Thanks for posting this here. I had completely forgotten about my posts and this thread.
For me personally it is interesting to see how my viewpoint has evolved over time as I have had more experiences in different rooms and with different systems. I would say I still agree with much that I posted earlier in this thread, but I have learned a lot over the last 5 plus years and not everything I believed then do I still have confidence in. (It would be interesting and probably cringe worthy to go back and read some of my posts from 20 years ago.)
Along those lines, in my initial post on this thread I elaborate on the electronics suggesting that they are potentially significant in the imaging of the system. My current understanding is that the electronics will have minimal if any effect. I should have spent more time discussing the room and layout.
Regarding Phil's comments on the imaging/soundstage of the 250Tis his description is more in line with how my Project Widgets portray music including Kind Of Blue. As a reminder:
https://www.audioheritage.org/vbulle...Project-Widget
These speakers create a deep and wide image/soundstage. The TAD TH4003 horns have controlled dispersion that is very tight vertically and fairly tight horizontally and below them there is a fairly flat profiled 10" driver covering most of the rest of the spectrum. These speakers place images across the space between the speakers and even beyond. (my current understanding is that this is a function of reflections from the side walls) The image is stable and layered, but it is also more diffuse when compared to the 1400 Arrays that had previously been set up in similar locations in the same room. The compact Meyer Sound "point source" speakers as deployed in my HT are a significant step further in this regard. In that system (room and speaker position within the room) certain recordings sound like a surround sound recording and a center panned source is completely detached from the left and right speakers. My DIY TADs have a more defined image than say my previous Everests did, but that could be the room as much as the speakers. As I have gained experience, I have learned more and more how important the room and placement within the room truly is. I had previously compared the same 1400 Arrays with the Everests in my old listening room and there too the 1400 Arrays had a more focused image than the Everests so there is a consistency there.
So then, how important is imaging? I enjoy the heck out of both of my systems... one super focused and one fairly diffuse. I have never heard a live performance that sounded anything like audiophile imaging, but it is fun. Then again, a well recorded live recording played back through the more diffuse TAD system sounds pretty darned close to a live experience.
Widget