality HT experience.

[@ccdccd8615]

@@stereoniche Hard to argue with you on this point. In our bedroom (my wife’s domain), we have a soundbar for the TV. There is NO WAY that there will be anything more than a soundbar in the bedroom as I had to convince her to even try that! The HT system is in my “man cave” in the basement. Need I say more???

[@Billytomtom18]

Thanks for the music history lesson 🎶. I must say that I am a bit of old school and willing to explore new technologies. There’s something to be said for equipment made in the 70’s , 80’s and 90’s. Digging through some old boxes I found my Sony Walkman, the original Apple iPod, I even found my old pager, pre cellphone… lol I have a Yamaha stereo component system and they all work great. I started collecting Vynil again and I love it. It’s so much more than a CD which I have many too. But there’s something about holding an Album and reading the inner sleeve and stories about the Artist feels more satisfying than a CD. But as the old saying goes, one of the Constants in Life is Change. Oh I forgot when I sold my last house I left the whole surround system since I put all the speaker wires in the walls while building the house. I’ve heard about the Virtual Reality Systems and I guess I should at least try one out for the experience ? One of the early systems that looked interesting was where you could play golf or bowling, etc. But I still enjoy the hunt of finding an Album from years ago that’s in very good condition. Thanks for your time in putting this video together 👍

[@richardwhite2344]

THanks Scott for this video. I Love the experience of buying physical media and haviing it in my hands. In my opinion, a much better experience

[@stereoniche]

Agree. For me, I just feel so much more invested into the process. When I go through the process of selecting some media from my collection to listen to it, I am committed to that experience for the duration. The whole album, not just a single song. And THAT is really why I prefer physical media. Streaming has pluses though, it has essentially replaced radio as the way to find new music. I've not actually started using it myself, my kids have actually introduced me to some new artists.

[@dougg1075]

I put together a theater room a few years ago with projector and all that and rarely used it. It was cool to show people bit that was about it. During the lockdowns I got my first stereo tube amp and efficient speakers ( Heresy IV) two years ago and connected my two Sunfire subs. Wow! Smashed right through the wall of boredom I was feeling at the time. Happy listening:)

[@stereoniche]

And THAT is why I think stereo will continue to see a resurgence, most of us are more likely to enjoy it almost daily.

[@alanrogs3990]

90% + of the movies I watch are old and are either basic stereo or mono. Modern films (the past 30 years or so) are trash. Not all, not all, not all but most (my opinion)

[@stereoniche]

There are some gems out there, but most do not benefit from a complex home theater setup. The few that do, I prefer to just see at the theater.

[@user-bc6ok1yh4s]

You could say the same for current music releases.

[@totalplonker824]

As soon as I see the blurred edges and outer focus backgrounds, I'm immediately aware the actors are standing in front of a green screen, which obviously distances one from the movie. And never mind, no character development it's almost as if sometimes they add a scene (probably on the fly) just to show off the latest camera techniques. The Great Movie era has sadly long gone

[@robertliskey420]

Great reply, and also if you get the one or two that are good content on the state of the art media you soon find out ALL the equipment has to handle the content!

[@kingkobra1956]

So true.

[@sandsmarc]

I want expensive, complicated, awesome equipment. It’s a hobby. I love researching. I love buying. I love installing. I love watching. And eventually upgrading and replacing.

[@stereoniche]

Indeed. That is the same for both stereo and HT sides of the hobby. Experiencing something new can be a bit "addictive" as we continue to pursue that next level.

[@RogerZoul]

I have three home theater setups in my house. I got the Apple Vision Pro earlier this year and now I only use that for movies. I wear the Apple iPods Pro 2.0 (usb c) for sound. Those little earphones make amazing sound. But now I have a portable home theater for just myself (and I live alone) with a 200-inch screen and surround sound. I love it! It took some doing to get the headset to be comfortable on my head though, Apple didn’t do a great job on that, but third parties stepped up to provide solutions and I had to go through two iterations to find one I could live with. The lens inserts you need if you wear glasses aren’t perfect and at first would produce strange glare in bright scenes in movies. But of late some tricks have appeared in the environments that have diminished the glare tremendously to the point where glare is way less of a problem but not completely gone. If you have two of the AVP, or you have a buddy at another location remote to yours, then if you facetime call them, then you can watch content together in a synchronized way in a theater setting! Of course, this too is not perfect, as content sharing is not allowed. So, to make it work both will need to purchase the same content to watch together. It is the future but the full measure of it is still a ways off. $4000+ for a uncomfortable headset is not gonna fly, full stop! So, someone has some work to do. I will still be buying UHD content on discs + digital copies and I will use my HT if I want to watch with company, but when I am alone or on travel in a hotel, I will use AVP. I will not use it on an airplane because I am just not that guy.

[@stereoniche]

Thanks for relaying your real life experience with the AVP. As you say, it is not perfect, but an early preview to where the technology is going and it will only continue to get better from this point on.

[@mbilden]

I chased the "Surround Sound" home theater dragon for about 10 years. It got stale. When I needed a new TV I bought a mid level soundbar and Subwoofer. 90% of the experience with 10% of the work. I have a dedicated 2 channel set up in the same room. They both are great at what they do, and I don't ask them to be something they are not.

[@kingtrance307]

90% of the HT experience with just a sound bar and a sub? That has not been my experience…

[@stereoniche]

For many, 50% of the experience without 100% of the frustration may be sufficient. Bose won over many users by making small systems that "disappeared" into the room, not because they sounded better.

[@jamescoyle4899]

You must have a very powerful way of tricking your mind that you get 90% sound over home theater systems with the sound bar. I think they call that selective thinking. But hey more power too you!

