Soundstaging and Imaging: The Delusion about The Illusion

Recordings are actually 360degrees. When you place the speakers in front of you that's what gives you the frontal stage. 2 speakers can easily give you the 360 sound, it's the room you're hearing keep in mind.

Right, so by recording reverberations and all you should still have all of the auditory cues outlined in the above study that I posted. But I think you would have to look at that paper and consider yourself blind. I would expect that having experienced a performance live and being familiar with the venue would help in deciphering the information available in a 2 channel recording.

No being into classical music, I don't really have a lot of relevant personal experience.  

Just skimmed so far.

Auditory distance perception in humans: a review of cues, development, neuronal bases, and effects of sensory loss

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4744263/

BTW, I read the poorly written article.  It would appear the author is as confused as most of the posters here.  We are animals, who by design need to make sense of our experiences.  No matter what technology, source or venue supplies the stimulus, we instinctively try to figure out as much as we possibly can.  No reproduction is accurate, but if it supples more cues or information for us to determine the why, what, where and how about an event...acoustic or otherwise, then our brains are happier!

I agree that it is poorly written (don't have time to fully read it now), I did a quick look for a better source but haven't turned one up yet.

I do think that the article identifies the cues used, and I believe that sight can be a big part of placing distance.