Martin, no point source speaker is going to produce a life sized image. What you get out of them is a mini sound stage like you are sitting all the way in the back of the hall.Sorry but you are wrong.... Too much play with equalizer not enough with acoustic...
We must use not only passive treatment acoustic , but activated room acoustic...
My point source speakers produce a life size image filling all my room, the sound dont come from the speakers at all...
Why?
My room is activated by my devices, my grid of Helmholtz resonators doing great work and some others devices...
It is not the type of the speakers that matter, it is the relation between the speakers and the room first, and the method for activating the room...
The sound is not only a passive result of the boucing back of waves.... This is simplistic acoustic....It may be the result of a controlled pressurized dynamical atmosphere with different devices....Helmholtz teachings....
What make the sound big? many factors some here have already mentioned; but the main factor is an ACTIVATED room, there exist 2 necessary and COMPLEMENTARY ways in acoustic of small room: the material passive treatment, and the active non electronic one....Helmholtz resonators grid are very powerful....
Anyway even if you forget my acoustical remark, think about the absurdity of your affirmation.... All designers of point size speakers would have designed speakers condemned to always produce a "mini soundstage" betweeen the boxes? Asking the question is answering it....
The fact that you have never set a pair of point source speakers the right way yourself is a more probable answer....Sorry....
By the way i know how magnepan can sound in a bad room and in a better one....Each type of speakers ask for his type of room geometry and proportion and acoustic treatment and specific acoustic control....You dont put magnepan anywhere and small box speakers anywhere also....
