Component contributions to “sound stage”


What components in your stereo system do you think make the largest contribution to your perception of sound stage in your system?  Which element or component contributes the least to this part of the stereo listening experience?

Rankings are fine.  Justifications or explanations are even better.

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The room and everything in it. A few days ago, Juan of @blisshifi made a days visit where he moved the listening position, speaker placement, subwoofer phase/crossover frequency and volume and the result was that he transformed the sound without changing any components. The soundstage expanded in all dimensions, the speakers disappeared , imaging improved and tonality was better for all of the changes. My room is fairly well damped with nine 4” thick “bass traps”, corner traps, carpet and so on. I’m now curious as to what his system sounds like in that every component in his system has been carefully selected, starting with speakers that cost more than my 200mph car…ok 198mph and it is completely off the grid..ie. Battery powered.

Not just the recording - also how a recording is mastered.

Easy to test: take 2+ master versions of the same album and compare at same volume through the same kit.

@michaellent +1! You hit the nail on the head! Soundstage is in the source! Pop/Rock recordings made by multi-tracking in a studio are nothing like a well-miked symphony orchestra where the recording engineer attempts to capture the spaciousness and dynamics of the sound field. Take a listen to John Culshaw's Ring Cycle with Solti/VPO done during the early years of the Stereo Era! Or the Lewis Layton recordings of Reiner and the CSO, particularly Zarathustra and Pines/Fountains of Rome!