2. misc-audio
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is the 1990s "WIDE MODE" setting the 'soundstage' of today, and a gimmick?

Hi All,

My family had a small boombox in the 1990s, and it had a switch with 3 settings:

1. Mono

2. Stereo

3. Wide

When i flipped it to wide mode, I was suddenly enveloped in the music being played.  The music was coming from all around me and i could not identify its source, even though I knew it was from the boombox.  This was of course gimmicky, and i’m not sure what the other audio trade-offs must have been if any (e.g. dynamics, instrument separation etc.), but it sure was a wonderful experience. But it was of course not rocket-science and a manufacturer could implement it into cheap equipment.

 

Fast forward to today. When i read reviews of someone swapping in a new device, and is experiencing a new breathtaking soundstage, i always wonder if the manufacturer of that device has implemented a degree of the old "Wide Mode" to captivate the listener?

What do you all think about the old Wide Mode? And if it is being currently implemented into audio gear?

128x128fai_v

Showing 2 responses by ghdprentice

ghdprentice
6,439 posts
 

Implementing a processed signal to imitate a big sound field as you point out is not new. It has been done on low FI stuff for a long time. Actually the iPad does an amazing job of creating a big sound stage.

‘But a new high fidelity piece of equipment has to do it by great fidelity. Fooling sound with the signal always creates fundamental sonic problems.

One piece of effective tech that created nearly a 360 degree sound field is Q Sound. But this is processing done in the recording. Roger Waters, Banco de Gaja and a few others have used it. In Amused To Death you can hear a dog bark behind you… among other amazing tricks. This technology allows you to keep fidelity. In some of the Banco da Gaia… Maya (I think)… the strongly low frequency music moves out from the the sound stage all the way to one’s side. Amazing really.

 

You can google Q Sound Recordings to get a list of albums using it.

ghdprentice
6,439 posts
 

@fai_v 

 

No. High end gear has not implemented this stuff as a trick. High Fidelity reproduction is really difficult and those most successful at good reproduction have spent incredible time and effort simplifying and choosing the highest quality parts to touch things less in order to better capture the real thing. 
 

Play with the signal and the hi fidelity goes away. It’s not a thing.

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