2. amps-preamps
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Soudstage Height?

The other night I experimented by using my Jolida 502B integrated as a preamp running through my well renowned solid state power amp. Things sounded okay but the biggest surprise was the amazing drop in the height of the soundstage. I went from tilting my head ever so slightly back to envision Diana Krall doing "Garden in the Rain" with the JoLida doing everything, to seeing her shrink to the height of my Kestrels via transistors.The depth seemed about same though. Can somebody explain to me what gives a soundstage height?
mg
mg OP
14 posts
 
I guess I was a little tired when I posted this.
s2k_dude
78 posts
 
your observations don't surprise me at all...soundstaging is a delicate thing. i've seen dramatic changes in depth, height and width by changes various components, especially amps and preamps.

as for what gives a sounstage height, i'm no expert but i suppose it's just very low-level detail, e.g. reflections off the recording studio floor and ceiling?
sean
6,231 posts
 
You introduced at least TWO variables into the equation. Obviously, the amp was one and the interconnect was two. Where you had power feeding the amp from might be variable three. If the amp had not been used in a while or had fully settled in would be #4. The total combination of these things ( changing just one of those parameters ) would be variable #5. With all of that in mind, you really do need to experiment quite a bit when changing components. Just because product A, B, C, & D liked being set up one way does not mean that E will work optimally under those conditions. You might have all of the "right stuff" to make things tick, but you just don't have them configured optimally for THAT specific component. Sean
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