You might want to find a technical book that describes how the soundstage illusion is actually created. Its something I should do. I don't know if the Audio Cyclopedia actually covers it some. I rememeber way back when, and I believe it was ambisonics, that built a retractable wall down the middle of your listening room running right up to the listeners face. This insured that sounds from the right speaker weren't getting to your left ear and sounds from the left speaker weren't getting to your right ear, I believe this nasty event is called crosstalk. Its an inaccuracy that nearly everyone lives with. Bob Carvers "sonic holography" circuit created out-of-phase signals from each speaker in an attempt to minimize the crosstalk, which would restore the soundstage. I don't know much about its workings, but it probably did a respectable job and it was a circuit that seemed to truly be restoring some accuracy to the source, as opposed to these generic "harmonic restoration" devices and Sound Retrieval Systems (SRS) which are different altogether. I believe they add an artifical sense of presence. And way back when Polk had a speaker that I think tried to correct this by having extra drivers on the front baffle angled in peculiar ways. But the crosstalk in most audio listening environments is one thing that gets little attention. This is one advantage to headphones: everything from the right channel goes only to the right ear and everything from the left goes only to the left ear. Strangely enough, headwize, or one of these headphone amplifiers incorporates a chip that tries to emulate the crosstalk found in most 2ch setups?!?! I guess they're trying to create an image one is accustomed to from loudspeakers, or in the headphone world maybe its designed to at least get the singers out of the middle of your head, even though the singers being there is accurate. However, I don't know if anything is ever done upstream in the recording phase to accomadate for this phenomona. But if you want to build that fifth wall to your room running between the speakers up to you that would help the soundstage. Good acoustic treatment can help clean up the soundstage some too. In the end I think electronics all the way upstream including speaker placement in the room are all important. I don't know if I could prioritize.
Component with most effect on soundstage/imaging?
Just curious... I hear lots about how this cable throws such a wide soundstage, or how that front end images so well, etc etc etc. In my experience, I have found that the amp or speakers have had the biggest impact on soundstage and imaging (speakers probably edging out in terms of greatest impact). I have found VERY little difference in cabling. Cables have had an impact on tonal characteristics (e.g. tighter bass, cleaner treble, etc.), but I really haven't heard much of a noticeable difference in soundstage or imagine. Then again, maybe my ears aren't up to it. Anyone had different experiences? Any thoughts?
The reason I am asking... I listen primarily to classical (chamber) and jazz (small ensembles and vocals), to genres where I think soundstaging and imaging are especially important. I am downgrading my system, however, and I would like to maintain these two aspects at as high a level as possible, and I am wondering which component I should focus on.
Thanks in advance, and happy listening!
The reason I am asking... I listen primarily to classical (chamber) and jazz (small ensembles and vocals), to genres where I think soundstaging and imaging are especially important. I am downgrading my system, however, and I would like to maintain these two aspects at as high a level as possible, and I am wondering which component I should focus on.
Thanks in advance, and happy listening!