5.1 for music is mostly for reproducing the feeling of being in a concert hall. Which means stereo sound and some ambient sound reflecting from back and side walls. It’s not supposed to be any major sound from back channels. If they mix it like that then it will become very weird. You will be inside the “orchestra”, which is not true. Maybe if they want some psychedelic inside-your-head effect, but that could be had with headphones. Anyway, this means that it is pretty easy to emulate 5.1 music from a regular 2.0 recording. Just use Dolby prologic for music, or similar.
Don’t confuse surroundsound from movies with music. In a movie, you are supposed to sometimes be right in the middle of the action. That’s why it works so good with movies. I’m not saying there are no possibilities for 5.1 channel music, but they have to take a whole new approach.
I often find that it’s better to buy 2 really nice speakers and amp, instead of crappier 5.1 ones with a home cinema receiver unless you fix room acousics and place the speakers correctly. Which isn’t easy.
