Soundstage and voices lean to the left side????


Is this just a common occurence on recordings that one channel is stronger on LPs?? I have checked azimuth with a meter and it is spot on! I am getting equal output levels from both right and left channels on test tones.

Rather than the singer being dead center, they seem to be left center. My speakers are spaced equally from rear and side walls, etc.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

R.
red2

Showing 1 response by rnm4

It can happen that orchestral classical music seems to come from left channel, because the violin sections, which often carry the melody, are positioned left, and are relatively higher pitched, hence more directional. The effect is exagerated in recordings because stereo effect itself is exagerated realtive to the concert hall, when sound mixes before reaching your ears -- one reason "soundstage" is largely an "audiophile" rather than a "musical" parameter, nice though it is.

So if you are listening to lots of orchestral music, this might be part of it. I sometimes get the same effect, and then put on some blues, chamber, rock, piano, or jazz, and am reassured there's nothing wrong with my setup.