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plauged by off center image, am I insane?

It distracts me to no end when the image is off center. I'm not talking about early stereo recordings where spacing was spread out unnaturally, but when there is a fairly simple arrangement with vocal that you expect to be dead center in front of you. Some recordings are dead center, and then some are a just a little bit off center. Almost always to the right.

I also notice that whenever there is a featured soloist, if they aren’t centered they are displaced to the right.

I attribute this to the recording, not my system since some are dead center and some are not. I was wondering if I am the only one who has experienced this. I am pretty sure my speakers are set up properly and I’m not partially deaf in one ear.

Do you think it is me, or my system, or the recordings? Maybe the guy who mixed the recording was careless or has a hearing problem.
herman

Showing 2 responses by herman

herman OP
2,216 posts
 
I ran a test CD and it is centered. It doesn't bother me on instrumental music. Like I said, what bugs me is a fairly simple arrangement with vocal that you expect to be dead center in front of you and the vocal is slightly off center.

Good point about turning off the lights. That works but I can't darken my room during the day. I may notice it more than some because I have a small window centered on the wall behind my system that gives a visual reference for the center.

I just got an old Scott integarted with a balance control that takes care of it. A slight tweak on the control and I'm locked in.
herman OP
2,216 posts
 
El, I don't think you can compare a system with a center channel to those without. I think it would be almost impossible not to get a stable center image with a center speaker. I have no problem with how you achieved the result, but I can't afford a third speaker and a third channel of amplification of the quality I have so that isn't an option for me. I would rather go to elaborate lengths like maniacal HiFi to optimize what I have.
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