'Holographic Sound Stage?'

The one and only time I heard a holographic presentation was at Elliot Midwood's place (the owner of Acoutic Image). It was at his house and he demo'd some entry level Audio Phyisics (?) speakers on an all tube set up. The speakers were rather far apart since looking straight ahead afforded me only a peripheral view of them. Also, the speakers were next to the walls, just inside, which opened onto another room behind them.

To say my jaw dropped was an understatement. Each and every musician had his and her own space, front to back, side to side, with specific boundaries, enough to qualify as ghostly. At first, I resisted the urge to get up and walk around the phantom images but then submitted and proceeded to walk around the players. As I neared them, they somewhat collapsed and reformed as I returned to my seat.

Quite the parlor trick and I've yet to experience it again.

The room holds all the cards should you want to recreate this effect and from what I've seen and read, no one uses this approach when designing a listening room. I'm sure there are other ways to do it but this is the only one I've witnessed.

All the best,
Nonoise

I agree that if one can occupy the same space as the mikes, one can appreciate what and how the mikes hear it. But no one sits that close. I had the pleasure of sitting just three rows back and center in a church setting to a three piece period baroque ensemble and the sound was practically homogenized when it got to me. I was hearing the sum of its parts when considering location despite clearly hearing the individual instruments.

There are advantages to hearing some things live and advantages to hearing some things at home. Live music allows one to emphasize with the musician(s) and the contact high that comes with listening with others. Home listening allows one to enjoy and appreciate all the more the mechanics of a recording.

I don't mean in the "mechanical" sense a rigid, soulless interpretation, but rather in the structure, timing, and highlighting of performers that would otherwise be smeared or homogenized.

All the best,
Nonoise