What makes for a good soundstage?

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Small speaker can create soundstage as well.

I feel a speaker bake-off coming on in the new year - curry and beer and soundstage - who's up for it.

[fafarskid]

What makes for a good soundstage?
Everything. Speakers, acoustic, electronic, cables. Some speakers need exceptional electronic to give well defined soundstage, some speakers never give deep soundstage, etc. I believe your old speakers were easy to set up with nice soundstage, but not new one.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

These Allison semi omnis will give you soundstage.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Allison-CD7-S ... 50e&_uhb=1

[walterwhite]

Yes, I've decided a magical mystery tour of venerable old speakers is the way to go. Should be fun. If anyone's interested I'll update as I go. Maybe I'll find some forgotten treasures?

I've got some new amps arriving next week so I'll wait for them to be installed first. You never know, they might even wake up the Spendors.

A few suggestions on stuff that might be worth trying (or avoiding) would be appreciated though. My listening room is 16' 4" x 11', so quite small, and I listen over the smaller width, so not a lot of flexibility on positioning is available. Floors are carpeted, and plenty of soft furnishings. I don't listen at silly loud levels.

Maybe some smaller standmounts might be more suitable for this space? I've always had floorstanders in the past inc.a pair of Dynaudios that I hated also.

[walterwhite]

Small speaker can create soundstage as well.

More than willing to try smaller speakers doc.

[walterwhite]

These Allison semi omnis will give you soundstage.

Bit too far to travel for them, though as an ex piano restorer I'm not afraid to recon the cabinets cosmetically.

Very tempted to give these a punt though.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271106371942? ... 1423.l2649

[Keithh]

Having used M352s in the late 80s/early 90s with my now elderly AP20 I can understand what you would be missing, they had a really big sound. Neighbour threatening bass at the very least. I bought from new after an audition and upgraded the tweeters to metal dome. Unfortunately one of those got a stay child's finger whilst on loan and I never got around to getting a replacement.

[29mile]

Small speaker can create soundstage as well.

Yep my RR1's do it and also do a real out the box disappearing act. They also work very well even far apart.

[Daniel Quinn]

On Saturday , I went to see Genesis tribute band - Mama . They sounded good [ no electronic drum kit which made some songs unusual ] However , there was absolutely no discernable sound stage which was odd [ to me ] because I have become slightly obessed with extracting soundstage from the groove of my Genesis/Gabriel Lp's .

For me the three biggest improvements in soundstage ie - width , height , debth and discernible space between instruments and multiple voices are in reverse order

1. turntable support
2. cartridge
3. Simplified crossover

[walterwhite]

Yep my RR1's do it and also do a real out the box disappearing act.

Royd are definitely on my shopping list, but rare as hens teeth as far as I can see.

Bought these yesterday. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271106371942 ... 423.l2649
Methinks there'll be a pair of Spendor A5's on Ebay soon.