I thought I'd try the 5 channel stereo on my h/k AVR-325 and was very surprised at how much it changes the sound on the front speakers (no center connected, back speakers set -10 dB). I was hoping to simply add a bit of bass presence with the rear speakers (but not at -10dB obviously!), figuring that the front speakers would sound the same. They don't. Using Holly Cole as a reference, the bass is much boomier, the staging of vocals draws back from 3 feet in front of the speakers to 10 feet behind, the finger rubbing on the bass cords all but disappears because of the bommier bass, the piano looses its edge. Using 5-channel stereo on Klipsch speakers certainly tames their bright side, but I think too much.