Ummmmm , we are all on an audio hi fi forum. There’s no saving any cool factor now. Nerds. The lot of us. It doesn’t matter though because,....... when your speakers start to image and disappear into the ether there’s nothing better.
The late Siegfrid Linkwitz said it best and actives do the best job with rendering the illusion he describes:
"The magic occurs when the loudspeakers seemingly disappear from the sound scene, to the point where one is inclined to ask: what are these two contraptions in front of me doing? All that is perceived is a phantom scene. A scene, which is not hard bounded by loudspeakers, softly windowed and extends behind and above the speakers. While there is a sweet spot, namely the apex of an equilateral triangle, the scene does not collapse into the nearest speaker upon moving to one side, but stays between the speakers with a perspective similar to what one would hear at a concert sitting to the side.
The magic is difficult to describe in pictures or words but is recognized within 30 seconds when heard. It usually elicits a big smile or even laughter from the listener. Naive listeners, audiophiles and professionals alike recognize the naturalness of presentation. On many recordings it is 3D in front of the listener and resembles a concert experience. When watching movies on a screen between the speakers, on-screen dialogue and sounds are clearly separated from those off-screen. Center and side speakers are not missed as the two speakers alone render a smooth continuum."
