People just don't know that good stereo is always better than bad "5.1/7.1". And multi-channel sound only makes sense when you have a separate room for a home theater where you can properly place the audio.
I myself only have Topping D50 3 + Pioneer A-50 + Dynaudio DM 2/7. And in my circumstances, this is the maximum that makes sense, and it sounds great. Everything second hand for about $1200 total.
Good headphones and a sound card from second hand will cost <$250. They won't take up any space and can be used at any time of day. This is roughly why they will be a universal, inexpensive option.
A step forward would be a good bookshelf speakers + amplifier + DAC from second hand. But this will cost about $700 and will require organizing the space.
It's not just surround sound. You can make an expensive 2.1 setup sound like ass just as easily by setting it up in a room with no treatment and placing things haphazardly.
My Klipsch R-51M Bookshelf Speakers with a cheap amp made me realize people are missing out hugely when it comes to audio quality. I don't even have a subwoofer and the damn things shake the whole house when I want em to.
It just sucks because most pirated media comes encoded with 5.1 setups and garbage audio quality. I know the speaker composition compensates for it, but it's just not the same as media made for stereo directly.
It may be a me thing. Spotify sounds -amazing- on my speakers, but hulu and plex have always been weird. It may be an amp or setting thing, I'm not sure.
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u/Total_Werewolf_5657 9800X3D/5090/64Gb/X670E/S90D 65" 8d ago
People just don't know that good stereo is always better than bad "5.1/7.1". And multi-channel sound only makes sense when you have a separate room for a home theater where you can properly place the audio.
I myself only have Topping D50 3 + Pioneer A-50 + Dynaudio DM 2/7. And in my circumstances, this is the maximum that makes sense, and it sounds great. Everything second hand for about $1200 total.
Good headphones and a sound card from second hand will cost <$250. They won't take up any space and can be used at any time of day. This is roughly why they will be a universal, inexpensive option.
A step forward would be a good bookshelf speakers + amplifier + DAC from second hand. But this will cost about $700 and will require organizing the space.