CD recommendations get 804S soundstage right?

[tboooe]

Hi all. I have fiddling with my 804S speaker position for the last week trying to achieve the wide and deep soundstage that people have described. Unfortunately, I cant seem to reproduce what other people have desribed. My soundstage does not extend back or wider than my physical speaker position.

Currently, I have the speaker and seating position in an equilateral triangle at 65" apart. The speakers are approximately toed in slightly less than 30 degrees so that they intersect a little behind my head. I get a good focused phantom center sound image and stereo separation but i dont get the sensation that the sound extends back or wide very much.

I was hoping if the generous members of this board to help.
1. do you see anything wrong with my arrangement?
2. can you please recommend some cd's and particular tracks that showcase or highlight a deep and or wide soundstage? I want to use these cd's to test my system.

thank you very much.

[audioqueso]

I don't know what's considered a quality recording for that, but I always use George Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue to setup up my speakers for optimal performance. Do you have that recording? It's a syphony, and there are so many instrustments involved that you can close your eyes and almost touch where it would be located. I love it.

[audioqueso]

This is a good question though, cause I myself am curious to know what other people use or consider a good soundstage test CD/DVD.

[ColoKurt]

You might try one of the Stereophile Test CD's. I think it's the second one where they have recorded a guy walking from far left to far right while clapping his hands. He also walks from front to back. In general, I think their test CD's are very good for understanding soundstage as well as different microphone placement strategies.

[tboooe]

audioqueso: thanks for the reply. I will try that cd.

colokurt: where would I get that stereophile test cd?

[ColoKurt]

You can get the Stereophile test CD's from their website (https://secure.stereophile.com/stere...cordings.shtml). They're around $10 apiece.

[RobP]

Tboooe, You should try Sara K's "Play on Words" CD and liten to the last track, very wide and deep.

Also I have a question for you, do you have any wall treatment on the side walls at all at your first reflection point?

[grit]

Tboooe, You should try Sara K's "Play on Words" CD and liten to the last track, very wide and deep.

Also I have a question for you, do you have any wall treatment on the side walls at all at your first reflection point?

Ditto. You may find it has more to do with your room and acoustic treatment than the speakers, recording, etc.

Can you attach a photo of the room?

[tboooe]

rp: thanks for the tip. I actually purchased that cd based on your previous recommendation. I am waiting for it to arrive.

regarding my room:
the front of the speakers are about 2 ft from the back wall. the side walls are at least 5 ft away from the speakers. the wall behind the listening position is another 5 ft from my head which is 5 ft from diagonal from each speaker. what do you think?

[RebelMan]

tboooe, B&W recommends their speakers should be a minimum of .5 meters (1.6 feet) (measure from the driver facia) away from the back wall. Soundstage depth is primarily impacted by the proximity of the speakers to the rear wall. Try positioning your speakers another foot forward. I've got my 803S's three feet from the back wall and given my room contraints seems to work very well. BTW, you also might want to ease up on toe to say ~10-20 degrees. Too much toe can impact soundstaging also and create an INVERTED phantom center. I have mine at 10 degrees.

I also highly recommend all three of stereophile's "Test CD's" and EC CD. :T

[audioqueso]

rp: thanks for the tip. I actually purchased that cd based on your previous recommendation. I am waiting for it to arrive.

lol... me too

[tboooe]

rebelman:

thanks for the tip. i actually cant move the speakers further away unless i want to be closer to the speaker.

i heard some Triangle speakers today with some italian amp and cd player at a friends house and all i can say is wow! the soundstage was at least 7 ft wider than the speakers!! i must get my system to do this!

[Ryx]

tboooe:

One of my favorite cds for apreciating soundstage is The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute. Even on my modest setup of a Rotel RTC 965, Rotel RB 976, and a pair of B&W 603 S2s, the soundstage is much wider then just between to two speakers. Although I don't find the soundstage to reach all that far behind the speakers, it is defanetly 3 dimentional. This cd is also a good test of frequency extention, with lows extending to the limit of audability (even I am surprised that the 603s are capable of such response) and highs that reach for the sky.

However I must warn you that this band is very unique and you may not like there style of music, but at a price less then $10 for 77minutes of music I would say it is worth a try.

I would agree with RebelMan in that you should not have your speakers toe in so much. I run about 10 degrees myself.

Good luck with your setup, let us know how it turns out!

[PewterTA]

Try Dave Matthews Band CDs -- Under the Table, Crash, Before These Crowded Streets... they are much wider than your speakers and show a lot of depth... and have the vocals centered really well... even on my 604s...

[Gump]

Highly recommend Khani Cole's cd "Places". Try track 3, "Time Flies". Huge soundstage.

Another great song on this cd is track 7, "Like Love". It fades in slowly to full volume and fills the room with its soundstage also. I haven't had anyone listen to it yet that wasn't impressed to the point of amazement at the width and depth of the sound.

Really cool.

[dyazdani]

I use the Burmester CD 3 for reference testing. It has various type of music to test soundstaging, dynamics, etc.

[ChrissB]

Current issue of hifichoice comes with a free cd from Naim label.
You may give a try to Pink Martini's "hang on little tomato" cd . You could also get an an XRCD (http://www.xrcd.com/)