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Imaging/Soundstaging - Does room size matter?

Hi guys,

I have a great little system in a pretty small room, 17 x 13 x 10. The center image is perfect. On vocals, the speakers totally dissappear, and all I hear is the singer chillin' in between the two channels. But most things that aren't supposed to be completely centered don't image very well. Instead of simply coming from one side or the other, they always seem to come directly from the drivers. Is there something that room acoustics or speaker position can do about that, or is it just going to be that way because of the size of the room?

Thanks!
omains

Showing 4 responses by joekras

joekras
60 posts
 
I had two systems in two different rooms. The system in the larger room, with the speakers out into the room and wide apart, has a wide and deep(!) stage. But the width of the stage stops at the speakers.
The smaller room only allowed for the speakers to be maybe two feet from the outside walls. The imaging in this case was realistically beyond the boundaries of the speakers, width and height too. Although overall the soundstage was smaller, the music did not appear to be coming from the drivers.
I think maybe the "acoustic support" of the side walls can actually improved imaging.
But I could be wrong! They were different systems. I would be interested in what others have to say.
joekras
60 posts
 
yep. height. without question.
joekras
60 posts
 
I agree with Jond. Speaker placement and of course recordings. And I think just swapping components to get it right is the ultimate answer. My experience is limited so I am in part sharing it to also get an answer to the imaging question. So take the following in that context:
I have had two amps an Adcom and now a CJ11. When I switched to to the CJ the soundstage depth greatly increased. You seem to hear more "atmosphere" or venue. However this did seem to reduce the width of the stage-though on most recordings it was more realistic. It is more like actually being in the club as opposed to having the musicians playing in your room.
To clarify- I guess you can say it is like sitting close or sitting far. The further you are... the smaller the image.
Make sense?
joekras
60 posts
 
specific example...
Spica tc-60 with Adcom. Paul Simon, "Negotiations and Lovesongs". In the room eerie band size imaging. About two feet beyond the outsides of the speakers and a foot or two above. Cymbals high, snare drum middle, bass drum low. Vocals forward of middle. That specific.
AP Virgo with CJ11a, nearfield set up. Speakers really wide apart, really far into room. "Jazz in the Pawnshop" Image starts at speaker plane and goes way back. Real deep. Layered. You can hear the people in the lounge at each table. Big layered. But not much beyond the outsides of the spaekers.
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