Strange Klipsch thing

Yep, distance from rear wall and associated reflected sound is needed to create imaging depth.

mbl omni's set up accordingly do this to the max.

Reflected sound. So what you guys are saying is that depth is a coloration.

"Reflected sound. So what you guys are saying is that depth is a coloration."

I'm not, but I suppose you could call it that if you are in the camp that says all reflected sound is bad and should be avoided. It's an impossible goal in most any actual room save perhaps an anechoic chamber. WHo has one of those?

Are there speakers out there that can go directly up against the rear wall (or be wall mounted even perhaps in teh extreme case) and also be imaging depth champs? I seldom see any rigs set up with speakers flat against the rear wall or corners that have the option to do otherwise and still sound good. Most all I can think of that are designed to do a deep soundstage are also designed so the drivers (not necessarily the rear of the cabinets) are positioned somewhat away from the rear wall.

BTW imaging depth and quality is all relative. But the best I have heard in terms of depth of soundstage and imaging accuracy within it that I suggest to be the reference standard is the mbl omnis set up with major space(12-15 feet) set up behind them.

I've heard the exact same rig setup at a show way less optimally, and the soundstage and imaging was a shadow of that with the right setup, back with the pack for the most part, so you really have to hear tehse set up properly before you might have a clue what you might be missing.

What I'm suggesting is that the early reflections from nearby walls might mix with the direct sound, and the combined sound might be perceived in such a way as to distort the original recordings sound stage.
And, oh yeah maybe the other thing too. ;-)

The thing is, I do not see how there can be any depth of soundstage without reflected sound. Our choices in general regarding how we locate speakers away from rear walls in order to get depth of soundstage would seem to support this. Every system I have ever heard with good depth of soundstage features speaker placement away from rear walls in particular. The extreme case I have seen that set the benchmark were the omni mbls with lots of space behind and to side walls as well.

In lieu of an anechoic chamber to experiment with, imagine placing your speakers outdoors with no wall behind them. Would you get any perception of depth? I do not think so. Try it and see!

Width of soundstage is a different thing. That you would get in the outdoor listening space. Early reflections were side walls only added could only be detrimental only in that scenario I would envision.

The balancing act comes in that distance from the rear wall also tends to reduce bass coupling and levels at the same time as potential imaging depth increases. So speakers that strive to do depth of soundstage and bass well together have to take that into account.