Soundstaging and Imaging: The Delusion about The Illusion

BTW, I read the poorly written article.  It would appear the author is as confused as most of the posters here.  We are animals, who by design need to make sense of our experiences.  No matter what technology, source or venue supplies the stimulus, we instinctively try to figure out as much as we possibly can.  No reproduction is accurate, but if it supples more cues or information for us to determine the why, what, where and how about an event...acoustic or otherwise, then our brains are happier!  

BTW, I read the poorly written article.  It would appear the author is as confused as most of the posters here.  We are animals, who by design need to make sense of our experiences.  No matter what technology, source or venue supplies the stimulus, we instinctively try to figure out as much as we possibly can.  No reproduction is accurate, but if it supples more cues or information for us to determine the why, what, where and how about an event...acoustic or otherwise, then our brains are happier!

I agree that it is poorly written (don't have time to fully read it now), I did a quick look for a better source but haven't turned one up yet.

I do think that the article identifies the cues used, and I believe that sight can be a big part of placing distance.

Imaging is science. Our stereos are using our own physiology to trick us into believing that a sound is coming from a certain direction and distance by juggling phase and volume. This only occurs in a line perpendicular to the axis between the speakers exactly midway between the two. When in the right position the image locks in and magically appears....if the system is set up correctly which is the fun of this hobby, making our systems sound whatever we think "right" is. Getting a system to image correctly is not easy. First reflections have to be dampened and the speakers have to have exactly the same frequency response which they hardly ever do. If one speaker is louder than the other at 400 Hz the image will smear to that side. Then there is the talent of the recording engineer as others have mentioned. I love the drummer with 9 foot arms. We have all heard him, Tom on the far left, cymbal on the far right. Most popular live shows are recorded from the sound board. What you get is a studio recording with all the musicians playing at the same time and muted background applause. To gauge your systems ability you have to fall back on classical and some live jazz. 

I to believe Waiting for Columbus is the greatest live R+R record of all time done by, as Bonnie Raitt claims the greatest R+R band of all time.

I hope you all enjoy this hobby as much as I do. Music is the way.

In contrast to all that has been said, I must admit to really digging the occasional formative tune on my trucks sound system!  Imaging is meaningless and rarely thought of in such circumstances but does not diminish the aural pleasure in the least.  If the music is tight, and you are feeling right...well, ya know what I mean:)

If someone wants to use a tricked-up stereo test disk or LP to demonstrate "where I am standing is to the right of, to the left of, in front of, behind of, under or above the right speaker," then have at it and be convinced that imaging exists.
The point of the Stereophile article is whether soundstaging is real in an audio recording played back via a stereo reproduction system. The article is sufficiently cogent to express the view that the answer depends on many things.
Recall Bose 901’s? That ratio of 1 (direct) to 9 (reflected) reproduced sound model was based upon acoustic hall characteristics in several well-known halls. A lot of audiophiles rejected the concept, suggesting that certain illusions are not accepted as adequate facsimiles of the "real thing" for all things.