1. Home
  2. digital
  3. 195382-161121

Walk-in soundstage

Coupled with his Weiss DAC 204 and T+A DAC 200, Mr. Steve Huff claimed to have experienced the so-called "walk-in soundstage" when using the Lumin U2 as the streaming transporter. This refers to a deeply immersive, three-dimensional stereo image where the listener perceives the musical space as so realistic and spacious that it feels as if one could physically walk into the soundstage.

This level of presentation is notably different from the more common “layered” sound field that many average listeners or reviewers report—where the sound is merely projected in front of the listener with some layering or spatial envelopment.

I'm curious how many of you have also experienced this effect in your own systems and listening spaces. If you're open to sharing, I'd love to hear about the components and setup that helped you achieve it.

  

lanx0003
dogearedaudio's avatar
dogearedaudio
295 posts
 

I heard it at a friend's house years ago.  He had a nicely-proportioned room with minimal treatment, a pair of Nesterovich speakers and 40 watt tube monoblocks he built himself.  The Nesties were placed almost at the halfway point of the room.  The soundstage behind them was very realistic.

My venerable ProAc Response 2's will do it, and did do it in my old house, which had a long-ish living room with low ceilings.  But my current space is smaller and doesn't let them open up the way they did back then. :-(

I think it's mostly about speakers and the room, though components that excel in imaging will certainly help.

mswale
382 posts
 

Have this in my HT room, it feel like you can feel the raindrop when it's raining, things are 3D positioned in the room. Door knocks always tip my dog out. However, it has 13 different speakers all over the room. Think it would be almost impossible to get this with 2 speakers alone. 

larsman's avatar
larsman
3,147 posts
 

I've had that experience with my Marten Parker Duos that Steve Huff just reviewed; I've had mine for several years and I concur with him based on my experience (I enjoy his reviews). Those are driven by an MSB S-200 power amp with a Herron Audio tube line stage, a Herron Audio phono stage, and a Holo May DAC.

And some good cannabis is always a help, too! 

ddgtt's avatar
ddgtt
103 posts
 

The most holographic and walk-in soundstage I've ever experienced is with Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirit speakers (properly set up and with great electronics).  You feel like you can walk into the soundstage and shake the hands of the performers.

joeycastillo
267 posts
 

I speculate that this can be possible if speakers/amp and Room are in great synergy to create such an illusion. A well powered Maggie or ML or better still a MBL Radialstrahler in a room that is acoustically treated well to reproduce such an illusion.

closest I heard that has this illusion, but not truly walk in effect, was in a demo room that was well treated and speakers where Maggie 3.7 powered by Pass monoblocs. getting surreal 

More to discover