Looking for the next level in imaging...

My Opus 3, Test Record 1 - Depth of Image, assists in speaker placement for greatest effect.  The 16 tracks describe what you should be hearing and where.  It's amazing (to me) how deep and wide the soundstage can be.  Then I am disappointed at the vast majority of recordings that showcase very little of this.  Leading me to believe 90% of the soundstage is in the recording and 10% is system dependent.  It is my opinion that throwing a lot of money at new equipment will not change that.   

My system also does all that.  Steely Dan is a favorite for imaging and a wide soundstage.  The instruments and sound effects are floor to ceiling and wall to wall.  With many recordings of bigger bands, it's very clear how one horn is in the back row compared to another.  It's there in the recording and most any decent stereo will give you a good sense of stage image.  My contention remains, it is in the recording, NOT in the system or room treatment.  Those can only improve what is on the recording, but not create what isn't there.  

@jhnnrrs  Something else we have in common.  Love of ESLs.  I've owned Martin logan in the past.  Kept them for 20 years.  Now running a set of SoundLab Majestic 745s.  Coming back to my main point, a speaker can't produce anything that is not embedded in the recording.  The engineer crowds everything into the center, no speaker can magically spread the soundstage out.  Likewise with depth of field.  If it's not on the recording, it's not in your listening room.  That's not to say some systems aren't a little better than others at reproducing soundstage, I'm simply saying that any exception that new speakers are the answer to creating it, is pure folly.  IMHO.  Cheers.

@mahgister   I understand your love and dedication to acoustic principals.  It makes up the heart of most of your posts.  

Your comment : 

Than this sentence is not even wrong  and like describing the realitty in reverse order like if walking on your head was normal 😁:

"If it’s not on the recording, it’s not in your listening room" — BINGO @bigtwin !

is totally irrelevant in the context to which it was made.  I was not discussing the virtue of proper room acoustics, nor how the lack thereof will diminish the ability to hear all that could be presented by a recording.  I was stating that no system, or room for that matter, can reproduce something that is not embedded in the recording to start with.  There is no magic.  Cheers.

@mahgister  Please answer this simple question.  A recording of a trio.  Guitar, Bass and Sax.  The recording engineer has mixed the final tape to have all three mics/instruments playing an equal signal from left and right channel.  This puts the sound of the recording with all three instruments in the center of the stage.  Are you claiming there is any stereo equipment or room treatment, or combination of each that will produce a playback in my listening room where the three instruments are spread out across the room, and for good measure, the sax is in the center and five feet in front of the guitar and bass? That is what I called into question with the statement, if it's not on the recording, it's not in your listening room.  Cheers.

@mahgister  There's a lot of love in this room.  🤣

@hotei   You're in good company. 🤣  Last night I was listening to the LP Take 10, by Paul Desmond.  Actually on CD as part of a FABULOUS 6 CD box set from RCA.  The complete RCA records by Desmond as a solo artist.  Comes with a 20 page booklet giving total info on every track.  

I digress.  With only four instruments, the guitar and Sax extended past the edge of the speakers, the Bass was right in the middle and Connie Kay on drums was clearly in the back of the bass by several feet.  They could do it back in 1963.  Makes you wonder why more recordings don't do it today.  Cheers.

@hotei My pleasure.  One of the discs is Desmond and Gerry Mulligan.  If you have not heard Mulligan's disc "Dragonfly", it's a classic for this topic.  The second track called Brother Blues is such a delight for the use of soundstage and imaging.   I've used that track many times to demonstrate a recording that lets you hear exactly where every instrument is.  Exciting to listen to.  IMHO.  Cheers.