One speaker observation from the New York Hifi show.

Newbee and AudioKenisis between them have it right, in my opinion.  I've been married twice and a bachelor twice as a result, so I've had many, many chances to experiment with different rooms and setups.

If you have a dedicated listening room, understand the physical properties of sound reproduction, and have access to sound conditioning materials, it is almost always possible to gain "three dimensional" imaging.  And it is spectacular when so achieved.  But it is also "false" since we do not hear that type of imaging when listening to a concert ... whether pop, jazz, chamber, or orchestral.

Just recently I tested that again by attending a concert by the Emerson String Quartet at the smaller auditorium at Tanglewood.  We had seats in the seventh row, front an center, an ideal spot for such music but hardly an equilateral triangle from the violinist to the cellist (I'd guess the spread was about 45 degrees).  I particularly wanted to focus on separation ..... so in addition to immensely enjoying the concert, with my eyes closed I focused on whether I could isolate the instruments.  I could not .... at this distance these four folks mesh so well that all you could hear was a broadly dispersed string sound, top to bottom.

I also attend jazz sessions every other week in the area, often at a club with excellent acoustics.  I usually try to get there early and sit with friends at a table second from the front.  This is still not an equilateral triangle, but is closer (about a 75 degree spread).  Again, I listen usually with my eyes closed, as I do at home.  Here I clearly could hear some separation between the pianist on the left, the bass and horn player in the center, and the drums on the right.  Separation, a bit, but certainly NOT holographic imaging. 

In neither of these cases do I hear anything much different at home.

So while I agree that the technical aspects of being a hobbyist audiophile are often challenging and fun, it is useful to remember that if the goal is wanting superior sound reproduction of the music we hear live, a perfect listening setup is not neccesary.  The reproduction quality of the equipment, however, is.  For those of us having to do double duty with a living quarter and spouse, a "perfect space' is usually not possible.

prof - well, at least we agree on the Thiels.  I'm a twenty-five plus year user of same, and their coherence and attention to diffraction elimination do pay imaging dividends, for sure.

I also agree that the Thiels, in a decent acoustic environment successfully admit a bit of "roundness" to the sound .... call it "body" if you will.  But I stand by my guns in saying you simply don't hear much roundness when listening to live music from a normal venue seating position, nor can you pinpoint directionality.that precisely.  In an orchestral recording you can generally sense the cellos and bass on the right, and the first violins on the left, but that is about it.  Brassy horns will have a semblance of directionality as will percussion, but not pinpoint definition.  As I said before, I can create it in a dedicated listening room ... it is a matter of placement and sound treatment, one way or the other, but unless you prefer sitting in the conductors chair, or on the edge of the stage, the "hologram" effect we audiophiles strive for is just not realistic.  But more importantly, IMO it is far less important than realistic dynamics and tonal accuracy in conveying the musical import.

rvpiano - Thanks.  We obviously hear things the same way.  But I also agree with your earlier post ..... it is fun to create the holography, conditions permitting.