Stereo: 2 or 4 speakers?

[Pim]

Guys, first of all forgive me for my ignorance. My knowledge of audio an hi fi is quite limited. From my fathers house I’ve always learned that stereo meant: 4 speakers. 
 

but while I was orienting on some new equipment, I noticed speakers are always sold in pairs and not as quartets. That’s where the doubt started. Then I read some writing by someone who was laughing about someone who used 4 speakers on his stereo receiver.

but when I look at my new Denon stereo receiver: it has four entrances for speakers.... 

question: when I use a stereo amplifier: do I connect 2 or 4 speakers?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Stereo is two speakers. Your Denon stereo amplifier has two sets of stereo outputs, usually labelled A & B. Some people like have 2 left & 2 right speakers in their room but in my experience, A & B usually meant 2 separate listening spaces/rooms. 4 stereo speakers in the same room can make it a bit difficult to get good stereo sound.

[Pim]

Really? I feel ashamed. For thirty years I have thought that 4 speakers was the ideal combination....

[russes01]

There are those who swear by two sets of Advents - one on top of the other. I have never heard this so can’t say. 

[JSngry]

6 hours ago, Pim said:

Really? I feel ashamed. For thirty years I have thought that 4 speakers was the ideal combination....

Hey, id t works for you, let it work.

But yeah, a stereo sound source is only going to have two cahnnels. You can have as many speakers for them to come out of as you like, but you're only going to have two channels of sound to play with.