Originally Posted by
vintagesteve
ANY soundstage that's caused by room interaction is 'accidental' and could just as easily be good or bad. It's different frequencies bouncing around off various walls and objects before reaching our ears. Unless you're a 100% mono man, the speakers should be optimised for best stereo listening. Well, unless you want to make adjustments to them each time you listen, not always easy with spikes etc.
Mono recordings can sound excellent fidelity wise, no doubting that. But as for a soundstage - and by sound stage I mean left to right stereo mixing/panning (that's what differentiates stereo and mono, and defines stereo) - quite simply there isn't one! As for soundstage 'depth' then that's just the different recorded levels of different instruments and voices to achieve the correct balance of them as decided by the artist(s) and or producer, aka 'the mix'. If one appears to be 'behind' another, then that's simply because it was mixed to be quieter. Mono recordings do not have a soundstage of any description.
When listening with two speakers I get a soundstage. Sure it's about half the width of stereo and doesn't reach the speakers but it covers 2/3rds the distance between the speakers. It is a sounstage akin to a live performance.
TT 1 Trans-Fi Salvation with magnetic bearing + Trans-Fi Terminator T3Pro + London Reference
TT 2 Garrard 301 with NWA main bearing + Audiomods Series Six 10.5" + Ortofon 2M Mono SE
Digital Lindemann Bridge + Gustard R26 with LB external clock
Pre and Power Amp EWA M40P + M40A
Bass Amp & DSP Behringer iNuke NU3000DSP x 2
Speakers 1 Bastanis Sagarmatha Duo with twin baffleless 15" bass drivers per side
Speakers 2 MarkaudioSota Viotti Tower