Is the huge room filling "bloom" that some gear creates the same as "height"? I've gotten this huge "bloom effect" with an amp, 2 power cords, and two different sets of tubes in my pre-amp. But I don't like this-- un-natural to me-- effect, and always go back to the more conventional strong centered stereo image with good width and depth, but a pretty constant height. I gather that some audiophiles actually seek the huge diffuse bloomy character? Just an observation and thought. Cheers. Craig
Soudstage Height?
The other night I experimented by using my Jolida 502B integrated as a preamp running through my well renowned solid state power amp. Things sounded okay but the biggest surprise was the amazing drop in the height of the soundstage. I went from tilting my head ever so slightly back to envision Diana Krall doing "Garden in the Rain" with the JoLida doing everything, to seeing her shrink to the height of my Kestrels via transistors.The depth seemed about same though. Can somebody explain to me what gives a soundstage height?