classical quartet watching/listening

Some SACD or CD Players, even some car players, will play the audio tracks of a Video Disc’s program, ...... some just auto start, some need you to ’see’ the menu to tell it what to do. Load, wait, hit play, hit next track, .... hear what happens.

You might automatically get a 2 channel audio track doing this, or not, it’s tricky, a laptop with dvd player and usb out will let you see/control the menu choices and send the audio out to a dac via usb, that is what I am doing in my office with my desktop and/or laptops, via a simple $110. Topping D10s DAC I learned about here.

they come silver or black

a very easy change improved the sound of anything I play or stream in my office. You can buy usb extension cables, I got a 10’ long extension for $10.

usb 3.0 extension cable

I seem to remember that usb 3.0 can be 10x speed of usb 2.0, I also use a short 3’ one for my usb 3.0 card reader and usb 3.0 2TB external backup drive (to get the desktop's rear 3.0 port available up front plug/play).

Thanks, all. Interesting stuff. Nice office, @elliottbnewcombjr! I'd never get any work done there... I'm sure that most audio recordings don't match existing video in terms of imaging. I was wondering if any audio and video recordings *are* synced; it would be pretty cool, to me at least, if the cello in my room's soundstage matched the placement of the cello on the real stage, etc. 

@mahgister, great suggestion on Simpson!

@mahler123--many thanks. I'm on it. I know a number of the Beethoven recordings but not that one.

I am in love with all the works of Robert Simpson...

One of the great composer in the world not only in England..

I discovered him reading his book about Bruckner one of my god...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-5oRNSPwT4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfS_efT5_X8

Streaming, in my office, I starting with Imaging as the PRIMARY goal, it works excellently ONLY when centered in my desk chair, only with 2 channel stereo content, the balance on the amp has been adjusted to compensate for the wall on the left side/no wall right side

changed to AR-2ax which have L-Pads for tweeters and mids

Audio Only

If you are getting distinct and enjoyable imaging with any, many sources, then both that content's engineers and your system (in your space) are doing a great job. Once that capability is established, the greater or lesser imaging is about the engineering of each specific track’s content. Think compilation with many engineers involved). IOW, retain confidence in your system’s established capability.

Whether a separate audio CD’s imaging matches a video is irrelevant, and Video might have some surround content, optional 5.1/stadium/2 ch stereo/ ...... some recorded from the microphone setup, some pseudo ... created later.

I often change my Video System to 2 Channel Stereo and enjoy that more than .......

Music Videos, Movie Soundtracks, DVD, Blu-Ray, YouTube Streaming on the Smart TV, and Broadcast Shows like the Voice, American Idol, .... Got Talent (pre-record, FF to get thru the crap) are why I enjoy our small home theater so much.

The front speaker’s ability to create a wide image for center, left, right sofa positions is important, gives you the ability to sit near an end table and still have good imaging. Typically, I’m left end (also left handed), Donna’s right end, tray with remotes in the middle.

I use DBX Soundfield 100 Speakers in the Video System, with their built-in ’cross sides toe-in’ and use that toe-in technique when listening to the music system with a friend, both of us sitting off-center with a small table between us.

Toe-In Alternates: Stereo and Video

DBX Soundfield 100 Review

Try the Belcea SQ Beethoven.  Available Blu Ray, CD, YT

Do you have a DVD or Blu Ray player?  There are concert videos of string quartets.  I don’t have a Qobuz subscription.  It should not be difficult to search YT for SQs, find one that is on Qobuz and search the usual CD sellers to see if the CD is still available