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The "scales" don't always add up

Posted by Presto (A) on October 26, 2021 at 17:13:12

In Reply to: The importance of volume level in soundstaging. posted by peppy m. on October 25, 2021 at 13:29:06:

The "right" volume I enjoy listening at is not necessarily the volume that a live event would be experienced at given the scale of that particular soundstage, but there is a corollary. That sounds strange. Let me explain.

The volume level I set it to often does end up being generally proportional to the size and shape of whatever soundstage is being thrown. And by "whatever" I mean whatever the sonic effect of what is on the recording is doing in my system and ultimately, room.

Audiophiles often talk about "correct instrument placement" as if they are RECREATING (not simulating) an actual soundstage. Truth of the matter is that the ONLY recording that actually comes close to to capturing a live "sound stage" and anything remotely resembling "actual placement" is a binaural two mic recording. All others are merely wonderful simulations. Live events recorded with multiple mics and stereo mixers that producers later use to pan instruments across the mixing plane are NOT going to have anything akin to 'correct' or 'even close' sound stage position. Add in absolutely polarity and the fact some on-stage digital mixers are inverting and other are not... makes one believe the image is more of a fantasy than anything approximating reality.

Audiophiles who have obtained "correct sound stage recreation" will clearly vehemently disagree, but they have every right to continue to believe that what they have conjured imitates, in any way, real life with it comes to perceived sound. Some will just smugly point out:

"Well speak for yourself, my system has image placement so accurate I can take a tape measure to it, Sir!"

And I think this is all demonstrative of the power of human imagination. But I digress.

Now, all that naysaying said and out of the way...

When you do get some *semblance* of the "I am in seat xyx at concert ABC" you now have a sense of depth perception and *distance* to the perceived stage. As such, based on typical concert or live performance experiences, there is a range of volume levels that will "fit" given the perceived distance and type of performance. Most people probably dial in such a volume level without giving it much of a second thought. But, after thinking about it, I think we do it.

The neat thing about some "stageless" electronic music is that the stage is 100% illusion with no bearing in real space. As such, it can be enjoyed at whatever volume pleases you (or you can afford). There is no corollary between the size of the stage, distance to listener and volume because the size of the stage is completely arbitrary.

I think you may have just become aware of this typically subconscious need to have sound stage size and distance correlate to a certain (realistic) volume level for that particular arrangement.

How often do we listen to 20 or 30 tracks from different albums at the same level? Almost... never?

Very thought provoking post.

And of course, rest assured everything I wrote could be utter nonsense.

Anyone who has listened to a vocalist in the center of a soundstage and perceives a person with a "physically larger than life" head the size of a refrigerator, has experienced this effect. I am sure most have.

Part II of this discussion:

Why do some recordings have that vocalist hovering unnervingly ABOVE my precious listening axis?!?

Can't these vocalists just behave?!?!

Cheers,
Presto

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