Voice and instrument image bunched in the middle??

"Playing with speaker placement in hopes of improving focus and image placement etc etc along the width of the soundstage. Voices and instruments seem to be all bunched up in the middle of the soundstage. At wits end...can't seem to get an improvement. Too close to side walls? Too much or too little toe in? Speakers too near or far apart?"
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I think problems arise mostly from what there are on your front wall..

-Drapes create strong pull of images (absorptive), whilst window's (behind it) reflection likely causing the poor focus.. iow. Images all mostly pulled to centre but lack the precision. I suggest possibly place diffraction panels in front of windows, behind drapes--to tame the wild reflections.

-Racks in middle (depending on height) affect image specificity too. However a two tier still sounds acceptable.

-Re width of soundstage--Take out those 2"foam (it totally kill first reflection) hence expansiveness of soundstage width is severely restricted--replace them with diffusive panels instead. These will take care of first reflection problems whilst enhancing stage width, ambience, and instruments specificity at sides.

IMO, start with the above, then play with toe-in/out to dial in further.
As seems like not much else positioning you can play with speakers, if these don't help, probably as some has suggested, get smaller speakers (2-way on stand perhaps) where you can play around more with placements. My 2c

Goodluck.

Try crossing the speakers to intersect in front of the listening position approx 40 degrees toed in.
Alternative ideas, try without the bass traps on the front wall (too dead) at that end of a small room. Try moving the listening position.
Any chance a mono button is inadvertently engaged?
Is the problem new or always been that way?

The easiest way to check if the problem is coming from the room, is to just try the system in different room and see if you get the same results. Then you'll know for sure. If it does sound the same, I would try swapping out your components one at a time. If your problem is with one of your components, you're likely to find the one causing the problem.

If you still feel it may be the room, rotate your system 45 degrees. (Your listening chair will be pointed directly at a corner.)

@Kijanki... Thanks for the pointer regarding toe-in and image size. If you have any tweaks that would improve the SQ of 938s please do let me know...:)

@Bvdiman...thanks for your advise. Yeah...toying with the idea of getting some diffusers for a few months now.

@Rhljazz...it's not a new problem...small image size also. But havent been paying much attention to speaker placement til lately.

@Zd542...can't rotate system unfortunately...bed and desk would be in a funky position...:)

Just a couple of thoughts to add to what has been said:

1)A contributor to the lack of focus, especially if it primarily has a vertical orientation, may simply be that the six foot listening distance is not enough for the drivers to blend properly. As you indicated, though, that is not the major issue at present.

2)I would give serious consideration to the possibility that rear wall reflections are the major contributor to the lack of image width. As an experiment, it might be worth temporarily moving the foam cushions to the rear wall (above the bed), and the bass traps to the rear corners (moving the desk if necessary).

Before placing the cushions and traps in the rear, though, you would want to first re-assess the imaging and sonics with them not placed anywhere, to eliminate possible ambiguity as to whether the differences that are perceived result from removing the cushions and traps from one location or installing them at another.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al