How do I get the best soundstage?


I have a better than decent digital system. I.e. Pass integrated amp, Innuos streamer and USB reclocker, Ayre DAC with Less Loss power cable and firewall, Volti speakers. I’m my dedicated listening room the digital system is sonically superb to my ear - Except that the soundstage is ok but not the best. So, maybe I missed the boat on that. I have a vintage Technics table and Phono box S2 (basic start for vinyl). I’m now ready to move up to a better TT and phono preamp. I already have a used TT, a VPI Classic, coming. So, I’m looking for advice on how to get an exceptional soundstage. Should I be looking at spending more on the phono preamp or does the cartridge make more of a difference in soundstage. Also, should I be questioning the speakers for soundstage quality?. I’m looking to spend no more that 3500 on a used preamp. The VPI table has a low output mc Transfiguration Axia cartridge. Thanks in advance for any ideas you can share!

hysteve

Hysteve, I have not digested all of the posts that came after my original one, wherein I asked whether you have ever been able to experience what you feel is "excellent" sound staging with the Volti spkrs. My unspoken point was that a friend of mine owns a pair, and in his house, in his smallish room, I always felt that the music appeared to emanate from an unnaturally flattened source, like all the musicians were down on the floor with their instruments. I also felt I could hear the treble as separated from the bass and mids. The owner of that system eventually raised his spkrs up on stands by about 6 inches or a foot. As I recall, this was even recommended by Volti. That helped a lot to achieve a more realistic "concert hall" or jazz club experience, where usually the musicians are either raised above the audience or on the same level as the audience. I cannot recall whether that maneuver also ameliorated the sense that bass/mids and treble were separated from one another. But he was a lot happier. He was using very high end components, a Dohmann Helix TT, Durand Telos tonearm, TOTL Lyra cartridge, driving a Ypsilon phono stage via either a Ypsilon or EMIA SUT, into an EMIA amplifier. Also, bear in mind that I use very tall planar full range spkrs at home, so I may be hypersensitive to multi-driver arrays.

I see above that Volti make more than one spkr.  These were their top of the line models, costing more than $20,000, I think.

No, I have not experienced an excellent soundstage yet. I bought the Voltis at Greg’s place in Tennessee last year in March and we went over his placement recommendations at that time. He had a much bigger room though and was using really an inferior DAC, at least in my experience. I started out with a DAC (border patrol) exactly like the one he demoed the speakers with and since then found a much better one (Ayre QB9 twenty). Granted the fact that he may have been using better speaker cables than what I have and a better set up otherwise. I’m not aware of the place to load a photo of my system but I will look into it and see if I can. Thanks! Steve

Get Jim Smith's book titled "Get Better Sound."  Read it, then sweat the small stuff.

@hysteve :

I’m not aware of the place to load a photo of my system but I will look into it and see if I can.

 

 

You can post pictures of your system (and info) here: https://systems.audiogon.com/

 

Then everyone can see what you have by clicking / tapping in your username hyperlink

Azimuth, azimuth, azimuth. Correct azimuth provides maximum separation, the critical step in sound-staging. Small adjustments can be heard.

All these folks are telling you many things including how to spend your $$. Fact is, if it doesn’t come off the disk properly it will never be at its best. A VPI set-up will provide a means for adjusting azimuth. Set if first carefully by eye. But learn how to make small adjustments in it and set it by ear. A VPI Dual Pivot Assembly will make that far easier, improve tonearm handling and even SQ. That’s the very best way. You really don’t need expensive set-up stuff.