Is Sound Stage an artifact of recording?

One of the most interesting topics on this forum.  I seem to agree with everyone's thoughtful comments.  They have really added perspective to my listening and this hobby.  

My collections, analog, digital and streaming include a few monophonic recordings which seem surprisingly pleasant, even compared to their stereo counterparts.  That is now better appreciated.  

Part of the excitement of this hobby for me is the thrill as music begins to play on the system.  Its realism is always a wonderful surprise.  And then those little moments when something happens from the speakers which startles your attention even though you've heard it many times.

Very satisfying.  Playing the music which suits the mood distracts from the day to day so much you want to listen for hours. And probably often do.

Get Thee This DVD of Ray Bryant Montreux ’77

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324736813106

I inherited it along with all the LPs my friend left me.

I start the Video, grainy, lousy, I feared the sound would suck also.

Nope, the sound is terrific. He plays a Giant Bosendorfer

It looks longer than this in the video.

They had 4 mics just for the piano, and a separate vocal mic. 

At one point, a sound guy scampers out and changes Ray’s vocal mic, you hear the improvement.

’Those Guys Knew What They Were Doing’

I stumbled across the LP version one day

https://www.discogs.com/release/4818909-Ray-Bryant-Montreux-77

Hah, this popped up, the dude changing the vocal mic. You see the size of that soundboard?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olUknJkFK-k&list=RDolUknJkFK-k&start_radio=1

The audio on the DVD is far better than that video, the power and deep bass of that piano is captured.

Great discussion, I’ve got more to say, but I am rushed at this moment, but if you have a few moments, I highly recommend you listen to this interview of William Low the founder of Audioquest. The whole thing is amazingly on point with our discussion here, and Mr. Lowe is amazingly frank to the extent of shooting himself in the foot as a manufacturer of audio cables and accessories. He does tend to drone on a little, but his statements are very information dense with lots to think about. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-occasional-podcast/id1332323668?i=1000767807570

This applies to only those who enjoy the symphony and other live acoustic events. I never grew up with that so I could care less. I want the music I grew up with to sound great. How many other generes are there where the musicians stay put the whole time? 

@ronboco 

Live recordings, like Betty Carter, she walks all over the stage, I learned not to use my remote balance for her, or other live performances.

Dianna Krall has been seated at the piano with a vocal mic left of center in her group every time I have seen her live.

I have some recordings where the main artist is centered, the other members imaged nicely, and then, when the drummer, far right, gets a solo, they ’move’ him center, then back where he belongs, same thing with other solos, ’moved’ to the center, then back to the left or far left.

Who let those engineers come to work that day?

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Another pet peeve is when they record/present a Piano full keyboard left to right, like the biggest piano in the world. Ridiculous.