[markot86]

It's funny, today I decided just for fun to put my crappy no name computer speakers in an acoustically good position, and I was actually quite surprised by the soundstage they threw. I mean, obviously it didn't have the best depth and they sounded like crap, but I was definitely getting a left to right soundstage that was pretty DARN good; I was even getting a small amount of soundstage outside the speakers themselves. While I know that some speakers are better than others in soundstaging, this little experiment made me feel like room is so much more important for soundstaging. What do you all think? How important is the speaker itself in soundstaging?

 

[mysticaldodo]

From my experience, the difference isn't enormous (but not subtle either). I'm talking from experience in a small room with both floorstanders and standmounts so the room zise may have influenced the results. I think speakers will generally deliver to a certain extent when place in a limited position but you need the space if you want to get the best soundstaging possible.

I've no experience with speakers which work specially in corners though.

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

LOL, if you ever get a chance take a listen to a pair of floor standing Dunlevy loudspeakers, and compare them to a pair of flooring standing Legacy loudspeakers. There is absolutely no comparison!

 

[Sleestack]

The room acoustics can indeed have a huge affect on soundstage and proper imaging. Comparing the same set of speakers in a small bedroom and a large high celining living room makes that immediately clear. Nevertheless, speakers also make a big difference. The difference between the Merlin TSM-MXs (monitors) I used to have to my Epiphany's is enormous. Even though they are both excellent speakers, the Epiphany's dwarf the soundstage of the Merlins.

 

[Len]

Speakers (and their interaction with the room) definitely play a huge role in soundstaging. There is clear differences between different fundamental designs (planar vs. 2 way dynamic vs. line array vs. bipolar electrostat vs. omni-directional vs. et al). How these designs are implemented also plays a huge role. My wide-baffle, rear ported 2-way Audio Note AN-J/SPx sound VERY different with respect to soundstaging then my narrow-baffle, front ported 2-way Merlin VSM-MM.

 

[clarke68]

Definitely a combination of factors: In order from greatest to least I'd say it's the speaker's design, speaker position, & then the room itself.

Curious about the computer speakers you used to make this discovery. I built a pair of very inexpensive single-driver speakers last year, and they image like crazy (lots of other things they don't do too well, but their imaging is excellent). Evindently a speaker's crossover order and time-alignment/phase issues have a big impact on imaging, and with single-drivers those are implicitly sorted out.

 

[r3cc0s]

I have personally found that if a speaker has the potential for width & depth, then it's the equipment to make it dynamically\tonally\spacially accurate.

However yes, like headphones, the potential must first start at the speaker.
(e.g. Grado's VS AKG, both fantastic however the AKG phones by nature tend to have a wider more airy depth to their imaging)

Alot of speakers can image fantastically, however in most cases it's to achieve their potential, you have to sit in the "idea" listening position (sweetspot). Some speakers are far more forgiving and can provide holographic imaging without the ridiculous requirements that others need.

e.g. Martin Logans, the instant you move from the ideal listening position, you essentially ruin a listening experience.

In fact, I've been so consumed with finding a versitile imaging speaker that I purchased a set of Totem Arro. I found these dynamic puppies to provide the best staging and forgivness I've ever heard....

 

[Aman]

Some speakers simply have better soundstage by design. My Ohm MicroWalsh Talls, for example, are pretty much omni-directional (they don't physically fire in the back-middle of the driver) and the soundstage was much better than my previous loudspeakers, which were similarly-heighted floorstanding speakers with a 12 inch forward-firing woofer and quality tweeter in each.

But a lot of the soundstaging also has to do with the source, in my experience. Soundstage really shot up in quality when I switched to a primarily-vinyl setup with better playback hardware.

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleestack The room acoustics can indeed have a huge affect on soundstage and proper imaging. Comparing the same set of speakers in a small bedroom and a large high celining living room makes that immediately clear. Nevertheless, speakers also make a big difference. The difference between the Merlin TSM-MXs (monitors) I used to have to my Epiphany's is enormous. Even though they are both excellent speakers, the Epiphany's dwarf the soundstage of the Merlins.

Sorry to interuppt thread, but can you clear your pm box? It's full, and I forgot to give you my name for the shipping info. Sorry to nag btw.