Replaced CDP w/ Transport; Now, Soundstage Changes Dramatically w/each CD. Why?

If you were playing two CD’s of the same recording and it was doing this it would be strange.

However - If you are playing two different CD’s then sound stage should be very different from CD to CD in order to reflect the "venue" - or the "venue" the sound engineer is trying to emulate.

You mentioned the resolution had chaned/improved - that would definitely affect the sound stage as follows...

• wider and deeper image
• improved artist placement with greater location precision
• instruments may sound softer or louder depending on whether the change in sound stage moved them forward or backwards within the image
• changes to venue acoustics (i.e. echoes and reverberations)
• More details

Changing cables can also have similar impact on image size, venue acoustics and artist placement.

Sound stage depends on the sound engineering applied to the recording and the precision of the recording. e.g. Large venues should sound BIG and intimate smaller venues should be reflected accordingly

Hope that makes sense - Steve

The idea with high end audio is not to have a system that "sounds good" but rather to have a system that sounds like nothing. No two recordings are ever the same. So if you are hearing them all the same it can only mean your system is imposing its own character on the music instead of letting the music come through unmolested. Probably all that has happened is your new component is a lot more transparent. What you're hearing now is less system, more recording. Enjoy!

Agree with above posters. My perceived soundstage also varies between different recordings.

Tom

Imagination is indeed a powerful force! Especially coupled with PEB (Positive Expectation Bias).