Yep, I know the diehard dual-channel mono "everything MUST come from the front, including applause" bunch turn up your noses, but I was immediately rewarded after a couple of weeks of front-only when I hooked up my ancient Hafler magic yesterday. I still hold that it is "pure" in that the amp is two channel and only that which emanated from the rear goes to the rear. Actually, the way it shines best is with two mike recordings. The main thing I immediately noticed on "Polovetsian Dances" was NOTHING from the rear. Studio recording...a good studio, but a studio. What WAS noticeable that the front image reached out to me with more depth. The K'horns just sounded bigger and more transparent.
On Sgt Peppers, shared with my audiophile understudy son, things got a bit more complex and fascinating. Of course, since it's a complete studio fabrication and inherently non-reproducible on a stage, it isn't subject to a "correct" image. All that mixing and such creates complex phase relationships. Nonetheless, it never got muddled in any way. Occasional discrete bits from the rear and sides, but mostly front.
Firesign, that incredibly complex mix, was a whole 'nother story with stuff suddenly popping in (like Deputy Dan, the holygram) right behind my right or left ear. Downright disconcerting and really good fun...actually MUCH more natural sounding than Dolby or any electronic processor.
My last music room wound up a complicated mess as the family gravitated there for TV and I added an HT reciever and rather complex speaker and amp switching to use my ST-70. Most of the time, I would up listening to the HT reciever. I decided this time it wasn't going to happen and I am glad.
Any visitors who insist on "good ol' fashioned stereo" from the front only, simply flick of the switch on the QD-1 and it's back to dual channel mono and the sound collapses forward.
Paid 5 bucks for that thing about 1977 and it remains the biggest bargain I ever got. I've seen them going for 75 or so lately on Ebay. Must be some others who remembered and returned.
Dave