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Improving imaging

I'm interested in hearing from the experts the following:

What component, in your opinion, contributes the most to creating a 'discrete' soundstage...

i.e. the 'most important' component/element, etc. that contributes the most to overall imaging. For the purpose of my question I define 'imaging' by being able to ascertain where instruments are located from left to right, front to rear across the overall soundstage. Assume a well mixed/recorded CD 'source' (ala Telarc, etc.).

The reason I ask is I'm not sure if it's my aging ears or my equipment but over time it seems everything is now pretty much 'placed' either primarily on the left or right channel, or 'summed' in the middle. Displacement outside these 3 main locations seems to now be almost to subtle to distinguish from 'left/center/right'. And thus for sure, hearing the tymphanies 'behind' the strings (or the drummer behind the guitar behind the sax) is pretty much non-existant.

I'm not trying to get into 'which brand sounds best', or 'tube vs solid state', etc. kind of debate, just trying to determine if it's my ears or my equipment that is obviously declining and if it's likely my (2 chan) system, which piece should I concentrate on first in order to improve imaging.

thankee in advance!
mmccoy
gregg_c
36 posts
 
I just went through this with my speaker cables. I am thinking of switching to Synergistic Research cabling on the stereo part of my home theater. So, after changing to my rear S.R. cables to see how they sounded on front, I was amazed at the better soundstage and imaging. When I went to put back in my Wireworld Silver Eclipses, I noticed that they were pretty nasty. I cleaned them three months back with Caig Pro Gold and DeoxIt. Well, after cleaning them, the "magic" reappeared. I don't know if it is Atlanta's humidity or what, but I guess I am going to have to increase the interval that I clean my cables. Mmccoy, I would be willing to bet that after a good cleaning you will hear a nice improvement in everything--soundstage, imaging, detail, bass, highs, etc.

Best of luck.

Gregg
kitch29
316 posts
 
As I've posted under 'OTA cables', I found that the height of my ears relative to the speaker height made a vast difference in imaging. Also forward and back. Try listening while sitting in an adjustable height chair. Your new room acoustics may require a different height.
sedond
1,387 posts
 
i tink the room is the most important component. unless someting is physically wrong w/yer system/set-up, the fact that yuve changed this component recently, w/yer consequent results, encourages me in my belief. the *next* most important component is the speaker, imo... while ewe may have tweeked speaker placement, i hope, for yer sake, it's *not* yet optimized. ;~) time to tink outside the box - nearfield listening? more room treatment to cancel 1st-reflection points at sidewalls/floor/ceiling? move speakers further from the wall behind them? move listening spot away from wall behind it?

not knowing more specifics about yer exact room set-up, & speaker brand, it's hard to make specific recommendations, but someting doesn't seem rite - *generally*, best sound will be w/speakers facing straight-ahead, or towed-in only a little. this assumes adequate elimination of 1st-reflections, speakers away from wall behind them, listener away from wall behind him/her... of course, there are always certain speakers that don't conform to this general model.

keep experimenting w/speaker placement in yer gnu room!

good luck, doug s.

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