[@mbilden]

@@jamescoyle4899 I guess I didn't explain myself well. I believe that I experience 90% of what I was able to achieve in my room using my equipment. Everyones ears are different and has different experiences. I simply ran out of time and money to keep throwing at the solution. Eventually, for me, the best solution was to go with a soundbar and sub well matched to the TV. In addition, over the past 15 years my hearing has become progressively worse. I reallocated my scarce time and resources into getting better 2 channel performance as it has become more important to me. BTW, as a medical professional, I know that the mind is capable of amazing things!

[@DanMyersIII]

Pretty good history of home theater, however, tape is completely missing: reel-to-reel, cassette, eight-track, Beta-Max and VHS. The brief appearance of the laser disc is also missing, too.

[@stereoniche]

All true, but it was not intended to be a full accounting of every media type, mainly the shift away from the more complex to more simple setups and personal viewing technologies.

[@mikecampbell5856]

Thanks for another great history lesson Scott. I have radios from the 30s and 40s, I bought my first stereo in 1975 and now I have a Wiim streamer. I guess I've seen it all. LOL When does it end? I'm moving soon and my new family room/home theater/listening room is going to be over twice as big as my current one. I don't want to wire another room for surround and I'm seriously thinking of just watching movies in stereo. We do that in our living room and it sounds great. I'm running six stereos and I may be dropping down to three. The receiver and speaker bullpen is already crowded and its going to get worse. LOL

[@stereoniche]

We can never have enough space! Always the bane of us hobbyists, but great you will have a dedicated space to set things up to enjoy.

[@robertliskey420]

Very cool. What is your oldest radio? Mine is either a Philco 90B or a Scott all wave! Scotts are wonky no one is really sure when models were in production.

[@c12performance19]

Sound bars suck, promise a lot delivers crap. Even a small receiver with inexpensive speakers and a sub will kill any soundbar.

[@stereoniche]

You should still go give the Vision Pro a try, just for the experience. There is more for it beyond movie watching that is quite compelling.

[@vasquezovj65]

I think you missed one evolution that greatly effected how consumers experience music and video and that would be the introduction of the smart phone for better or worse many today listen and watch movies on their cell phones. I think this evolution of more compact personalized quick access is more closely related the devises being introduce such as the Apple Vision Pro.

[@stereoniche]

Actually, I had planned to mention that very point, but edited it out in the end. But I think that is the transition point that will help grow the VR experience.

[@kchong53]

For music, a good stereo is good enough. As for movie, a 2.1 or 5.1 system will suffice.

[@scottlowell493]

ATMOS is not worth the massive investment. 5.1 or even 2.1 fills the space perfectly.

[@stereoniche]

It did seem to be a bit over the top for most.

[@rlsuarezv]

Atmos is only as good as the extremely rare good atmos recordings available !

[@RobertR3750]

Well implemented Atmos is worth it.

[@nesq4104]

I been doing 3.1 for the longest. The best as rear channels are complicated depending on space. 3.1 does an excellent job. Or even 3.0

[@rangersmith4652]

Many commenters have said it, one way or another: there's a place for 5.1-type systems, and there's a place for stereo, either 2.0 or 2.1. If you try to get a system designed for one of to do the other, you will struggle.

[@stereoniche]

Agree. I myself have two separate systems.

[@edwardchoi8299]

Yes, technology evolves to a fantastic digital streamer with power amp as well integrating TV’s HDMI port with wifi and blutooth. People using stereo speakers can link up with TV. Since it is linked to HDMI of TV, the streamer automatically controlled by TV volume. WiiM Amp for passive speakers and WIIM ultra can be hooked with active speakers. Other all in one amps such as ARCAM and NAIM can also be used. This way you just turn on TV and listen amazing sound on your stereo and enjoy professional streaming music apps as well.

[@rowyfilio9049]

Never to giving up my home theater systems I'm leaving it to my room separately to my stereo as I never used subwoofer for my music and the place where I realy love to listen

[@stereoniche]

So going to run with two separate systems then?

[@ZZ-ou7gp]

Soundbars???? I went through that whole thing and went 7.1.4 and never looked back. Yes, when stereo is done well, it is amazing. But for home theatre, im sticking with surround sound. Stereo just feels empty for modern movies. Noted that movies of old mixed in mono or stereo sound great on a stereo system.

[@atulpandey6500]

Atleast for movies a cetre channel makes a lot of difference so for me it would always be between building a full system or building a 3.0 or 3.1 system. Stereo works great for music but not at all that great for movies

[@chrisdraper1976]

I think its the smartphone is the biggest reason today audio is fading away

[@stereoniche]

Mobile video viewing is also part of the reason Home Theater is slowing down. More and more are watching the small screen.

[@Winterfell1066]

I have a 2.1 system for my TV. Older McIntosh MX130 in 2 channel mode, Schitt Vidar amp for power, DAC, I run through either Wharfedale Lintons with a sub, or just my mid 80s Cornwalls. Sounds great all the time. Have a turntable and cd also hooked up. I need or want NONE of the complexity of multichannel systems. Such a pain to hookup, hide wires, etc., and very hard to switch components in and out of the system for variety.

[@stereoniche]

Well, you are part of the choir I was referring to, you never went down that rabbit hole. :-)

[@TheMonkdad]

I have a pretty high end home theater that I use frequently. It’s in my basement so I tend to use it more in the summer because it’s cold. I’ve tried the VR headsets and quickly became bored with it.

[@gregbartley2475]

I have a well equipped system that pulls double duty as 2 channel/Atmos home theater. I’ve had several people experience it and for the most part, the reactions are very positive. Big wow factor. Some caught the bug and went down the rabbit hole but only a few. A high quality audio only or ht a definitely a niche thing. I believe the iPod was the beginning of the end of high fidelity.

[@stereoniche]

I think in the early 2000's the iPod generation certainly went in that direction, but it does seem like many want a bit more now. Will it be very high fidelity? Probably not, but setting up anything beyond just an iPod and headphones is a step up! :-)

[@rlsuarezv]

I would gladly bet a million dollars to that Apple Vision Pro will be a profound sales failure.

