What is Imaging?

Something similar to imaging is the presence. The presence is more to realism and musical. Imaging is more artificial and analytical. Imaging is from everything the sound wave touches like speaker cabinet, walls and ceiling. Imaging is the art of using room and speaker cabinets. When the sound is reflected from walls and ceiling of listening room, the imaging is like the room. The sound wave reflected from the stucco wall, the sound will be dry and dusty like stucco. If the listening room is like a concert hall with expensive woods, the imaging is like the good concert hall. Unfortunately, Almost rooms are not like a concert hall. Imaging offers very little musical satisfaction. That’s why women don’t care for imaging. Imaging is valued only for the individual who pursues imaging in their room only. Or people who train to hear it. The brain has to process added information from walls and home furniture, and the listener get easily tired. Women hates it!

The presence is formed only by sound from speakers. If a recording has concert hall information, good speakers show strong presences of the concert hall. If the sound reflects to a wall, the presence of the concert hall will be lower because of the sound of room. The presence is musical because it is what is in the recording. Women love the sound with the presence. Even the bad recording is fun to listen.

In many years of my audio journey, I have heard only one speaker with true presence.

Something audiophiles go crazy over and music lovers don't notice as much.
Something that has caused folks to buy speakers and then get absolutely sick of their distortion and other problems.

Upgrading gears and find new sounds are fun! Problem is the return on investment of time, effort, and money is very small or disappointments! Worst thing is the investment doesn’t give back any feedback. Many audiophiles don’t know what to do next! Another gambling purchase is inevitable, or all previous are investments could be wasted. So, audiophiles must gamble with more investments.

If audiophiles know the weakest link in the chain, there will be no upgrade bugs. Compromise in sound is OK as long as the problem is identified. When the time and the price are right, the problem will be corrected. You are in control! Like stock market, the future is clear whether up or down, everyone is in control. If we don’t know what the problem is, we keep thinking about it. That bugs us. Audiophiles (men) don’t take that easy because of self-esteem, reputation, and previous investments. Man has to finish what he started. We love to get into something more serious. Take it like a man! It’s sad that almost everyone has gone without finding the musical nirvana. Life is short! There is no time for experiments!

You need a sound system that gives you clear feedback. The feedback comes from good speakers which is the end of chain and a vital piece in a sound system. If you have upgrade itches constantly, you need a good speaker.

Back to OP, imaging is an easy part to identify in a hi-end sound system. Imaging must be combined with musicality. If you are not sure, ask your wife if she likes the music from your sound system. She is correct.