Looking for the next level in imaging...

First all stereo system nevermind their price, because they are two speakers sound source are flawed... Read Choueiri acoustical articles...

Second if your room is not very well acoustically balanced you will not hear  what is in the recording because your speakers/room is not optimally under controls enough to TRANSLATE in your own room  and  to reveal all spatial acoustic information contained in the recordings...

Than this sentence is not even wrong  and like describing the realitty in reverse order like if walking on your head was normal 😁:

"If it’s not on the recording, it’s not in your listening room" — BINGO @bigtwin !

You will listen what is in the recording only if you compensate for the crosstalk effect of any stereo system impeding any acoustical spatial information and only if your room is acoustically controlled and well balanced with the speakers/listener location / room coupling..

Why then someone can say the opposite of reality ?

it is because people think erroneously that acoustics parameters of the recorded room are automatically reproduced right in their own acoustical environment because their dac or turntable are TOP gear paid a high price 😋... Sorry you need acoustics controls of the room , filters for the crosstalk and even ideally inner ears measure and HTRF measures ..

Gear fetichism dont replace acoustics science...

It got a next level experience lesson in "sound staging" when listening to the Steinway-Lyngdorf Model B system.   I pride myself having listened to so many different systems and rooms over the years, but this delivered something very special.  A real "stage", quite addictive.   I did a series of videos about it all on my little channel.  Maybe it will be of interest to you? 

 

All imaging is Phantom, adjusting volume; phase; other things engineers know how to do, beginning with their skill with specific microphone types and placement for various voices or instruments, recording spaces, musician's placement .....

Precise reproduction of the media containing their intentions is very important.

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LP Imaging:

Sound characteristics, preferences are subtle, read reviews, listen ...

Imaging: I only consider cartridges with wide channel separation (30db, 28db, higher number is best for imaging (if it exists in the source as noted), and tight center balance (1.0 db; 0.5db harder to find)

The combination results is both wider and more precise, thus more perceivable imaging. Individual musicians, i.e. where's/there's the bass player, there's the trumpet/trombone ....... 

@mahgister   I understand your love and dedication to acoustic principals.  It makes up the heart of most of your posts.  

Your comment : 

Than this sentence is not even wrong  and like describing the realitty in reverse order like if walking on your head was normal 😁:

"If it’s not on the recording, it’s not in your listening room" — BINGO @bigtwin !

is totally irrelevant in the context to which it was made.  I was not discussing the virtue of proper room acoustics, nor how the lack thereof will diminish the ability to hear all that could be presented by a recording.  I was stating that no system, or room for that matter, can reproduce something that is not embedded in the recording to start with.  There is no magic.  Cheers.

"As @patrickdowns touched upon briefly with instrument placement I don’t see why so many here look for which instrument is where in a song. Are there more genres than classical orchestras that play music in such a way? Does most everyone here listen only to classical music? Surely it doesn’t matter as much in a studio where everyone is standing? And the sound is in the hands of the engineers anyway. With classical music being a small part of the world of music I fail to see the importance of what instrument is where in a song. I have some classical music in my Qobuz library and it sounds good but I really just want the music I like to listen to to sound great and not worry about what is where. Am I missing something to listen for that would improve my listening experience ? I listen to 60s 70s 80s 90s etc."

I do find it important as to where instruments are placed in the sound field and want to hear them in their "chosen" position. Case in point.