Thanks all for some great ideas!
With only 12' room width, and the speakers 40" from the front wall, there is only scope to pull the listening seat a foot, maybe 18" at the most, from the back wall. I've tried this and frankly, being within 5/6 feet of the speakers which are 10' apart doesn't really give the sound chance to 'integrate' (looking for a better word here).
Moving the speakers closer together, and me closer to the speakers, gives a little more stage depth, but closes down the stage width - which is not really desirable.
I note Subaruguru's comments about never getting real stage depth with speakers against a wall, but believe me, I've heard remarkable stage depth from a pair of Kef 103's, driven by an old bryson amp and a Sony CD player!!
The speakers were flush to the front wall and seemed to stage from level with the front (little or no forward projection) to some 15 or 20 feet behind the speaker - on a non-audiophile recording to boot!
This experience was some 10 years ago, and perhaps the stage depth has increased a little with memory loss, but it was truly excellent!
So I guess I'm asking another question...do you think the source and amp that I have could create the stage depth/width and imaging with perhaps a pair of Audio Physic Sparks - listening in the nearfield, with 40" max between the front wall? - Audio Physic recommend the listening seat hard against the back wall on their site....any better ideas.
On the ever developing 'wife front' - when she met me I lived in an apartment with a 18' X 38' living room, occupied by a love seat, tv (sitting on the rug), a pair of Apogee Caliper Signatures half way down the room, Linn LP 12 and a Krell 300i.....the only other furniture in the whole apartment was the bed!
So....I was good enough for her then, what's changed?
I suggested some form of counselling, but she actually wanted me to go with her, can you believe it?
Rooze