[@stereoniche]

Quite possible and very likely, but VR or something similar, will succeed longer term. The point is not specifically the Apple Vision Pro, the point is that some newer tech like it will change the current paradigm.

[@len9518]

100% agree. The complexity of the latest receiver, along with their connections, is absurd, and many folks who buy them, will never figure out how to properly use them. I'd guess that many don't know what mode they're in, or how to change it. Also, too often the receiver is not set up or connected properly. Since I don't want artificial, multichannel sound, I have for decades, relied on a 2 channel amp or receiver. The surround sound I've been exposed to, does not sound like real music.

[@stereoniche]

And therein lies my point about many that have actually grown up never having heard a nice 2 channel stereo system. Once they do, I think some of them will decide to invest more into their home stereo vs surround.

[@wendellwendellb339]

I am one of many who does understand what my receiver can and can’t do. I understand how to calibrate using REW, Mini DSP, and know what the connections are for. I get it, it can be a little daunting.

[@totalplonker824]

The more one knows, the more distracting it can actually become. Constantly analysing etc. I wish I could go back to where I knew Jack shit but experience the same audio I'm currently experiencing. Now that would be something! Mind you, one could always have a doobie 😊 ​@wendellwendellb339

[@wendellwendellb339]

@@totalplonker824 It’s not distracting for me. I’m well aware of how this all works!

[@williamcampbell3868]

​@@stereoniche let's not forget how Quadraphonics in the mid 70's confused a lot of people also. Its name just changed to home theater later.

[@chrisduncan3943]

I made my guest house into a theater sometime around 2010 with a 10' screen, projector, surround sound etc. I used it a lot then I stopped even going out there for a couple years. If I wanted a big screen experience I'd use my Quest Pro with the BigScreen app. But here recently I've started using and upgrading my home theater again and I overall think it's a better experience than VR. (Maybe the Apple headset would be a better replacement).

[@carriesmith7843]

I have a Quest and had the Vision Pro for a while. Movie watching is quite nice on these devices especially the Vision Pro. Unfortunately it’s a singular experience. My husband, daughter, and I use our theater several times a week and host a family movie night with other family members about 3x a week. Can’t do that with the VR devices.

[@nirvblakr]

I have an atmos dedicated hometheater for family movies every weekend. But recently I use my XReal Glasses connected to my phone. Its very personal and immersive without bothering other people in the room

[@stereoniche]

Very Nice! So you are "augmenting" your full theater with personal video. I've not seen or tried the XReal products, but clearly this is going to be the direction for a while. Thanks for commenting.

[@davidbono9359]

I think there will be a market for good-quality 2-channel audio for the foreseeable future, regardless of what's happening in the home theater and immersive video / VR space. The fact that vintage 2-channel hi-fi gear keeps going up in price, and that there are more new products (2-ch amplifiers / receivers, turntables, CD players, speakers) being introduced shows that. Personally, I did the whole 5.1 home theater thing several years ago, and I don't think it added much to the "experience". If you watch lots of action movies with lots of obnoxiously loud 'splosions and surround effects, then maybe it's worth it. To me, it distracts from the movie instead of adding to it. I'd be happy with 2 channels and a decent center channel so I can actually hear / understand the dialog without having to turn on closed captions. The last TV audio "system" I set up was a Sonos soundbar. More than good enough for me, but YMMV.

[@stereoniche]

We are on the same page. Being a vintage stereo guy, I will always have my 2 channel systems. The dialog for watching movies is the key for me as well. So frustrating when you cannot understand what they are saying.

[@gregjones2472]

Bunch of surround haters on here

[@stereoniche]

Not so much haters, they just prefer stereo.

[@Luckystone211]

I strongly believe in the 2.1 stereo system, The stereo music being heard within the four walls of a room is amazing, I use headphones only when others getting disturbed is a possibility. It's more out of compulsion rather than by choice. Nothing like physically owning records, CD s and cassettes, you could see one's own collection ,maintain them, it's a beautiful feeling altogether, Listen to classicals, country, Jazz whenever mood strikes,it's a go to place at home indeed!

[@Music.Movies.67]

I Enjoy Movies & TV Shows in 5.1 Surround Sound and Really Enjoy 2ch Music, so l have a Stereo Amp with AV Bypass added to AV Receiver Surround Amps Preouts, so now l get Best of Both Worlds Separate Music and Movies

[@stereoniche]

I have two separate systems setup in my living room now. I only recently upgraded the TV, so got to looking into soundbars, hence what gave me the idea for this video.

[@billmarshall2536]

I agree VR is the future, but disagree that the sound will come from a separate source. Once they get the headset perfected to the point the cost is reasonable and the battery life is acceptable, then they will work on perfecting the sound that's included and I don't think it will be a headphone per say, but maybe more life floating directional earbuds.

[@nesq4104]

3.1 or 3.0 is all that is needed. Good quality bookshelf or towers

[@teddine7366]

I have an Onkyo tx-ds696 surround sound receiver and I use the 2 channel stereo mode for music all the time and it works out just as good as one of their 2 channel stereo receivers. Onkyo seems to do a nice job of giving you the best of both worlds. Plus their dsp modes like church or concert hall or whatever are fun to play with.

[@rocjackson5975]

i still have a higher end Onkyo receiver and Polk surround speakers and sub(7.1) that I bought 20 years ago that still outperforms my Samsung upper end soundbar that has rear speakers. Now the soundbar sounds great, has booming bass and with a clear treble sound. But it still doesn't top that older Onkyo/Polk combination! I was thinking about replacing those Polks speakers for some Bowers & Wilkins(they were sounding great by the way..). I thought they sound better than my polks. BUT, I had been so used to NOT turning the volume up on my stereo, I had forgotten what capabilities these speakers had! Lol...I turned them up and it was like I had just bought new speakers! The clarity of the sound of those Polks competed extremely well! Long story short, a high quality stereo system still will have the better listening experience over a high end sound bar. It's very hard to "unhear" the difference between the two. I don't think receivers/speakers are going extinct anytime soon..

