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How do I get my soundstage back?

I seem to have lost my stage and am struggling to get it back, here's the story.
* My setup is set in a bay window with the speakers @ 7ft apart, the back outer edge of each box in about 8" from side/rear wall & inner edges at 15" these side walls taper back to the flat rear window wall of the Bay. In my old setup there was a 20" TV on a stand and a stereo cabnet 42" tall and 22" square. I had a nice high, wide and resonably deep stage. The stage reached pretty much to the the 8 foot high ceiling.
* Changes in setup:
The system is still in the bay but now there is a nice new 50" Pioneer Elite plasma in the middle on a stand that is 6ft long, 22" deep and 19" high the screen on the stand now is 51" high and 56" wide in total and all gear is now in or on this stand with the TV. The soundstage is now flat, no depth and sound has dropped to about 2-3 feet off the floor. To me the speakers are now much more visable you might say in the past they pretty much disapeared. I have played some with speaker placement but so far not having any luck, I even tried throwing a blanket over the TV to see if that would help but no luck.

What do you suggest I do or try to get back to square one?

Gear:
Speakers - Paradigm Reference Studio 60V2's
Sub - Paradigm Servo 15v1
Power amps - Odyssey Audio Mono Extreme SE's
Preamps - S.F. Line2 SE+
CDP - Cary CD308 (solid state)
SACD/CDP - Sony SCD333ES

Thank for your help.
wizard454
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
I hate to say this, but "take out the new TV." Anything that big and wide between your speakers is going to play havoc with soundstaging.
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nrostov
199 posts
 
Take a look at the pictures of my system. I had the same problem as you. I have a 65" tv between my speakers. The acoustic treatments I have in my system will solve your problems.

Also, the blanket won't work. It won't absorb enough of the sound waves. You need the panel I use.

Justin
sns
3,409 posts
 
I have essentially the same room setup, I've found you can't put anything with that much height between speakers without losing soundstage. My equipment is now on very low racks (24" max. height) behind the speakers. I bet SS would be even better with no equipment between and behind speakers.
I've considered a home theatre setup, and the only way I would go is with a projection unit with a pull down screen.
electroid
283 posts
 
The TV should be behind the front of the speakers. Also unplug the TV to see if there is electrical interaction issues as well as physical.

ET
jylee
306 posts
 
There are at least two easy to try remedies.

1. The first reflection point is now occupied with the plasma screen. I would first try a blanket over the plasma. It does make a difference, how much it does is a matter of point of view.

2. The isolation for the CD player and digital gear might have changed. Try a wooden block under the CD player, and if it helps get a real isolation platform.

Also if you have added a power conditioner when you added the plasma TV, try plugging in directly to the wall and see if it makes any difference.
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