Why don't more recordings have soundstage outside of speakers

I have spent a lot of time optimizing my room acoustics.
It is true that many people don't think about the room or become very creative in dealing with it.
But the emphasis on room acoustics can go overboard just as the emphasis on equipment can go overboard. Not saying that's happening on this thread, only I'm reminded that it can happen. 

You can't make a good meal without good ingredients, no matter how nice the table setting. If you serve a Big Mac on fine china, with candles, good wine, and soft music, it will no doubt be better. But it will still be a Big Mac. 

 If you serve a Big Mac on fine china, with candles, good wine, and soft music, it will no doubt be better. But it will still be a Big Mac.

You are right for sure...

 Acoustic control Will never change the basic sonic quality of any piece of gear at all .... Never....

 You must search for basic quality component you can afford FIRST...

 But when you have then, thinking to change them, so called upgrade, BEFORE  controlling the mechanical, electrical and especially acoustical  embeddings of these gear is most of the times a waste of money....

When you can control these 3 working dimensions with the relatively good piece of gear you can afford, SOMETIMES there exist even no more the urge to upgrade....

 Why?
 Because music is there no more only sounds....

 For example my Sansui AU 7700 i paid 100 bucks was one of the better ampplifier in his category in 1978 in the world... it is not a " big mac "without being the best there is now for sure....

 He does not beat a FIRST WATT amplifier today for sure...

But he is a very good amplifier , it is easy to read the hundred of reviews about it...

 Same for my speakers and dac.... It takes me much studies to buy them without ever listening to them before....

 No acoustic control can change a harsh and bad dac in a cinderella...Nor change bad speakers ....Never...

My point is buy good gear AFTER that forget upgrade, think embeddings controls...

 If your system was well chosen in the first place you will be flabbergasted by the transformation on another level.... But most people  dont know what to do save spending money.... They upgrade before even trying to control their system for his optimal working peak.... They will never know how good their system can sound.... I had no idea myself 7 years ago with this Sansui and other pieces of gear i had bought...

And anyway how many people are in ectasy with their actual system?

 The dream to upgrade if it is a forceful one is the exact mirror of your insatisfaction... Save if you are easily bored and rich....

 This is my experience with me....It is the same for others....

 I speak about average people here not about people with unlimited budget.... We dont need to think if we can buy anything we want  generally....

My best to you....




 

Too many possible reason and variables to list.

Try less or zero toe in too for wider soundstage. 
I find a lot of electronic music goes well outside the speakers

Mahgister, I can get to the tonal balance I want to hear by ear. But I can not get the system to image at its best by ear. The problem is you have to make the frequency response of both speakers exactly equal at all frequencies within 1 dB. In order to do this you have to able to measure exactly what each speaker is doing and have the ability to make 1/2 octave adjustments with variable Q. Doing this takes hours of listening to short sine sweeps, making changes and remeasuring. Sometime you can speed things up by doing the adjustments on the fly but it still takes hours. Why go through all the trouble? Because you go from the usual imaging that everyone is use to to something that is truly uncanny in a very good way. Characteristics of the image that you never knew were there become unmasked and you will hear details that were previously hidden. It is like getting a blurry image into focus. Two identical speakers will never have exactly the same frequency response, Then they occupy different locations in a room and  their response goes more astray. People are lucky if their speakers are within 5 dB of each other between 100 Hz and 10 kHz where it is critical. Location depends almost entirely on volume. If a speaker is louder at one point and softer at another then location cues of the instrument become broken up and the image blurs. Subtle characteristics become lost in the haze. It is something you have to experience. It is pretty special. 
But, in the end it is only important that you enjoy music on your own system. Rock and Roll!