Magico Q7 and Vitus

[stereo]

I hate to put a damper on this thread, but the reviewer descibed a holographic soundstage. How can that be with the speakers stuck against the front wall corners? Is the holography several feet in front of the speakers? If so, amazing! If not, can we trust any of the review? I believe the tonal quality was great, but a holographic soundstage? Count me skeptical.

I cannot talk about his specific room, but you never heard a soundstage which expands beyond the front wall?

 

[LL21]

I hate to put a damper on this thread, but the reviewer descibed a holographic soundstage. How can that be with the speakers stuck against the front wall corners? Is the holography several feet in front of the speakers? If so, amazing! If not, can we trust any of the review? I believe the tonal quality was great, but a holographic soundstage? Count me skeptical.

I cannot talk about his specific room, but you never heard a soundstage which expands beyond the front wall?

I have listened to a number of Wilson dealer (and other) setups with the speakers in the corners where the soundstage went well back behind the speakers and the wall. I suspect the whole illusion of stereo imaging has something to do with the way sound reflects off various surfaces and appears to sound when it finally hits the listener...meaning the sound can "be perceived" as having depth of imaging that goes behind the wall...ie, does not just have to be in front of the speakers.

 

[BiggusD]

I have listened to a number of Wilson dealer (and other) setups with the speakers in the corners where the soundstage went well back behind the speakers and the wall. I suspect the whole illusion of stereo imaging has something to do with the way sound reflects off various surfaces and appears to sound when it finally hits the listener...meaning the sound can "be perceived" as having depth of imaging that goes behind the wall...ie, does not just have to be in front of the speakers.

I think (just my humble opinion) that it depends on the person as well. The brain wants to tell you that the sound is coming from the speakers because that is what your eyes see. So one has to bypass this sensation. Some people dim or shut the lights to really expand the soundstage for this reason - I don't need to. With a good system I see instruments way behind the walls as well as to the sides just beyond the speakers. A lot of non audiophile friends can't see this and just see the sounds coming from the speakers no matter how good the system.

 

[LL21]

I think (just my humble opinion) that it depends on the person as well. The brain wants to tell you that the sound is coming from the speakers because that is what your eyes see. So one has to bypass this sensation. Some people dim or shut the lights to really expand the soundstage for this reason - I don't need to. With a good system I see instruments way behind the walls as well as to the sides just beyond the speakers. A lot of non audiophile friends can't see this and just see the sounds coming from the speakers no matter how good the system.

I have observed that (at some point) even people off the street will hear the sound coming from the center of the space between the speakers. In those cases, even if you try to hear noise from the speakers, you can't. They literally have no noise that you can tell is coming from them. But it takes a really perfect blend of room, system and setup...and not all of us have the ability to have such a dedicated, properly designed and treated room...but when its done right, there is no more thinking...even grandparents who don't listen to the radio let alone a system...can easily hear where instruments are located. It may be rare, but its cool when the setup is that refined.

 

[rhbblb1]

I cannot talk about his specific room, but you never heard a soundstage which expands beyond the front wall?

I have heard numerous Wilson setups with the speakers against the front wall. The soundstage has always sounded flat to me. In my experience, a holographic soundstage requires speakers to placed well into the room. By the way, this is not a knock on Magico. I own Q5s.

 

[MylesBAstor]

I have heard numerous Wilson setups with the speakers against the front wall. The soundstage has always sounded flat to me. In my experience, a holographic soundstage requires speakers to placed well into the room. By the way, this is not a knock on Magico. I own Q5s.

I think that if you look just a little closer, the speakers are out from the rear wall. Not as much as you would like but which is more important: where the drivers are in relation to the rear wall and rear of the speaker to the rear wall. And those speaker are pretty deep too.

And, I do agree with hearing Wilsons set up that way.

 

[mgbaron]

I've heard several say that the Q7 doesn't require as much space as you would think. I've auditioned Q3's only 18" from the wall and there were no soundstage issues.