[@stereoniche]

Not extinct, but perhaps "endangered"? :-) I still think many will opt for a Soundbar that is "OK" and prefer to up their stereo game for when they want to crank up the volume.

[@teddine7366]

@@rocjackson5975 there is probably a bigger profit margin on them sound bars and smaller speakers which is probably why they are pushed on so many people. And the cost of shipping has to be a fraction compared to shipping large receivers that way 35 pounds and up and larger speakers.

[@brucesamuelson7541]

All the constant new surround modes and having to buy new equipment to keep up makes it more of a hassle than it's worth for the average person. I have a 5.1.2 soundbar for TV that's pretty good and a 2ch integrated with an eq and turntable for music likewise 😊

[@stereoniche]

Seems to be the best of both worlds!

[@brucesamuelson7541]

Not really I wish I kept the circa 92 flagship Sony STR GX99ES 5.1 Dolby pro logic. It has dual center channel speaker outputs and with good speakers made music sound better in surround unbelievably!

[@gregc7314]

Agree. I had one of the first surround processors in the 1980's. Had a home theaters thru 2015. Got bored with it all and ripped it all out and just have a nice 2-channel system. I live in LA where we have tons of world class theaters. I'm not anti-social and enjoy going out to watch movies. Everyone I knew had some sort of surround system. I don't know anyone who does today.

[@stereoniche]

Yes. For "big movies" with special effects, etc. I would prefer to see them in a full sized theater. I am a big Marvel fan, so they just need that big screen. Otherwise, fine on my home screen, but I spend MORE time listening to my 2 channel stereo systems than anything else.

[@johndough8115]

Sound Bars are dreadful Trash. Those small drivers, dont put out good sound quality, at all. The only reason people started using them, is a combination of trying to reduce space requirements, and lower costs. As far as your comment about Home Theater amps not being good for Stereo ?! That makes NO sense at all. I bought a Pioneer 5.1 surround sound amp, when I was like 17 yrs old. Im almost 51, and its still working flawlessly. Ive been feeding it input from my PC, for decades. I watch DVDs / Bluray movies on it, listen to CDs, watch youtube videos through it, and even play digital audio files on it (mp3 and Flac)... The Amp is easily switched between Stereo, and Surround sound modes. And while its not the new "standard" of surround sound... it still sounds fantastic on any modern blurays I run through it. As far as headphones goes... It really depends on what you buy. My first "Audiophile" headphones, were the Sennheiser HD500. When I put them on, and hit play on my PCs DVD player... I thought my entire surround sound (speakers) were on... blasting loudly at 2am in the morning. I ripped my new headphones off, and Dove for the Speaker Toggles on my amp... only to realize, that None of my speakers were On. Those headphones dont sound like you are listening to headphones. They are so Holographic... that it sounds like you are listening to speakers in surround sound... all around you. Now... the HD500 is the Lowest audiophile tier Headphone that Sennheiser makes... and it lacks some upper frequency capabilities. Some of the higher models, have far more capability. But not all of them, have as wide of a 3d soundstage... due to some audiophiles preferring a more "Accurate" representation. VR is of course, next level. You can buy cheaper stand-alone VR glasses, in the form of the Quest series VR glasses (I believe are under $400). However, if you want higher level VR experiences, then you want a VR glasses set that hooks directly up to your PC. You will also need a pretty powerful 3D Graphics card, installed in your computer, to drive it. A lot of people use them for Racing Simulators, and Flight Simulators. There are also a lot of various other VR game types, on steam, for your PC. The barrier to good VR, has always been the Costs. You not only need an expensive VR glasses set... but you also need a PC with an expensive 3d Graphics card. That could easily be $2000, just to get started in VR. The Stand-Alone Quest VR sets, vastly lower the cost to get a VR experience... since they have a mini-pc (that probably runs a form of andriod), inside of the device itself. There are a lot of limitations, however.. as that mini-pc is very "underpowered" for any high level VR experiences. As the mini-pcs get more and more powerful.. the stand-alone VR experiences, will be much better. And since 3d Graphics cards are continually improving.. you likely will eventually be able to pick up a cheap enough / used card, for an affordable price. My biggest gripe with VR, is the limited field of view. They really should have focused on making a field of view, as wide as possible... as when you play a shooting game, you want to be able to see enemies from the very corners of your eyes... in both directions. Instead, the VR companies have put more focus on making higher resolution screens.. and still remaining with a limited field of view. 3D body Tracking, is also a point of contention. The original VR sets, had IR Base Stations, that could Track your body with extreme accuracy. This allowed you to Dance, and Throw things in-game, with very good accuracy. However, to save costs... many companies started putting trackers on the VR glasses themselves. While this works to a certain degree... they often lose tracking when you move your arms, too far behind your body (such as when you wanted to throw something). These sets also didnt track your lower body... so you were not getting accurate 3d representations of your bodies movements, in-game. Watch some "VR Chat" footage, to understand why you would want full body tracking. Now... the real problem today... is a lack of good movies, to even want to watch at all. Video games are also being effected, by mentally Ill radicals, with their radical "WOKE" Ideologies / Agendas. We have the best display technology in all of History... and every movie that has came out in the last +10 yrs, isnt worth watching.. let alone buying them for a Re-Watch. Modern Music is also mostly Garbage, today. Nothing even comes close to the production quality, creativity, musician-ship.. nor the talented singers that didnt need +80% auto-tune... from the 70s to the end of the 80s.

