22.2 surround sound - when is this going to stop :)

[SunRa]

I've just stumbled upon this new 22.2 surround sound standard developed for the new Ultra-High Definition TV.

I have doubts this will ever be adopted on a large scale, however it made me curious and researched a bit on the topic. You can find a paper here containing a subjective test between stereo, 5.1 and 22.2 .

First, it must be said that there is a significant departure with this standard from the 5.1 and 7.1 paradigm in the sense that the speakers are now positioned on three levels (below, above and at ear level). This I find rather interesting, although I can't tell how it works.

Second, one of the few consistent outcomes of the test showed that the stereo system was perceived louder than the 5.1 system and the 5.1 louder than the 22.2 (although by a small margin). Could this be because of lack distortion and better dynamic range?

How do you guys feel about this stuff?