Excellent responses in this short thread.

I would simply add that its worth reflecting that the level of engineering and production experience of those involved in a recording, the equipment and methodology along with the production values in any given recording one listens to, can create huge differentials in quality and listening experience.

The microphone choice and placement, whether spot mics are used or not, all these affect the quality and depth of the sound stage as do floor standing mic booms or a suspended mic array. Naturally, the budget available to the producers these days also has a drastic impact on every aspect of production.

Decca Trees, Jecklin Discs (baffle between mics) A B Stereo Pair, X Y Stereo Pair, O R T F Stereo, Blumlein set up, whether additional spots are used or not. On one of my recordings, a binaural dummy head microphone was placed at the rear of the Concert Hall, to capture the audiences listening perspective.

Here’s the point, because production values can vary so much, rather than adjusting width for each and every recording; perhaps if everything was left at its default, one could appreciate the quality or lack of quality of any production more fully. In this way, know whose productions to purchase and who’s not to.

Hence, by not adjusting anything, I would probably learn and understand more and appreciate more about the reality of the recordings, than if I constantly tried to second guess the producers, and change their recordings to better accord with values I held in my mind about how everything should ideally sound.

Certain instruments live at the sides of an Orchestra. Changing width may well augment particular instruments but may well mask other instruments.

I’m not suggesting it’s wrong to do that listening for your pleasure, just that ultimately, it may prove to be a zero sum game.