[@stereoniche]

Hey John. Thanks for the comments. My reference to surround receivers not being great at stereo was a general comment. Certainly, there were/are some very good HT receivers that can do both, but part of the issue is that the overall population is not tech savvy and often did not set them up properly for good playback. You are a minority in a sea of generalist consumers that listen and watch audio and video content.

[@Winterfell1066]

I mentioned in another post that one of my favorite preamps, and one I am using currently in my TV system, is the McIntosh MX130, an early Mc home theater preamp. I just use it in 2-channel mode and it sounds great. Sounds like a Mc should. So, I don't use the early Home Theatre connections but as a preamp for stereo.. it is great. Also, it is a very cheap way to get into a good Mcintosh preamp.

[@stereoniche]

@@Winterfell1066 Yes! Early HT gear was more stereo than HT, so there are some very nice gear that are better at stereo than HT, so they are great value. Similar to how quad systems are often a low entry point to vintage gear, but can be leveraged for 2 channel stereo systems.

[@tomreidy1237]

I enjoy listening and watching my library of music and videos when I choose. I don’t subscribe to any music and movies providers because I don’t want a lot of charges hitting my bank accounts every month.

[@user-xx2hj7xb6b]

I agree. Streaming is not for me. I'll stick to vinyl and CDs. We have enough monthly bills. Why add more that aren't necessary?

[@stereoniche]

Very true, that drip, drip of charges adds up month after month.

[@allenbrixey1122]

Two channel Arcam SA20 for me. I'm using a SVS PB 3000. Heco Aurora 1000s.Rega turntable, wiim for streaming. I don't do a lot of movies and don't want the living area over complicated with extra speakers. The only one that has to like your system is you.

[@jamessouthworth1699]

I've always just used my regular home stereo connected to the TV. I've never been interested in surround sound. I've always been satisfied with just two good stereo speakers with big enough woofers to give it a solid bottom end.

[@pablohmleyton4552]

I agree with the trend, it makes sense. But I think here's another reason why the home theaters shrank. In my own experience, my last step was to upgrade my system to Dolby Atmos, but I rarely use it. And the reason is the lack of good content. You get to a point where you get tired of boring movies with a lot of visual and sound effects in multi-surround, but completely dull in content. Suddenly, Korean, European and even Argentinian movies are creative and fun to watch and just in plain 2 channels. Hollywood which help to push all this technology lost its mojo with dull sequels and new editions of past cash cow movies. Having said that, I do believe that Apple Vision will be good to another genre yet to come of video entertainment using 360 degree scenarios: concerts, cinematic games and tours. Long live to the sound bars for the awakening of the other niches: 2-ch stereo and personal 360 degree VR video.

[@stereoniche]

Yes indeed. There are certainly specific segments that will benefit moreso earlier on for the VR side. One aspect are home movies and photos. The realism one can get from just using an iPhone is so much better. My wife was gasping at the thought of all those prior years we did not capture our kids growing up, etc.

[@totalplonker824]

If I had known object based audio (Atmos music) listening is only pleasurable at medium to high volumes, I would have kept the funds invested where the real immersion lies... the two channel soundstage!

[@stereoniche]

Yes! 2 channel, I think, gets so much more play time, better to spend more money on it since you get more time with it enjoying great music!

[@jaycoleman8062]

I'm still using a 15 year old Vizio 47 inch because to me, most newer stuff looks fake. Almost too good for older sources, imo. Im a 2 channel kind of guy for music, movies, for me, are secondary.

[@stereoniche]

I only recently replaced a 15 yo 48" Vizio and it will looked great. The family outvoted me wanting a bigger screen, but 2 channel rocks!

[@bernardpullon4632]

The movie Brainstorm was truly visionary stuff.

[@robertgaines-tulsa]

Soundbars are not an evolution of home theater. They are a solution to modern flat screens having trash speakers. CRT TVs had the space for decent speakers. Actually, soundbars are just expensive crap. People are better off getting a stereo amplifier and a pair of book shelf speakers. You can ad a subwoofer for better fidelity. I think home theater systems just got too complex. Dolby Surround was a neat effect. Dolby Pro-logic and Digital added a center speaker. I think Dolby Atmos was just too much. 4 and 5 speakers with a subwoofer were manageable, but Atmos went to 7 to 9 or more. I'm sure it was nice, but it was WAY too expensive. I think records just have a novelty factor to them, but I prefer CDs. I actually just rip them to my computer and listen to them that way, but I also like to collect the CDs.

[@stereoniche]

All good points. I like owning my media as well, but eventually, I am sure I will also use streaming.

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

I have a 7.2 but I admit it's overkill as I don't get much out of it. It doesn't make a movie better. It can only enhance a movie a bit. When it comes to music listening, I'm all about 2 channel.

[@stereoniche]

And I would guess you spend more quality time with the 2 channel system.

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

@@stereoniche 100%

[@pawfan]

Home theater will never replace going to a real movie theater. But it is the next best arrangement to the real deal when setup right.

[@carriesmith7843]

Given the concession prices and the condition/cleanliness of many theaters, my home theater has replaced my local Dolby Cinema 90% of the time.

[@pawfan]

@@carriesmith7843 MY favorite 'Go-To' movie theater is shuttered till the new owners re-open it....Maybe. I do miss the curtains opening and closing these day. That curtain action accents the movie presentation experience, which very expensive to replicate in an already pricey home theater setup.

[@ridirefain6606]

The Apple Pro reminds me of the old proverb that there is nothing new under the sun. It has been tried already in the gaming and pc world with VR headsets. Like the fad of 3-D televisions and content. I suspect it will pass. The issue is the weight of headset as well as a lot of people get motion sickness when wearing them. Cool stuff to be sure, but not practical. Where I see the hobby going is developing tech that is simple and convenient to use. TV audio, soundbars, and 2 channel device that integrate with a phone, Chromebook, or iPad. To my point. My barley in his 20's Gen Z coworker and I were on the subject of enjoying music listening. While i was talking about my old school system and collection of CD's and Vinyl, he and his partner like to keep things simple. They listen to their music through a streaming app on their phones through a quality Bluetooth speaker. They own their own home but despite being more established than most folks his age, a 2-channel receiver, turntable, and speakers are currently not even a consideration. Maybe when they get older?

