A More Forward Sound Stage/ Cables the answer?


Cables and ICs can help position the sound stage, as I understand it. Amps, speakers and other gear more so? My modest small bedroom set up is: Music Fidelity A3.2 integrated amp, Modded Sony Sacd c222 changer, Revel m20's, and soon to be replaced budget cables and ICs.The speakers are as far forward as possible, about 4 ft from the front wall, 5ft apart ( limited by furniture ) and 8 ft from my ears which are against the bed headboard and the back wall.
The problem is that the sound stage is all behind the speakers. I would like to bring it more forward. The amp presents, what the reviewers called a " laid back" or "tenth row" presentation of the sound stage. Being a former classical musician, I yearn for a closer sound stage and imaging ( presently good but not what I enviously read about ) that puts me more "inside" the ensemble. Finances being what they are, I'm reluctant, but am seriously considering changing the amp. Meantime, with cables and ICs, can I pull the sound stage forward and maintain or even improve imaging? Or is this only a minor tweak with my amp ( and/or speakers? ) presenting the major obstacle to my quest? As a budget restricted newbie, I've looked through many of the threads, and there's lots on "wider and deeper" but I don't find this issue of forward sound stage positioning addressed much. A-gon has been revelatory and a real service. Thanks in advance for your input.
jeffkonicek

Showing 1 response by aball

Clio09 has a great suggestion: try sitting closer to your stereo. I really like a near field sound it seems that is what you might be after.

If that doesn't quite do it and you want to try cables to solve the problem (realizing they are cheaper than electronics), you might want to give NBS cables a try. They have a very clean and present top end but don't seem to fall in the usual trap of being grainy. In my system, even just a power cord of theirs was enough to bring the soundstage forward.

Arthur