Richard,
Yes, there is a problem with format compatibility and whether apps fully
implement say, for example, the full WAV spec.  Some systems only use 
proprietary
formats at the moment; that will be to their detriment in future I expect.

But Richard, this is really off the point, and not any kind of reason
for Csound not to support multichannel files itself.

>Hmm, well, I have just downloaded the sekd demo of Samplitue Studio 4.51, and
>attempted to load one of my 4-channel files. It does manage, sort of - but 
>the
>display shows rubbish, and any attempt to play crashes the program 
>immediately
>(and I do have two soundcards in my machine). So, sorry, 'nul points' for 
>sekd
>there.
>
>At the risk of repeating myself, I KNOW there are lots of 'multi-channel' 
>cards
>available, and that applications which know about them can create a
>mutli-channel project, and play it, but NONE OF THEM, to my knowledge, 
>will read
>a four-channel WAVE file properly. The better applications reject the file,
>informing you of an unsupported format; the not so good ones assume the 
>file is
>stereo, if it is not mono, load it, and then throw wobblies. 
>
>Everyone on this list who has a recent verison of Csound (certainly on the 
>PC),
>can use it to create a four-channel WAV file. Can I suggest a global research
>project to find all the applications, and soundcards, which will read and 
>play
>it?
>
>Failing that, with John Fitch's agreement, I could provide example 
>multi-channel
>WAVE and AIFF files (let us say, 4,6,8,16 channels) on the Bath site, for 
>anyone
>to download and use to test products with.
>
>Richard Dobson