Originally posted by: Algere
"Where can I get the M-Audio Revolution 5.1 for $70 though?"
NewEgg.com
Thanks. That will probably be the card I get.
It was just an example and what about present/future recordings?
Music will probably remain stereo, since most CD's are sold to users that use 2 channel playback (Walkman, boom box, headphones, your car etc.) Music is different than theatre. The majority of CD's are sold to kids. Eminem, etc. Many Audiophiles have huge record collections, and still use turntables. I have over 1200 records, but they are in storage. Playing a record is just a PIA these days. I downloaded most of what I like, riped all of my CD's and put everything in storage (see allofmp3.com, and if you download, select the advanced lame standard codec) I also rip radioparadise.com. Having over 20,000 tracks on a hard disk is a lot more manageable than the hard media. (hense the need for a good sound card)
Perhaps because surround sound systems wasn't practical in homes back then and in contrast to today, it is (or more common)? FWIW wasn't alive back then to remember.
There were a lot of them. Quadrophonic recordings (on records), etc. In fact it was probably better. Everyone made quad receivers. People bought 4 really good speakers up front (12" 3 way systems, etc). Home Theatre these days is mostly (not all) crap speaker systems. (Check out the reasonably inexpensive home theatre packages at
http://www.creativesound.ca/ near the bottom of the page) Home Theatre is not designed for HiFidelity music reproduction. In fact, the "guru's" of Home Theater say that you should try to reproduce the movie theatre sound. Well, movie theatres use horm loaded PA systems that are designed to fill up a large theatre, and horns sound like crap. The Speakers in a theatre do not differ from what was used in the 40's. If you are interested in what some audiophiles think, read the first 2 issues at
http://www.audioperfectionist.com.
As for applications for surround music I can think of one. Say e.g. live orchestrated music recorded @ a concert hall, AFAIK you don't get that surround concert hall sound from 2 channels alone.
A good stereo reproduces this very well. There are no sound sources behind you, or on your side in a concert hall. What you hear are reflections off the walls. (unless at the Hollywood Bowl, or any other outside venue) Of course if your Stereo speakers can't reproduce a good stereo image to start with, you then add even worse speakers to the rear to make up for it.
Google microphone placement in a concert hall. You will find that they mostly use 2 stereo pairs about 30 feet apart (front to rear spacing), mixed to stereo.
You can't tell where the sound is coming from with my 2 little speakers if I hang a cloth in front of them. (You should use a curtain made from a reasonably acoustically transparent grill cloth material)
Of course, some people like my best friend spend the bucks. (Single guy who is a pilot flying wide bodys on international routes) see
http://www.mksound.com/pricegrid1.php in his defense, he purchased all the components off ebay at a discount.
He uses
3 S-150 speakers (mirror image stereo pair, plus the center channel
2 SS-150 II Tripole for the rear
2 SW-95 side speakers
2 V-125 12" powered subwoofers
He was not to upset when I pointed out that the drivers in the boxes are reasonably inespensive Vifa drivers. The reason for lots of drivers in each box is the THX power handling spec, not better imaging/sound. It sounds good, but with critical listening to
music, he agrees that mine sound better. (More speakers does not necessarily make for a better sound) Of course, when watching Private Ryan, his kills mine completely. But, I don't have a 60" wide screen TV in a 500 square foot room with the couch in the middle of it, and the need to jump when there are explosions. A good HT setup requires a good room. You need speakers 6-8-10 feet behind you, etc. Side speakers the same distance away.
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