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Is soundstage just a distortion?

Years back when I bought a Shure V15 Type 3 and then later when I bought a V15 Type 5 Shure would send you their test records (still have mine). I also found the easiest test to be the channel phasing test. In phase yielded a solid center image but one channel out of phase yielded a mess, but usually decidedly way off center image.

This got me thinking of the difference between analog and digital. At its best (in my home) I am able to get a wider soundstage out of analog as compared to digital. Which got me thinking- is a wide soundstage, one that extends beyond speakers, just an artifact of phase distortion (and phase distortion is something that phono cartridges can be prone to)? If this is the case, well, it can be a pleasing distortion.
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rodman99999
6,162 posts
 
The following provide tests, with which one may determine whether their system actually images, or reproduces a soundstage, as recorded. ie: On the Chesky sampler/test CD; David explains in detail, his position on the stage and distance from the mics, as he strikes a tambourine(Depth Test). The LEDR test tells what to expect, if your system performs well, before each segment. The Chesky CD contains a number of tests, in addition to the LEDR. (http://www.audiocheck.net/audiotests_ledr.php) (http://www.chesky.com/various-artists--jazz-sampler-amp-test-volume-1.html) The shape of your ears' pinnae is also a variable, regarding your ability to perceive images/locate sounds.
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geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
It's a little ironic that there are such things as records and CDs that test for soundstage since the soundstage you get is going to be limited by the, uh, limitations of the system you play them on. Kinda like seeing an ad for HDTV on your old fashioned 90s Panasonic. The HDTV picture quality in the ad is going to be limited by the constraints of the Panasonic. Wasn't Opus 3 another record label that "tested" for soundstage?
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
05-03-13: Geoffkait
It's a little ironic that there are such things as records and CDs that test for soundstage since the soundstage you get is going to be limited by the, uh, limitations of the system you play them on. Kinda like seeing an ad for HDTV on your old fashioned 90s Panasonic. The HDTV picture quality in the ad is going to be limited by the constraints of the Panasonic.
I don't see any irony there, Geoff.

The basic purpose of a test record or CD is to facilitate assessment and identification of the "limitations of the system you play them on."

It seems fundamental that when you want to test something, the performance of the test equipment (in this case the record or CD), in terms of accuracy, quality, etc., should be much better than the corresponding characteristics of what you are trying to test.

Regards,
-- Al
csontos
1,311 posts
 
Looking forward to receiving mine:) And the others too!

Thanks, Rodman.

BTW, I was going to word it a little differently, Al;) You certainly didn't take the words out of my mouth.
newbee
4,768 posts
 
Al's comments are on point. Goeff's reference to the Opus 3 recordings, especially 'Depth of Image' makes me wonder though what would have happened if I had never heard that record over a system which had its soundstage capabilities optimized. I used this disc for years as a goal/reference when trying to establish my own system. But, if you had never heard its capabilities in the first place it wouldn't mean so much - it still sounds great and you might not know what opportunities for improvement exist.
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