Voice and instrument image bunched in the middle??


Playing with speaker placement in hopes of improving focus and image placement etc etc along the width of the soundstage. Voices and instruments seem to be all bunched up in the middle of the soundstage. At wits end...can't seem to get an improvement. Too close to side walls? Too much or too little toe in? Speakers too near or far apart?

Any suggestions?
pc123v
Please describe your room dimensions H,W,D and measurements of your layout. Measure from side and rear walls and to each other using the tweeter location as your measuring point. Advise where your equipment is placed. Also any room treatment or major features. If you provide the info this Audiogon gang will help you.
Hi Guys,

Thanks for your help everyone. @Ptss...here goes. Tweeter(all measurements taken from front of speaker) distance from side wall...24 inches. Tweeter distance from front wall...45 inches. Very slight toe-in...around 1 inch. 24" x 48" corner bass traps in front wall corners. Temporary placement of 2 inch foam cushions...approx 24" x 60" on each side of side walls (1st reflection points). Drapes (not thick)...front wall covering windows (3 windows). It's a bedroom...10W x 14D x 10H. Speakers on short wall. Equipment on a 2 tier rack between speakers. Single bed flushed against back wall. Speakers approx 6' apart (measured from tweeter to tweeter)...same distance from listening position. Small desk flushed against the right side wall (after listening position).

@Almarg...eg...if a recording has the voice in the center...piano on the right and guitar on the left of the stage. My speakers will throw a soundstage with all 3 images around the center. Images are not razor sharp but it's good enough for me at the moment.

@Kijanki...are your 938s on outriggers? Have you heard them with the Hyperion HT-88 monos?

Thanks again!
Pc123v, My 938s are standing on standard factory brass pins. Image depends on the record played. On some CDs it is narrow but on the others image goes outside of speakers. On average it stretches almost tweeter to tweeter. They are pointing at center/me (pointing at respective ears). Setting them firing straight increases image size a little but imaging accuracy gets worse and sweet spot is very narrow. I drive the with Rowland 102, a class D amp. I've never heard them with H-88s.
"Playing with speaker placement in hopes of improving focus and image placement etc etc along the width of the soundstage. Voices and instruments seem to be all bunched up in the middle of the soundstage. At wits end...can't seem to get an improvement. Too close to side walls? Too much or too little toe in? Speakers too near or far apart?"
_________________________________________________________________

I think problems arise mostly from what there are on your front wall..

-Drapes create strong pull of images (absorptive), whilst window's (behind it) reflection likely causing the poor focus.. iow. Images all mostly pulled to centre but lack the precision. I suggest possibly place diffraction panels in front of windows, behind drapes--to tame the wild reflections.

-Racks in middle (depending on height) affect image specificity too. However a two tier still sounds acceptable.

-Re width of soundstage--Take out those 2"foam (it totally kill first reflection) hence expansiveness of soundstage width is severely restricted--replace them with diffusive panels instead. These will take care of first reflection problems whilst enhancing stage width, ambience, and instruments specificity at sides.

IMO, start with the above, then play with toe-in/out to dial in further.
As seems like not much else positioning you can play with speakers, if these don't help, probably as some has suggested, get smaller speakers (2-way on stand perhaps) where you can play around more with placements. My 2c

Goodluck.