[@stereoniche]

Completely agree on the current state for of consumption for younger generations. As well, I agree the current tech is both far too expensive and cumbersome for wide scale adoption, but it is early in its infancy. Maybe we will start to see a home version of the Sphere in Vegas and we can create a "Holodeck" experience where we are inside the video. :-)

[@jmos96]

Yep…you nailed it. Sadly, the days of home theater are numbered. Soon Apple products will all interface for a haptic experience. Instead of trying to recreate the dinosaur moving across the room with a subwoofer you’ll actually feel the dinosaur touch you through your Apple Watch. No current home theater setup will ever compare to the not too distant haptic experience that will be offered in the AI environment.

[@stereoniche]

It is certainly coming. I am sure every prior technology, from the original 78 records to VHS tape collectors all felt the next thing was never going to take hold. But it does eventually, even it if is slightly different than originally created.

[@jmos96]

@@stereoniche, I’m new to your channel and find your choice of topics fascinating. Thank you for the great content and your hard work both pre and post production. I have two dedicated home theater settings and three two channel listening rooms. I don’t think two channel will ever go away but the days of Dolby will morph or go away altogether in my opinion. Thanks again and please keep the great content coming. Every once in a great while it’s possible to luck out and find a gem like your channel. 💎

[@damonseibold8141]

I'm done with the surround sound. I like a simple 2 channel hookup. It's like every few years they come out with a different format as a way to get your money. I love Bluetooth & streaming music but 5 speakers plus all the connections needed is a pain.

[@stereoniche]

Overly complex killed the goose.

[@edellington]

A drawback is installation. I moved into my home in 2020. I just now crawled under my house to run surround wiring into new wall jacks.

[@stereoniche]

lndeed, for many, that is just too much work and setup to overcome. And many times, the only way to do it is before the dry wall goes up. I am sure it will be well worth the effort though once you get it all setup. Enjoy!

[@patmeadows4759]

Greetings from western coastal Canada. Great vid and subject. For me I have a so so-called Analogue world with primary fully restored receivers, amps, tuners, turntables and speakers. This area also has a dac and streaming!. Then I have a Digital room. 5.1 wide screen complimented with latest Marantz 5.1.2 the .2 is the reference for Dolby Atmos. This area is also my SACD via Sony hi end Blu-ray player. Atmos can also be experienced via Atmos compatible headphones via streaming service offering Atmos options. Many titles are now being remastered for 2 channel and for 5.1.2 Atmos. The headphone Atmos experience is pretty darn good. So the 2 audio worlds can coexist. That's my '2 cents'.

[@stereoniche]

Very nice!

[@arthurwatts1680]

Totally different market. Anyone with a credit card can add an FM Tuner to their rack and have the same functionality as a vintage 'stereo receiver' - try moving from 5.1 to a 5.2.4 Dolby Atmos home theatre for similar outlay. The HT receiver is a very different beast to the modern stereo receiver, even if the latter has some streaming functionality built in. HT is about immersion - if you are getting that with two speakers, fantastic, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[@stereoniche]

Well, the babies are safe, but consumers seem to be the one shifting away to more simplified setups. With the right content, yes, HT can be immersive for video, but a decent stereo setup for music is very immersive as well. With the volume of stereo receivers, manufacturers seem to see this trend as well. Time will tell.

[@robertliskey420]

Nice content. As a 70 year old who's first hi-fi was a Bell 6v6 push pull integrated mono amp a Garrard RC-80 given to me by the local Magnavox dealer and home brew speaker from Motorola Golden Voice salvaged. It has been a very long journey. I am at the end of up-grading my home theatre system, why? I could not improve any more on what I already have. I think where was no profits in let's call them flagship receivers. And sadly a lot of misinformation out there. My 2 channel system is the same as it was years ago, nothing I found I could afford was no better than what I had. Sure I heard some top of the line Wilsons would love to have but I have to eat also. Sometimes you just cannot have the "Holy Grail".

[@stereoniche]

For most of us, the new Holy Grail level stuff is far beyond our financial means, however, I think we are only talking very small, incremental improvements for BIG $$$, so 99.5% of the way there is just fine.

[@leehw9394]

For the past 15 years of my home theater sets still now remain as 2.1 settings. Others than 4K blu rays movies I pretty much enjoy blu rays concerts with 2.1 settings stereo amplifier, 2x bookshelf speakers and 1x subwoofer. A good quality soundstage always better than bombastic sound if want to enjoy long hours entertainment. As for the Netflix or old blu rays movies I will switch to a good pair of powered speakers are more than sufficient.

[@kennethanway7979]

Home theater isn't dead to me! Bozak speakers with a powered Klipsch subwoofer.... pioneer center speakers...too bad my receiver is a junky RCA... Shoulda bought the Yamaha!

[@stereoniche]

Keep an eye out, you may run across another Pio!

[@cyberbillp]

VR is already dead. Human beings can not overcome multiple senses giving you disagreeing input. When your vision spins you in one direction, and the seat of your pants or inner ear don't register that movement, your body thinks it's ingested something toxic and you feel nauseous. This is how we are made. And no, it does not go away, at best you learn to tolerate the nausea, but likely you'll feel sick long after you take the headset off. VR headsets are a bust. There's initial elation followed by declining use. After a couple years of gathering dust you toss it in the trash. No tech that makes you physically ill is ever gonna hit the main stream in a big way. It just feels terrible to use it.

