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Is soundstaging emblematic of reality?

Now that finally I have a system that soundstages excellently, I’m wondering if it’s actually  a vital component of a real concert experience.  In most genres of music, unless you’re sitting very close to the action, you don’t get the kind of precise imaging revealed in a good stereo setup.  That’s because microphones are usually (with some rare exceptions) placed close up. If you’re sitting in the middle to back section of an audience (which most people do) you certainly don’t hear anything close to holographic imaging, or even what most people accept as satisfactory imaging. 
Granted, it’s loads of fun to hear this soundstaging. And I certainly love it.  Some people might consider it the ideal music experience. But is it an essential component of musical enjoyment?


rvpiano

Showing 1 response by simao

simao's avatar
simao
1,901 posts
 
I don't go to live shows for the sonic experience solely. I mean, most venues have crap sound anyhow, and the idea of a live show nowadays is so much more than just the sound of it. So whether I'm sitting at the front table are the yellow jackets gig at a jazz club, I whether I am right behind the sound guy at a Phish show in an arena, I'm not trying to see if this is the best sound I can get.

At home I can explore the whole holographic idea of sound, but unless it's a beautifully mic-ed live performance, I'm not going to equate the two schemas at all.
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