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Is soundstaging emblematic of reality?

Now that finally I have a system that soundstages excellently, I’m wondering if it’s actually  a vital component of a real concert experience.  In most genres of music, unless you’re sitting very close to the action, you don’t get the kind of precise imaging revealed in a good stereo setup.  That’s because microphones are usually (with some rare exceptions) placed close up. If you’re sitting in the middle to back section of an audience (which most people do) you certainly don’t hear anything close to holographic imaging, or even what most people accept as satisfactory imaging. 
Granted, it’s loads of fun to hear this soundstaging. And I certainly love it.  Some people might consider it the ideal music experience. But is it an essential component of musical enjoyment?


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geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Get the soundstage right and the rest will follow. - Audiophile axiom

An ordinary man has no means of deliverance. - Audiophile axiom 
simao's avatar
simao
1,819 posts
 
I don't go to live shows for the sonic experience solely. I mean, most venues have crap sound anyhow, and the idea of a live show nowadays is so much more than just the sound of it. So whether I'm sitting at the front table are the yellow jackets gig at a jazz club, I whether I am right behind the sound guy at a Phish show in an arena, I'm not trying to see if this is the best sound I can get.

At home I can explore the whole holographic idea of sound, but unless it's a beautifully mic-ed live performance, I'm not going to equate the two schemas at all.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,840 posts
 
You're actually asking two different questions re: reality (in the title) and enjoyment (your concluding question), but the answer is basically the same. 

It can be a recreation of reality if recorded properly, and, getting enjoyment out of a manufactured sound stage most certainly depends on the mix and the illusion it creates and the abilities of the recording engineer to pull it off in a convincing manner. 

Either way it's a win-win when done well.

All the best,
Nonoise
davekayc
173 posts
 
I love a well engineered soundstage .i find oldest stereo recordings are way out of wack. Everything is just left or right . Mostly to exaggerate the stereo effect and the new hype of it . No actual sound stage. Systems do not sound worthy if the soundstage is lacking. Most details that we obsess over , lead to it .  
pgaulke60
299 posts
 
On the other hand, if you listen to some good live recordings, there is a very high probability you will never hear that same perfection and separation of instruments as you would on the recording in a live venue.  Case in point, listen to the spring '77 Betty Board recordings and the 72 Dan Healy recordings of the Grateful Dead. The are incredible sounding recordings. Listen to a Here Comes Sunshine from 71-73 with headphones and you know exactly what I mean.  

If you are listening to the Bruce Springsteen wall of sound, it doesn't matter where you sit in the venue, or your home.  You are still going to get blasted with that damn wall of sound.  I really appreciate Bruce, but when you can't distinguish the instruments, then well, I'll go back to Phil Spector.  
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