Matched room curves do not guarantee matching direct sound for imaging

Evidence

It is interesting to contemplate the possibility that some listener dissatisfaction with stereo soundstage and imaging is the result of dissimilar left and right loudspeakers. Getting similar steady-state room curves is not the answer because sound localization (imaging) is determined by the direct sound, and room curves are dominated by reflected sounds. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 234

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s noise/silence work on how perceived sound differs from measured ambient levels - here, steady-state measurements hiding the perceptually dominant direct sound.