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Soundstage wide and deep but not at all tall. . .

My system, like myself, is vertically challenged! This relates to another post I just made where I was considering adding a preamp. The shortcoming of my system is that vertically everything stays right at tweeter level at about 36" off the floor. The soundstage extends well beyond the speakers to the side, and depending on the recording extends 6-10" feet back. The speakers totally disappear, and imaging is quite solid. Everything else about the sound is so large and involving, but the "height restriction" reminds you that you are listening t recorded music. This seems to be the final frontier for a system that is otherwise very satisfactory.

System details: Cary 303/200 with internal volume control thru Harmonic Tech IC's direct into Spectron Musician II amplifier. Cardas Goden Cross bi-wires into Totem Forests. Recently upgrade both power cords to Fusion Audio Predators. Room is dedicated HT room with appropriate amount and type of room treatment.
jswarncke
tpsonic
1,092 posts
 
Watch putting absorbative material near the tweeter.Especially at the first reflection point.This can cause your height problem-better to diffuse,then absorb.
kenk168
175 posts
 
Have you tried raising your speaker height a bit. Alternatively, very slightly tilt the speakers (w/ damping on front supporting spikes or where the speakers meet the stands) so as to have them point higher?

Kenobi
jswarncke OP
66 posts
 
Thanks for the replies. I don't sit with my head by the wall, but 2.5-3' away. I tried tipping the speakers with no change in result. I have not tried raising them on a pedestal.

For what its worth, the speakers are about 4' off the front wall, and about 3' from the side walls. There is 2" of absorptive material at the first reflection points on the side wall, about 70" absorption on the wall behind the speakers. My head is 2'-3' from the back wall, which has a limited amount of high-frequency only diffusion. There is not much else I can do to tweak the room because I spent $$$$ having the walls and treatments covered in fabric.

Maybe this is just how the Totem tweeters work. On a positive note they have amazing lateral dispersion - and the listening "sweet spot" definitely accommodates more than one person. Maybe you just can't force them to go vertical. . .
tboooe's avatar
tboooe
1,009 posts
 
tpsonic, can you please explain why you think diffuse is better than absorption at the first reflection point? I am beginning to try and get some room treatments and this information would be very helpful.
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,356 posts
 
Jswarncke, a good preamp may help. In my experience a preamp expanded the soundstage in all directions. Also, consider some acoustic treatment on the ceiling. If you overdamp the sides and floor, this may reduce the height of the soundstage. Can you experiment with any sort of ceiling panels? Or may be even the triangles(i.e. echobusters or 8th nerve) in the corners behind the speakers? By doing that you may draw the soundstage up a bit.
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