Your definition of soundstage

This is very interesting to read and learn. I've had several systems and have enjoyed several really different stages. My old system had a very good stage that was more from speaker to front wall and the further I set that stage to be back of the speaker the more detail and dynamics I lost. I found myself to enjoy the laid back stage on certain things and not to enjoy it on others. I think I was trying to get more stage out of that system than something in it was capable of. If I just let it come forward to the speakers it was over all a much better listening experience. Prior to that equipment my system was much better at staging without losing detail but was just not what I wanted.

Now I have a new system and the stage is unlike anything I've heard before. There are several factors in my new systems ability to stage and one of them is the Critical Mass Systems platinum series racks. My system now has what I would describe as a stage without boundary. Meaning my walls have nothing to do with the ends of my stage and that can be said front, right, and left. My speakers are only maybe 3 feet off the front wall and 9 feet apart. My stage is more detailed than ever, and also can extend up to I would say 20 feet wide on some music. The layers of depth in the band start at the front wall and extend back from that. It never gets up to the speaker. In the past with this stage or anything close to it that I've heard it lacks the impact and dynamic detail but this system lacks none of that and I hear more than I have ever on just about every disc I put in. I enjoy all the stages and it is something I like. I also like detail so don't sacrifice detail like I did once to try and get more out of your stage.

Cables make a difference as I am doing a demo on Interconnects and speaker cables now and each one actually changes the demension of the stage to some degree.

Important to note that while I say how big my stage is, it still remains very musical and cohesive. Its not fatiguing to listen to but does take a bit of training or getting use to as for the first time you hear it, you will just be like, "man what was that and where did it come from, I've never heard that there before"... so I wind up replaying things over to hear it because I've just never heard it like that before.

Stage is important but so is detail and musicality so just try to find the happy balance with the gear you have to draw out the best it can do across the board.

Enjoy the music,

Thanks for the interesting and informative responses. I agree with what has been said and continue to learn from you all daily.

My real re-interest in soundstage stems from a demo back when the Devore Nines came out. I owned the Super 8 at the time and was never really satisfied with the speaker despite the rave reviews and member accolades.

I went to a dealer that carried the Nines and heard them in the same room on the same gear as the Fidelio Encores. I recall the gear being all ARC reference. The pre was the Ref 3, Ref 110 tube amp and cd7. I'm aware of price discrepancy between the speakers, but that is not the point, as both are great.

I was shocked at the difference in presentation between the two speakers. Neither had a perfect synergy with the electronics, however both where in the same very well treated room with identical electronics, cables, conditioning, etc.

The soundstage of the Verity's was set up around 6 feet behind the speakers and remained firmly planted. The air in the room gave the sense of distance and placement. Not only did the speaker control the soundstage, but it gave the space in between me and the soundstage a clear and firm perspective. Air, space, distance, etc.

The Nines did something very different. They also had a great stage, but the individual instruments took on more of the focus rather than the entire presentation. The air in between me and the soundstage was less firm and stable and perhaps less separated than the Verity's. It was easy to listen to one instrument and then move to another, but the stage was less planted in one space.

To add personally to what Blindjim said, in this case, my mind was more at ease and relaxed with with the Verity presentation. I just fell into it instead of trying to listen.

Speakers and systems are individual and I hope to gather more opinions.

Bjesien

Good thoughts on the various speakers you heard on the same gear.

I wish more input on that factor were added to our posts when we attempt to gain some inkling of a thing's voice we likely aren't going to be able to audition.... not that those accounts would be demonstrative as our own results BUT we'd have a better idea.
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I think that's one of the more often ignored aspects audiophiles overlook when seeking out pieces for their systems.

Where will this place or migrate the stage.... or will it have much effect at all on the positioning of it's characters??

That does matter to me, just as much as does it's honesty to timber and tone, decay, low end impact, speed, etc.

I think that for me, the more my mind has to work to figure out what my ears are hearing, echoes, placemnet of musicians, boundaries, etc., the less into it I am.

Where it sits geographically is not a tremendous issue for me. In front, about, or rearward entirely, of the speakers. It does however need be coherently reproduced and mismatching devices can wind up scattering or circumventing the truth of the area the reproduction is defined within.

it's gotta make sense readily for me to relax and dig it.

...lots of high quality commentary here...

I like to summarize staging as basically "spacial depth".
Speaker placement and of course the room itself are also involved in the auditory illusion of stage & image.

However big, however small, forward or deep, it just has to work well and remain musical so it can be enjoyed. Don't get an impression to quick on a stage that is different than you are use to as anything you hear that is different can take some adjusting in your listening habits. I've seen and heard people say after only one listen that something isn't right or its fatiguing or whatever. Listening is a habit and your ears get trained on what you hear and how it is delivered. If that changes dramatically it can be shocking, is it better is a question to each individual. In order to tell if you like it more or not you really have to live with it for a bit so you can get use to it from a listening perspective.

I still say don't get hung up on a stage, just get the best detail and image the system can give you and the stage will come naturally. If its at the plain of the speakers or at the front wall or whereever, when you feel your detail and image are working together, leave it alone because trying to seriously improve the stage may affect the other as I have experienced. I speak from experience on this. I got hung up on stage and tried to get my system in the past to give me a stage it just wasn't capable of and I should've just left it alone as it sounded better with a lesser stage.