Component contributions to “sound stage”

@ghdprentice +1

@blisshifi “While the DAC chip and conversion process itself should not be responsible for altering the presentation of the soundstage, the rest of the design and engineering of the DAC, including how it manages a low noise floor to the design of its analog stage, can contribute to how the stage is presented.”

💯

I assemble my own power cables and have banished all switching power supplies from my system as I have tried to optimize everything from digital signal cables to the type of hard drive I use for my file server.  Those actions have incrementally reduced noise, improved timing and added clarity to leading and trailing edges of notes in digital reproduction.  But the Chord DACs I’ve used (currently a Chord Qutest) made the biggest difference in digital presentation of soundstage, with cable and power supply upgrades adding definition to various elements in the sound field.  I can only imagine better DACs would provide even deeper insights into spatial information in recordings.

To suggest as some do that modern DACs are all “audibly perfect” and that modern electronics have no role in how we experience sound stage in our systems “unless they are badly broken” is just not consistent with my experience with my systems.

kn

I would also add that putting a blanket over my television mounted on the wall between my speakers does wonders for the soundstage when listening in two channel.

kn

I'm going with placement of speakers in your room. If you lack symmetry in my experience you can save yourself some money but going after stage too hard. If you have symmetry you need space to let the speakers reflect, breath, integrate into the room. If you are trying to shoehorn your stuff in the pantry, save yourself some money and go nearfield. 

Treatment, source, pre, amp and cables. In my experience you have spend serious money if you want to get this to be excellent. Not so serious to be good and have fun.  

@knownothing - without a doubt the "component" that improved my imaging are the cables.

It wasn't until I started building my own cables that I discovered this.

• i had tried many different components - amps, streamers, phono stages etc in the search for an amazing image
• I had tried sound absorbing materials and duffusers around the room
• I had tried hundreds of different speaker positions

Then I tried some pretty good cables and things started to fall into place.

I then tried making my own cables from scratch using a geometry that made sense to me and things inproved once again

Next I tried high quality wire - silver, OCC copper and OCC Silver and these made a huge improvements 

Finally I tried a unique approach to insulation which made the biggest improvement in the space of the image - to the point where I now have an exceptional 3D soundstage/image way beyond the confines of my room

If you want to make some for yourself - take a look at https://image99.net/blog/

If you want to know if they actually work then take a look members comments at this thread

• https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/duelund-conversion-to-diy-helix-geometry-cabling

If you are not into DIY then I would recommend either of these two stellar brands

• Audio Envy
• Zavfino
• and if your wallet is deep enough - HIJIRI

Turns out that even the most affordable components actually have the ablity to reproduce a great image

• e.g. I tried these cables on the $350 mini system with amazing results
• I gave a pair of interconencts and speaker cables to my nephew fpr his VERY MODEST system and they blew his mind.

So to most people cables are pretty simple - right?

• it;s a piece of wire with plugs on the ends and comes in a variety of colours and prices

WRONG !

• the geometry of the cables reduces the noise floor of the cable and  allows micro details to be conveyed
• the metal wire provides improved dynamic perofrmance 
• the insulation reduces the noise generated within the insulation as the signal passes through the wire - even more clarity
• Take a read of this thread for more info
  • What Makes A Good Cable

Getting the right combination of these factors is the key

So don't ignore your cables

Regards - Steve

@williewonka I will check out those links.  Thanks.

kn