Soundstage depth and width

There are times when I sound like a "know it all audiophile". There is a reason for this. 25 years ago, there were three well stocked "high end emporiums" in my area. I spent so much time auditioning, that my wife swore I was seeing another women.

One of the emporiums had seating like a small theater, and you could make yourself comfortable while listening to what the customers were auditioning. Each time they changed components, the new lineup was announced. I recall top of the line ARC and Thiel speakers that reproduced a sound-stage so realistic, that I wanted to walk up and kiss Carmen McRae. Someone came in and requested a Rotel amp; that's when it fell apart, although the other expensive components remained. That opportunity to hear so many different combinations of equipment is why I sound like a "know it all".

Music was my passion before I owned one single solitary record. My first record player was a "one box deal", and I enjoyed the music immensely; that's why I can agree with everyone, to some extent.

Enjoy the music.

Say what??

It would be my preference to not be able to identify the speakers: I would like to not be able to point at either one of them and think, "The sound is coming from right there." That being said, width would give the illusion that the sound is coming from somewhere outside the stance of the speakers, and hence the speakers would "disappear."

Depth, however, would be the neatest and most fascinating thing for me to hear, the sound going beyond the back wall and, in my case, outside the house. I experienced this to some extent with a pair of Totem Arros I had some time back. The speakers just plain vanished, and I was left with a sound stage that went well beyond the outside of the speakers' stance and also created an image with a fair amount of depth. If I could ever get a real sense of deep, uh, depth, I would probably stop in my tracks with this hobby (to some extent). That "the musician is in the room" feeling that only depth, in my opinion, can create, would be a pinnacle of achievement in this hobby.

Let me add that my use of the term "hobby" is used solely with regard to the equipment involved. I, by no means, consider listening to music a hobby, but rather - at least for me - a necessity of life and one of endless enjoyment, regardless of said equipment involved.

Ballywho, Are you referring to depth or a recessed soundstage? There is a difference. If you think your system has depth because the performers sound like they have moved beyond the wall behind your speakers you are mistaken. It is still a flat sound stage.

I guess we should define what depth in a stereo system is.

Do you get the illusion of depth on all recordings? If you do, it is most likely an effect manufactured by your system and its set up. All recordings present a different perspective on width and depth and your system should give an accurate representation of each recording.

Our best reference for recorded music is a live acoustic performance. Not listening to equipment in stereo stores until your wife thinks you are seeing another woman.