No idea how they do that voodoo they do do but no doubt it’s a combination of all 3(design,room & placement)...
soundstage location~speaker plane; speaker design or placement?
Let's say for the purposes of argument that in a given set-up the soundstage appears principally in one of three locations: (1) mainly behind the plane of the speaker drivers (distant); (2) more or less centered on the plane, a little behind and a little in front (middle); (3) mainly in front of the plane of the drivers (close).
What are the important factors that go into creating this acoustic illusion? Are some speakers more forward and others more laid-back (not bright vs. mellow--I'm always referring here to soundstage location), because of their design, or is it more a function of their placement in the room and the room itself? Some brands have a reputation for being more forward, which suggests to me that it's at least partly attributable to design.
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Look up "Head related transfer function" or HRTF for a more complete explanation. Partly this is timber. An upper midrange emphasis may make the soundstage appear closer to you. I use a very relaxed, sloping off curve that sometimes make it seem as if the speakers are too far back. But quite a bit of this is rather fine response ridges and valleys in the right spots. Some Wilson speakers have a 2.4kHz dip, which is known for accentuating "imaging" overall. See the latest Stereophile review of the Eggleston Works Viginti: https://www.stereophile.com/content/egglestonworks-viginti-loudspeaker Pay particular notice to the FR comparison between his Wilson and the Viginti around 2.4kHz and how the reviewer discusses the difference in imaging. Generally speaking though, room acoustics also play a large part in how well you can discern any of this. I have found that adding room treatment in the plane (x, y or z) of deficiency greatly enhances that. For instance, if your imaging seems very flat horizontally, adding carpets and treatments in the ceiling may cure it. As always, buy what you like to listen to. Best, Erik |