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Another soundstage question

There are a couple of soundstage related threads running on the amp/preamp section and they reminded me of a question I’ve been meaning to ask without hijacking those threads. The speakers are Vandersteen 2Ci and the system along with their placement is giving me a real deep and relatively wide soundstage - but not much further to the sides, but I’d like the height of the soundstage be little higher. The speakers are on the sides of a bay window, about 10’ apart and with heavy drapes pulled on either side and about 2.5’ behind the speakers. Much lighter curtains cover the bay windows for privacy. In my seating position that is about 10’ away from each speaker the top of the soundstage is just about the top of the speakers, sort of like I’m sitting at the same level as the musicians. The depth is realistic but I think the height needs to higher to give a better feel for the height of the singer standing in the middle and the rest of the band scattered at different levels within the stage. So having said all this, is the soundstage height mostly a function of the electronics driving the speakers or its the size/shape of the speakers, e.g., speaker height, tilt, etc., the listening placement, or a combination of all of the above. Thanks.

128x128kalali
kalali's avatar
kalali OP
1,977 posts
 

The soundstage is big and convincing by most accounts but I want to squeeze as much as possible from what I have.  Most of my non- audiophile friends get glued to the listening chair and can't stop pointing out the subtleties they hear in familiar tracks. The resolution as well as the degree of background blackness has helped a lot already. One thing that concerns me in this chase is the degree in which I can compare the recording with the actual performance so I  don't have an accurate perception of what the soundstage height should actually be. My experience with the live events is either way the heck in the back on top rows or on the same level as the musicians in the smaller/club events.

inna
7,296 posts
 
Cables affect the soundstage too. And power cords , especially on the preamp but everywhere.
analogluvr
859 posts
 
Lowrider is bang on! I have a pair of Tannoy Berkeley's that are very low speakers. I rake them back a bit and sitting about 6 feet away I can get a termendous Soundstage, height wise as well. Now obviously Tannoy's image and stage a little better than Vander Steen's but the same principles apply. I have to disagree with the cable comments, they make virtually no difference. Maybe cables that handle your very low level signals but don't waste your time with power cords at all because they make zero difference. 
analogluvr
859 posts
 
Also another poster recommended Tubes which I heartily agree with! Tubes will give you that holographic image that solid-state can never touch.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Kalali, FWIW, and it has already been touched upon, often much of what folks are willing to accept as 'height' is a result of the design of the speakers which might have no relationship to reproducing what is actually on the disc. For example, planar speakers can create a very full sound stage in all dimensions including height, but unfortunately often what you are hearing has very little to do with accurate reproduction of the size/tone of the instrument/voice etc which is being played.

 Just listen to a solo voice which on panel speakers can occupy the whole stage (perhaps what is were the term 'big mouth' is most appropriate). On these speakers, to compensate for this manufacturers add a ribbon tweeter to bring the high frequencies into better focus.

Then there are omni directional speakers which by design rely on reflective sound to create a large multi dimensional sound stage. They do work well with big orchestral pieces in making them sound like a live performance, both of which have reduced resolution and specificity (unless you sit in the orchestra pit regularly). 

Then there are 'box speakers' which can, if properly designed, set up, driven, etc, accurately portray the music as recorded, if that is what is important to you. Unfortunately a lot of recordings really have no 'height' element in the pits/grooves. The effort is great and the rewards can be small. 

I think that is why so many folks love omni, panel, and electrical speakers. With a few notable exceptions, the sense of a full sound stage is always present and rarely faithful to the recording.

In setting up box speakers to get maximum soundstage reproduction I think you are best served by minimizing the effects of reflective surfaces and the effects of too much bass or treble response (too much bass masks high frequency information, too much upper mid range/HF information gives bright unnatural sound not heard in real life. (Unfortunately many folks think this upper frequency information is evidence of 'resolution' capabilities of their systems, a thought encouraged by a lot of manufacturers/retailers, etc)

I've overstayed my welcome by now. Find a copy of Depth of Image! :-)


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