Thinking about a new sound System

[sqcomp]

There are several characteristics that explain the idea of overall sound quality as it relates to car audio:

Staging, imaging, ambiance, definition, and clarity are a few important ones. You can also think of timbre and tonal accuracy.

Imaging includes individual and specific locations for instrunments in the recording, they should be well defined and easily locatable. When you kick in rear fill speakers you move the stereo signal BACK, when it should be in front of you. Think of when you go to a live performance. Are you hearing the performers like you're on the stage? No. The soundstage is a plane in front of you. Ideally the soundstage should project the audio image that it is on your dash out on your hood, horizontally beyond both of the a-pillars.

...something to add to that spades? Or am I wrong about imaging?

[Alien Mantis]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

Imaging includes individual and specific locations for instrunments in the recording, they should be well defined and easily locatable. When you kick in rear fill speakers you move the stereo signal BACK, when it should be in front of you. Think of when you go to a live performance. Are you hearing the performers like you're on the stage? No. The soundstage is a plane in front of you. Ideally the soundstage should project the audio image that it is on your dash out on your hood, horizontally beyond both of the a-pillars.

EXACTLY.

I think you did a good job explaining "imaging".

People load speakers in the rear just to make the overall sound louder.
Although, if you can angle things correctly in the rear, you can get a surround effect and still have good imaging.
( You gotta balance the levels correctly when you do this. )
You don't want the rears overpowering the fronts.

I was never a fan of speakers in the rear deck.
It's just a bad location.