[@scanman84]

Surround sound really only works for movies. Music doesn't sound right coming from behind or all around. Its front directional. I went back to 2 channel stereo with my vintage gear.

[@stereoniche]

And that is why I think there is a good potential for stereo sales to surge again. It will not be everyone, but even a few percentage points are millions of consumers.

[@cichlidfeak]

Thats why you put your reaciver in stereo mode when you want to hear music 😉

[@Paranimal86]

Man you haven’t listened to the right mixes then… for most music/mixes yes 2 channel is the way… however Hans Zimmer live in Dolby Atmos is absolutely insane and blows stereo out of the water… I have a dedicated 7.2.4 theater with all focal speakers…. Same goes with some of the newer Atmos mixes they are getting far better at it than the early gimmicky mixes… even with old recordings… you guys shitting on multi channel audio probably haven’t heard a proper set up… I have 3 different systems in my house 2 are stereo which consists of Sonus Faber and a 2 channel Marantz avr the other is my 2 channel kf LS50 metas… great systems but my focal home theater kicks their ass -and it’s not because of the speaker brand thing it’s though on average I like the focals more even with just 2 channels…. It’s the technology. You will never experience music like you do in atmos done right completely superior to 2 channel and having a dedicated home theater with proper channel separation will always be better than a stupid sound bar.

[@kennethanway7979]

True, but true quad does! 👍

[@shamnoor07]

Home entertainment is universal.... Many of them place home entertainment at certain rooms or hall . Then system set-up to enhanced audio quality itself... From rooms now to personal entertainment... It depends on individuals to enhanced their audio quality. Now everything can get online compared oldies.... The truth is home entertainment still solid choice to satisfied audio quality itself... Im using MQA THX HIRES DSD amplifier 🎧 240 ohms To listen in my room. TIDAL for my songs BOOM apps to enhanced without physical streaming... The results awesome.. While on the bedroom it's quality time to enjoy awesome sounds....

[@stereoniche]

Thank you for commenting!

[@mvsp120]

Multi functional home entertainment appears more relevant, like using living or common room into home entertainment room, as openings like entrance doors, windows closed and passages with sound proof curtains. This is bit economic compared with a dedicated room And we are seeing the home entertainment systems like projector, TV, AV and speaker to support these trends. So the home entertainment market can penetrate into middle class and related economic groups of people.

[@jamesmcdaniel9847]

Light Field Lab’s has a much better solution. I am working on the sound to compliment it now with Singing Wind audio.

[@stereoniche]

Looks interesting. Maybe it will catch on if not too expensive. Best of luck in creating something exciting.

[@dempsey3]

You are so wrong about the Apple Vision product Its not replacing Home Theater Its anti social and I hope you are wrong

[@stereoniche]

Well, while it may or may not be the Apple Pro, I do think it will be something similarly immersive. It may evolve into something that does not need individual headsets, but maybe it will be something that can convert an entire room into the experience together. Who knows, but things are certainly evolving.

[@edwardmccloskey7973]

Too many format changes have killed it. Ridiculous how often this has happened. I run a basic stereo amp and two speakers with my 60" TV. Thats all I need. No room equalization or goofy speaker setups.

[@stereoniche]

Agree. The "planned obsolescence" finally ran out and most decided to just stop or even back track to more simple.

[@balooo2863]

The Vision Pro makes a large segment of folks nauseous 🤢 so no it’s not going to take off anytime soon it will be a small part of the market but movie watching is a social activity for most still.

[@stereoniche]

Agree, still issues to overcome, but each major technology shift had issues.

[@cichlidfeak]

Im not ready too give up this hobby. Ive had the samsung top soundbar, but after a while i got back to a dedikeret setup...i was missing somthing ....soundbar is good for the normall person i guss.

[@stereoniche]

If you have the space and desire to configure it properly, it will always beat even the best soundbar, I think. The soundbar is just sooooo convenient that most will end up going that route. I think mostly driven by... wives.

[@charlesmontgomery215]

I get his point. But home theater enthusiast will always enjoy true theater especially if one can implement a dedicated theater in their home with atmos as the bonus. But listen hear. I see something enveloping that will blow everyones mind and is the latest in 2 channel audio which I'm a huge 2 channel fan and is something that will eventually integrate with home theater and even the likes of apple vision pro. It's called Bacch Spacial Audio. If you haven't had the chance to take a look even here on youtube, youll see what im talking about. Talking about putting one smack dab in the middle of a concert , Stay Tuned

[@stereoniche]

Interesting. I looked it up. Seems like it will make a great enhancement to our current and vintage 2 channel systems. From their website: Audiophiles seeking true 3D imaging of existing stereo recordings through 2-channel loudspeaker systems.

[@nesq4104]

No more disk rental. Streaming is low audio not worth 2k speakers

[@therealcyber5]

I got a new ONKYO A?V rcvr for xmas, still havent hooked it up...

[@david020218]

2 channel hifi will never die

[@stereoniche]

Rock on.

[@rcd4466]

A couple of younger generations have never been exposed to hifi with a receiver and large speakers, so it is truly a case of they don’t know what they are missing. One comparison listen with their favorite music will tell them! And if you really appreciate music with good sound, a soundbar just ain’t gonna cut it! I think it will do for watching tv but not music.

[@stereoniche]

Agree, I think this has the potential to expand stereo in a big way. Once that generation puts down their earbuds, and they will as they get older, they will start to explore better gear.

[@yamaha28]

Headphones vs Speakers is akin to Vision Pro vs Home Theater. Each will have its place in media consumption, and none is going anywhere soon.

[@badgastein2]

VR is good - Alita Battle Angel is a notable 3d film that is immersive. With regard to stereo only systems, adding a REL sub -woofer brings records from the 60’s and 70’s into life, especially Motown.

[@stereoniche]

I can listen to Motown on a small transistor radio and have fun, but best on a nice system, of course!

