Multichannel Limits

[t0n3d0g]

BACKGROUND: I remember my first visit to NYC (pre-Giuliani) and visiting a then state-of-the-art multichannel audio exhibition called "The New York Experience". Three synchronized films played across three screens with synchronized audio tracks playing from what seemed like 100's of speakers hidden throughout the small theatre. The experience was prescient in it's technical sophistication and anticipation of multichannel audio entering the home, and left an impression on my then-fertile mind.

APPLICATION: I'm setting up multichannel/multi-room audio throughout my home, and want my audio system to be able to handle playing simultaneous channels of audio without lossy streaming. I also want to be able to play lossless audio through a matrix of speakers in realtime.

QUESTION: What is the (theoretical and/or technical) limit of simultaneous channels of audio (in any) for a modern-day multichannel playback system? 10 channels? 100 channels? 1000 channels? 10,000 channels???