Infinity Prelude MTS

Experimenting with speaker/listener positioning usually will have a greater effect on soundstage/imaging than changing components. The use of simple and relatively inexpensive acoustic treatment devices can also produce major results in this area.

What 61 said makes a lot of sense. However, being able to tell where each and every musician is on the soundstage is more a function of the recording than anything else. Moreover, at least to my ears, an orchestra or other large group when ensemble playing puts out a sound front that is more homogenized than what most audiophiles believe. Small groups, chamber orchestras, well recorded, can provide that pinpoint accuracy you crave. What I have noticed also is that small monitors are better at this. My suspicion is that the lack of lower bass focuses the ear on the higher parts of the sound spectrum and helps in getting the pinpoint image thing, even if it may be quite unnatural for the music performed. Maybe the lower bass keeps the listener from focusing on the image thing, but you have to see it as a tradeoff. If the musical score asks for real deep bass, you should get real deep bass. The MTS Preludes are very fine speakers that simply did not take off with the subjective audio community. The name "Infinity" could be a reason, the opinions of Dr. Toole on testing could be another. To my ears (and those of A. Cordesman and others) they are very fine transducers. I think you could upgrade other parts of your system without fear that the MTS would be the limiting factor. Maybe one of the smaller ARC tube amps could be used since the speakers present an easy load and the bass is handled in great part by the built-in sub amp. Hope you figure out the set-up problem and go one to spending your hard-earned cash on where it makes the most sense: recordings. Regards.

I have the same speakers w ARC cdt-1/dac3/ls16/vt100 electronics & pleased with the results. once you've seen the wire inside the speaker & x-over design I doubt you'll be picky with speaker cables. I agree on fiddling with placement & treatments. I'm also skeptical that a lot of "multi-mike'd" recordings have much 3-d depth & soundstaging that the hi-fi magazines have "sold" us on... My spkrs are in a 16 x 20 room along the "long" wall, 3 & 1/2 ft. from rear wall & 5 foot away from corners. Spkrs are on stands & subs are placed seperately .

Stereophile has some old test Cd's that you can still buy, on one of these is a recording (not music) of someone at different locations with-in the soundstage. This can be helpful in speaker setup and evaluation of your present systems soundstage as it stands now..and any changes you may make in speaker placement. You will know when you get it right because the sounds will come from the correct positions with-in the soundstage as they are announced in the CD. Some recordings simply do not have a soundstage and nothing you do will give them one.

Dave