pragmasi, I prefer a pan hard and delay. That simple pan and invert gives a moving image based on signal content. Delay gives ya better control. Gotta be in the right spot for it to work well. With headphones no need for such crude instruments. No mystery or magic if ya know what is going on and no need to make things up.
Why don't more recordings have soundstage outside of speakers
I always enjoy it when the recording has mixing that the instruments are well outside of the speakers. I think it's really cool and what justifying spending extra dollars for the sound. I just wish more recordings would do that. Most of them would just have the sound from in between the speakers.
What are some of your favorite recordings that have an enveloping soundstage well outside of the speakers?
What are some of your favorite recordings that have an enveloping soundstage well outside of the speakers?
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@mahagisterFor sure they will have an big effect.... Acoustic control does not replace good electronics design pairing, no more than good electronic design could ever replace acoustic control.... I am not an audio engineer, only an average person like you, trying for the last 3 years very hard to create my own system heaven... I succeeded then it is possible even at low cost... But you must chose the right components first for sure.... Me i begin to really progress ONLY AFTER i have pick the right basic gear for me and for my purse...Speakers,amplifier and dac.... After that to take care of the 3 working embeddings dimensions: mechanical, electrical and especially acoustical... If you need advice for pairing amplifier and pre-amplifier, i cannot help you here.... Ask these question to a guy like atmasphere, he is very knowledgeable for all thing related to amplifiers.... His posts are very good.... My best to you...... |
Mahgister, I want to limit this discussion to live recordings only. Studio recordings are all bets off. But, with live recordings one would like to be able to appreciate the acoustics of the venue the music was recorded in. Those acoustics are imbedded in the recording sonically but unless you have a very elaborate multi-speaker system you can not replicate the directionality of the reflections that clue you into the acoustics. You have to depend on your room to reflect the reflections from the rear where they came from originally. Your room becomes an integral component to your system. This is why a totally dead room sounds "wrong." It is sort of like the applause in a live recording is wrong because it is all coming from the front and not all around you. The distinction comes in the timing. Very early reflections could not be construed as acoustics from the original venue. They come to early and they are loud. They ruin detail and imaging. You want to turn them of to the greatest extent possible but allow surfaces farthest away from the speakers to remain reflective. |
As others probably have already said, if the ambient cues aren't on the recording, you won't hear it in your room. In my opinion, the only way to get a natural soundstage that extends beyond the edges of the speakers, is to record a live event, with care taken to capture the venue ambience. Soundboard recordings are unlikely to do this. There are studio recordings that use panning, phase and other 'tricks' to get sounds to come from beyond the speakers, but those types of techniques come off (to me) as a bit gimmicky. Classical recordings, where the soundstage extends past the outside edges of the speakers, are almost a given, not the exception. At least as far as I've been able to discern. But I consistently get soundstages that extend well beyond the outside edges of my speaker (and very deep, too). The illusion of instruments coming from 4 meters beyond the outer edges of my speakers, is not unusual. I've had my dog go running out of my room, growling at the violin that she thinks is coming from down the hall. |
There's actually a very prosaic answer to this question. When we listen closely we tend to look in that direction. Ears on each side of the head, duh. When we record we do the same. Maybe there are groups the performers occupy different locations around the room at random. Not many, is my guess. From intimate solo singer to full orchestra to U2 extravaganza the performance always occupies a relatively small area in front of us. Anything way off to the sides is therefore much more a gimmick or effect than music. There. Done. And on to the next question. .... |
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