I've read all the reviews on the Stellias. There were reviews that said the Stellia's soundstage was not as big. You have a valid question. They are closed back headphones. A soundstage on an open back headphone will be bigger. So you might want to consider the Focal Utopia - an open back that you might find for around 4 grand. Stellias are 3 grand. The absence of a bigger soundstage is never in my mind with these. A live Jazz recording sounds like I'm in the front row instead of balcony. It sounds like I'm with the musicians which is where I used to be! (now I make money in a job that gives little time for much else) I believe Soundstage is also an effect and a "buzz word" that headphone reviewers will talk about to describe the character or signature sound. You can get a bigger soundstage on a Gamming headset for 100.00. Yes everything has a signature sound that is unique. But good headphones are NOT all about character in what they can do. You can get Character from a DAC or Amp or even a Spatial audio effect from an apple phone. Stellias are twice the price of Sennheiser 800s. What you get is detail. I hear sounds at 11:00 in my left ear and a tympany at 6:00 in my left ear, same time as a tiny bell in my right ear at 3:00. And if it's recorded to sound distant, it sounds distant! Reproduction that is second to almost nothing. Equivalent to possibly a10 grand+ pair of speakers in my opinion, regarding the uncompromised detail you get. But with speakers you need high end equipment. With these headphones, you really don't! It doesn't hurt, but you really don't. Have you ever wondered what music would sound like when no detail was missing? (I always think I do with every piece of equipment and speaker I bought, only to learn that it just gets better). Perhaps you prefer quality over bass booming wide sound stage gimmicks, then get Stellia. Highs, mids, even subwoofer lows are freaking amazing. Blade Runner sound track from Vangelis or Hans Zimmer's 2049 you know the boom's in the Theme Song or "Sea Wall" on 2049! the sub bass is perfect. Okay so I'm not levitating off the couch like I am with my SVS PB300's. But the sound itself on the bottom end is OMG! The resonating piano in "Joi" The hammer tone separates from the piano note and goes from 11:55 and 12:05 left and right ear positions then seems to drop down to 9:00 and 3:00 while the piano note swirls around left and right and every note changes and goes up and down with the note played. And at the same time you can hear the vocal background change then clarinet and strings then the Cello plays and turns into a synth. Ok getting carried away. There are no limits to what you will hear and how you can enjoy what you like. I have open back Audeze LCD-X which are close to the value of Sennheiser 800s. But I almost never use them. They are horrible when compared to the Stellias. If you got the money for Stellias, or can go somewhere to test them. You will find you have achieved a goal in your life of obtaining the best and clearest sound that only a very lucky very small number of people in the world will ever get to do. And I do it all day long, until I get a chance to listen to my speaker system. I got my Stellias before Gene got his. Wish I could win the lottery so I could live in a dream house like him though.
