Voice and instrument image bunched in the middle??

Having no idea what your system consists of I would say that it could be your system.

Equipment info would be helpful.
As previous posters mentioned, you may have mono recording or simply mono switch on preamp.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your suggestions. Have been trying to improve my system's SQ for a few months. Right now going the speaker repositioning/room treatment route. My system is as follows:

Hyperion 938
Hyperion HT 88 (18 watt mono)
Resolution Audio Opus 21 Cdp
Grover Huffman interconnects (latest version)
Supra 3.4 Ply

Trying to get my system to image better...tighter focus. Seeking pointers on speaker repositioning.

It will help troubleshoot if you could provide more details on current speaker's positioning/in relation to room/listening position.. Rake? Toe-in?

For everyone's info, the OP indicated in another thread that the room is only 10 x 14 x 10, and the walls are concrete. Also, the Hyperion 938 speakers are certainly substantial in size.

Voices and instruments seem to be all bunched up in the middle of the soundstage....

Trying to get my system to image better...tighter focus.

These two statements seem somewhat contradictory. Imaging that is unfocused (i.e., vague, diffuse, hard to localize) suggests that the speakers are connected out of phase relative to each other (i.e., with + and - reversed on ONE speaker). Imaging that is tightly bunched up in the center suggests that the connections are correct, but that your left ear is hearing too much sound from the right speaker, and your right ear is hearing too much sound from the left speaker. Given your room configuration, that is undoubtedly being contributed to by room reflections, and possibly also by listening from too great a distance relative to the distance between the speakers.

Assuming that your connections are correct, and that the issues are not due to the particular recordings you are listening to, it could be that the only satisfactory solutions would be either treating the room very heavily, or changing to different (and most likely smaller) speakers.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al