AV Choice and Prices

[Atjan]

Some of them even think analog is better than digital!

Come, now your trolling, certainly we don't have any of those left! ;p

[Dennis]

I've never heard a true high end HT system.

+1

[naughty]

I won't take sides as I've never heard a true high end HT system.

come guy ...... why bother when it will just be "pie in the sky" if you dont own it - so you need to be rich enough to own high end stuff before you can talk about it 

@ Dennis im confused .... with your +1 on the "selected" bits of quote there are you implying that you also have not had the pleasure of listening to one ...... or that such an animal simply does not exist

[WaterHond]

come guy ...... why bother when it will just be "pie in the sky" if you dont own it - so you need to be rich enough to own high end stuff before you can talk about it 

Like a lot of the other "stereophiles" I must confess though that I do for now prefer stereo and I suspect it will endure as a parrallel technology specially for music. I love my budget surround sound system and marvel at the effects and the immersive aspect when watching a movie but somehow when I listen to music the two channel "pure direct" button or the dedicated stereo system takes preference - could be because that is what I've learned to love over a couple of decades.
I really don't think it is really an either or situation. Most of the good manufacturers continue to develop on both fronts.

[Dennis]

@ Dennis im confused .... with your +1 on the "selected" bits of quote there are you implying that you also have not had the pleasure of listening to one ...... or that such an animal simply does not exist

No, I have not listened to a true high end HT system, like windshear or leonjhb's systems. But then again, I do not think that is a bad thing, because it will be quite a while before I would be able to afford a HT system like theirs.
My point being, that for the same money, or even less, you can get a much nicer stereo system, than HT system with all the bells and whistles that goes with it. That is if your aim is to get the best quality stereo playback for what you can afford.
As for hdmi and stereo use, one can always get an Oppo BD player, with analog audio outputs and use that, if you want to use you stereo for HT purposes.

Please, don't get me wrong, I like my HT system, but for home theater use and not for stereo use.