I find that the tilt of a speaker has a significant impact on stage height. For instance, with my Maggie 20.1s, when I tilt them back stage lowers. Alternatively when forward, the stage rises.

I auditioned a pair of Quad ESL-2905. Putting aside all the stunning, incredible positives I heard, the soundstage was too low for me. I attributed that to the backward tilt. It was as if I was sitting in the cheap seats looking down at the performer.

Alternatively, the entire Focal Utopia line as well as the Wilson Maxx 3 and Alexandria 2 all support my opinion here. They all have drivers pointing down on the listener which to me, would produce a higher more realistic (front row - looking up) soundstage.

While I've heard rave reviews and opinions about the GM's that backward tilt concerns me. If the physical height of the drivers are below or equal to ear level and the speaker is tilted back, I see no way that the stage can be at what I'd consider a natural height (too low) for me.

My Maggies project a stage right at ear level or perhaps a shade higher. If I tilt them forward just a bit, the stage rises as if I'm sitting in a front row looking up at the performers.

My finger points to about the 6 foot mark on the back wall when I point to the vocals of a performer when listening to the Maggies.

Curious as to where your finger points when you point it at the vocals of a performer while listening to the GM's?

Most Wilson speakiers including my Sasha are adjustable. Wilson calls it aspherical propogation delay. The Alexandria 2 and Maxx 3 are pretty tall speakres so they really need it. But much has to do with the dispersion characteristics of the drivers of different speakers, the height of the speaker, your sitting position.

With the GMs and my approx. 40" listening height measured to the ear off the floor (sitting on the couch) the soundstage and center image appeared at about the height of the speaker and sometimes a bit above, depending on the recording, so a slightly "up" angle from the listening position. Nothing to worry about with the tilt.

You are right though, the Quads and some other speakers present an unusually low center image like you are sitting on a balcony in a theater.

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System 7.1:
Wilson Sasha/Mezzo/Watch surrounds
D'Agostino Momentum x3 amps
Bryston 4B SST2 x2 amps
Krell S1200U pre/pro
Oppo Blu
Sony Blu changer
McIntosh MS300 music server
EAR/Yoshino Acute III tubed CDP
Transparent Ultra cabling
JL Audio F212 Sub
Lumagen video processor
JVC RS-35U projector
Stewart Screen

The GM has shallow crossover slopes(1st order), which necessitates the need for the driver's acoustic centers to be aligned for proper driver/phase integration.

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when I tilt them BACK stage lowers. Alternatively when FORWARD, the stage rises

Interesting. For some reason this seems backward but there must be a good reason for it.

Rake is a relationship dependent variable. The driver/crossover alignment, ceiling height, distance from the floor, distance from the listening area and to a lesser degree distance to the back wall all come into play in varying amounts.What works in one system/room may or may not work in another.

Just curious - how far are you from the speaks and how far apart are they? How high is your listening chair?