Not quite center

[admin_exported]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for a bit of advice or reassurance. I've noticed that the stereo imaging for vocals was a bit more defined on the right channel than the left, some tracks it's more central, but mostly it's slightly to the right. I mean slight here, as in a fraction towards the right. Overall the sound sounds like a real soundstage with instruments in their credible places. The music seems alive and not coming from speakers, but from a stage. Also you probably wouldn't even notice this, but I'm paranoid about it now and it's bugging me.

Actually, I tweaked the anitskating (which was set too high) which seemed to tighten up the sound a lot, then the speakers were tweaked which helped again. But it's impossible to get vocals dead in the centre, they are always ever so slightly to the right. I assume this is the mix, and not my setup. It seems the same with CDs as well as records (and with headphones). Totally bizarre.

Does this make any sense at all?

 

[Al ears]

It sounds like it is just the mix itself. Vocals do not necessarily have to be centred. You could try swapping the speaker cables over at back of amp and then see if they come from the left speaker predominantly.

 

[david230]

I found this aswell and ended up setting the balance one notch to the left to get a more solid soundstage. I dont have an ideal listening enviroment with one of my speakers near a side wall.

 

[Anonymous]

Do you think it is just down to speaker position? The left is nearer a door - and also there's a wooden coffee table in between me and the left speaker, and not the right. Will try swapping the wires tonight and see what happens.

 

[Anonymous]

I changed the wires but I'm not if it made a difference, if anything the sound was more balanced. Anyway, I've found if I change my listening position a bit the sound is much better (sitting slightly towards the weaker side). Perhaps it's just room size/layout/speaker positions.

Thanks!

 

[floyd droid]

Perhaps it's just room size/layout/speaker positions.

Or your lugholes. When did you last (if ever) have your hearing checked out ?. I am not taking the P here byraway.

 

[Anonymous]

Ha! No offence taken!

Last had them syringed about 3 years ago, perhaps I should get them checked out again for sure.

One thing I've just done is swapped the phono connectors around on the back of the amp. Now the sound is almost perfectly balanced. Very strange. Perhaps I'm losing it!

 

[Anonymous]

I have also come across the off-centre soundstage with various different sources in the past and always thought it was just my imagination, I remember back in the days of cassette decks, the peak level lights were always favouring the right channel more than the left.

I've just looked at the meter lights on pure music on my mac and they are also favouring the right channel more than the left, its only slight but there always seems to be more mixed into the right channel more than the left?

 

[Anonymous]

I tweaked the speakers and the anitskating (was set abit low). I can't notice it at all now. Perhaps I was just going insane. :rockout:

 

[Al ears]

I tweaked the speakers and the anitskating (was set abit low). I can't notice it at all now. Perhaps I was just going insane. :rockout:

I believe every man, or woman, has a right to have a 'funny five minutes,!

 

[Anonymous]

Make sure that your phono plugs are cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and the sockets as well, using pipe cleaners. It is often overlooked that the very small signal from the cartridge ( a few millionths or thousanths of a volt ) can be compromised by contact resistance. This can produce the results you experienced - off to one side, etc. You can also buy Kontak Fluid designed specifically for this problem it makes a massive improvement.