Sound stage, front, middle, or behind your speaker

The variable that seems to affect soundstage presentation the most significantly has been the recording it self. Quite a wide margin of differences.

For me, I'm pretty happy if things are just detached from the speakers and I'm not very aware of the drivers. Speakers like Wilsons & Kharmas do some magic tricks with spatial cues, but often with the cost of over-analytical tonality.

After reading everyone's response, I think the vaulted ceiling in my listening room has an effect. The speakers appear to be useless pieces of furniture, unless it's an old recording and then more sound emanates from the speakers. I like invisible speakers.

7 feet? Not 6½?

With my Quatros, the soundstage is very dependent on the electronics. I definitely prefer it to be behind the speakers and for the soundstage to "float" free of the speakers themselves. But the illusion can easily collapse with the wrong electronics.

The room is 22 X 14, the speakers are 7 feet from the back wall and 16 inches from the side wall. Since it's impossible to measure an invisible illusion precisely, maybe it's 5 feet.

In regard to your statement on electronics, I get quite agitated at the overemphasis people put on "speakers", without realizing how important the source and electronics are.