2. amps-preamps
  3. 1374102634

Do I have a "balance" problem?

My system is in a dedicated room, 13 x 12.5 x 8.5, with one chair centered between the speakers. The speakers are several feet away from the front and side walls. I've treated the room, including absorption panels to deal with first reflections. Here's my issue: to get proper L/R imaging, I have to set the balance control in favor of the right channel somewhere between (depending on the recording) 1:00 and 2:30 on the dial. My system has always been this way and the issue is consistent with both LP and CD playback. I recently auditioned three line stages and each one required the balance control set to the right. By way of "troubleshooting," I've switched tubes, cleaned all contacts, and systematically switched L/R cables on each pair of interconnects one at a time. Nothing changes. There is no degradation of sound in the right channel (at least to my ears) and when the balance is set properly the music sounds great. But I just don't understand why the balance control needs to be set so far to the right. Does anyone else out there have a similar situation? Is there something "wrong" with my system? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
crazee01

Showing 1 response by frogman

frogman
7,494 posts
 
****construction variations within the walls of your room can lead to the
acoustic center of your room not lining up with the mathematical center of
the room (laterally)****

Ivan is correct. In my dedicated room, one speaker is placed along a very
thick, brick load-bearing wall; the other speaker is placed along an inside
non-load-bearing wall which (to make matters worse) has a built-in closet.
No amount of room treatment has corrected what is, basically, two different
sounding halfs of the room. The side with the built-in closet is much more
resonant than the other and tends to make center images "pull"
to that side.

Finessing speaker placement has helped a great deal. Placing your
speakers to be equidistant to your listening position may not be the best
approach. Try moving one slightly forward or backward relative to the other
(the speaker's dispersion characteristics will determine which), and play
with toe-in of one or both speakers. It may not be a perfect solution, but you
can certainly help the situation this way. I have even used tubes that I know
to have slightly reduced gain in one of my amps to compensate. I don't
have a balance control on my preamp. Good luck
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