The “They are here” vs “You are there” sound topic


Hi all,

I want to start a topic about the “They are here” vs “You are there” type of sound. I have read that different audiophiles usually fall in one of either categories, but what does it actually mean? So here a few questions:

- what is the definition of “They are here” vs “You are there” in your opinion?
- what is the main difference in sound? E.g. soundstage
- which kind of sound do you prefer?
- which type of speakers fall in one or the other category in your opinion?
- what type of sources, amplifiers or even cables fall in one or the other category in your opinion?

For instance, I believe the Esoteric products from Japan fall in the they are here type of sound. Do you feel the same?
richardhk
Wait, what? Duke hasn’t posted yet??? Must be working on it still then....
Erik, no offence intended. I was referring to your comment about not having been at the original performance thus not being able to evaluate a system effectively. 
" Wait, what? Duke hasn’t posted yet??? Must be working on it still then.... " 

Yeah baby!
@mijostyn

I think we can all evaluate for ourselves how much fun and pleasure our systems create for us. :)

The rest I took to another thread.
It all starts with microphone choice, then placement in the studio or performance space. Of course it’s an illusion. Some of us, who are not just flavorizing and chasing the tail, have carefully recorded references of original acoustic events. Even the simplest chain has an incredible amount of variables....

with small chorale groups, I try this experiment... let them help pick microphone placement by recording a bit and then pulling them out one at a time to hear playback in the reverberat space but in the near field... the first comment is “ we don’t sound like that “, then I switch to the near field overhead mic tracks... and the answer is we sound like that... then I have them sing again, missing a performer who stands where the House array is.,. The answer is, ya we sound like that, from here!