[@scrappy7571]

Have not watched, or have any desire to watch modern movies, they pretty much suck. I'm perfectly happy with a vintage 2 channel stereo. My parents have a real nice TV room set up with modern "gadgets", that only my dad knows how to turn on and work. It looks impressive, but it just bores me to have to sit there seemingly not engaged in the vid or sound. I'm a baby boomer, and dad is in his 90's.

[@stereoniche]

Every time you hear some good 70's music on a stellar 2 channel system, your toes will start tapping. Can't say that for movies though.

[@johnlehew8192]

Home theater is great. Just very expensive. Most don’t have the means or desire to do it. Class D amps are finally respectable and cheap. Needs to simplify the install and run Cat 6 wire with power over Ethernet, POE, to the speakers to these cheap amps. Rooms are too small, really need to put big speakers in the walls to cancel out room modes. It will evolve and get cheaper.

[@ronm7394]

I never got into the extra work that went into setting up complicated HT systems not to mention the space to get the most out of it.Mainly because I am not into movies that much.On the other hand I feel that the totl receivers of the early 2000s have excellent amplifiers in them to use for 2 channel stereo plus the ever important remote.In particular Yamaha RXV1 and RXZ9.I can shut the sound processing off,run A and B speakers simultaneously and not have to get out of my seat to adjust the volume.

[@stereoniche]

Certainly nice to have that remote! :-)

[@flmoseley8141]

I dont think its headsets because after an hour or so it begins to get tiresome on the eyes and overall tiring. I think the future is gigantic tvs.....85 inch to 100 inch sets combined with super sound systems. I'm about to buy a 100 inch tv in the fall.

[@mrk1075]

I would never watch tv thru apple binoculars! 😂 I would rather and always watch my tv with a Samsung 4K TV!

[@stereoniche]

As long as YOU like it, all GOOD! :-)

[@WindomRettes]

Are those JBL bookshelf speakers to the right and left of you L110's?

[@stereoniche]

Good eye! That is exactly what they are!

[@WindomRettes]

@@stereoniche Selling them soon?

[@stereoniche]

@@WindomRettesNo, not any time soon. 😂

[@thadeusmoor3535]

I'm 58 years old and have seen a lot of changes yes I have a theater room with a 9 Channel system I love it big screen I'm even thinking about adding some Thumpers. But downstairs I still use a old Sansui 2 Channel with my SPX 11000 Sansui speakers I don't run CD or record player I run everything off Bluetooth.

[@stereoniche]

Keep that great old gear going! :-)

[@craigwhitcher9629]

You’re forgetting that some of us are just as passionate about home theater as 2-channel. A lot of improvements are going to have to happen with the VR headsets. Currently I couldn’t imagine wearing one for a 2-hour film and its audio capability will never rival a true immersive setup with bass pounding subs. I like 2-channel too, my home theater system works well as an audio only system. No one knows what’s in the future. I see a lot of cheap Chi-fi products replacing traditional brands as they refuse to cater to anything beyond their audiophile customers.

[@stereoniche]

Agree. A lot has to happen for it to be adopted by the masses, but I can say that personal movies and photos are WAY improved. For many, that alone will be worth it, but for movies, it will take more time. Imagine being in the middle of a T-Rex and Velociraptor fighting scene. It is crazy.

[@dwight33]

My humble opinion is that everyone simply needs a nakamichi Dragon and be done!

[@stereoniche]

Translated: Go stereo! :-)

[@edwardgonczy3170]

I never fell for Home Theater. If I wanted to watch a "Jurassic Park" or "Star Wars" type movie, I went to the theater. I echo the gentleman who says that the bull of movies he watches are older ones. So, I never wasted my money on 5.1 etc. trash. Now, wasting way too much money on two channel stereo, especially vinyl based, that's another story. But I have retrenched from where I was 30 years ago. My recently restored NAD 3020A, a pair of Rectilinear Speakers and a Thorens or vintage Linn Sondek LP12, bring me far greater joy. Everything is getting too 1984ish.

[@stereoniche]

Good stereo will never die! :-)

[@kennixox262]

Was home theater "surround sound" really a thing outside Hollywood to where home screenings for business was a thing? I have exactly one 55 inch OLED TEE VEE in my house. No cable; a roof top antenna and stream on it with a few optical disks. It is in my study. There are NO television in the public rooms of my home. Those rooms are meant to share with family and friends. When I purchased my home built in 1999 back in 2016, did a down to the studs gut renovation. There was a nice dedicated home theater with a rather nice Sony projector that the seller was taking, per the sales contract. Left behind was a huge rack of Sony AV gear from Best Buy or somewhere.. Sold that when we had the demo team come in and sell off literally all the things in the house that could sold and recycled. That room now is a dedicated high end two channel listening room that is used daily. It is all sound and NO video. Audio gear consists mainly of Chord Electronics mono blocks + pre amp and a Red Reference CD player. Clear Audio turntable, Wilson Audio speakers, a very decent pair, a very nice reel to reel from the Tape Project. There is no audio streaming component but do stream audio in the "whole house" speaker system for "general" not critical listening. Watching movies, my taste runs vintage, mono, mostly black and white. What is not watched are post 1980 CGI, cartoon character driven drivel. As for Apple Vision Pro; I don't recall the tile of the science fiction book but it discussed "video goggles" and the like back in the 1970's It was a "near future" science fiction book and the "goggles" were just a small part of it. I"m sure another oldster like me here probably recalls the title.

[@stereoniche]

Well, you are in the crowd of us that never left 2 channel stereo. And what a system you put together. Instead of a dedicated home theater, you have a dedicated music room. Well done! The beauty of music is that we never tire of hearing it and it generates such positive emotional responses. "a dedicated high end two channel listening room that is used daily", I think, is why many are refocusing on music, it can be used daily whereas an HT room is used periodically (for most).