Position of speaker cables and irregular behavior


 I move my speakers around a lot, experiment with placement, also move a few different sets in/out of rotation.  Reason:  I have a persistent problem in that my left speaker is dominant. Playing in mono the image is centered about 2 feet left of center. In stereo, not only are vocals shifted left, the right side just doesn’t carry the same level of volume , soundstage and depth. 

Equipment: Bryston 7b monoblocks, Bryston pre, Opp BDP105, Grover Huffman Empress speaker cables, Siltech xlr interconnects.

I have swapped/reversed every single component to try isolating a culprit. No luck.

Although there are differences in left/right side walls in the room, the parts that matter ( reflection points ) are basically the same.

my speaker cables are 8ft so I have about 3-4 ft of excess. When I move the cables around it affects the dominance to either lessen or exaggerate to the left.  Sometimes I get close to almost centering the image , when that happens the right side blooms open. But it lasts a few hours or days and then I’m back to playing with speaker and cable placement.  I’ve suspended the cables off the floor , sometimes helps temporarily. 

I have tried adjusting the balance on the preamp . that makes the volume equal but not the brilliance of music which remains duller on the right.

There are even times when I’m listening to a song and as I’m listening the image shifts either more to left or more to center.  I thought it might be a sound pressure issue in my room, then I move the speaker cables and it gets better....for a while.

its not my hearing, when I attend audio exhibitions or meets the sound is equal.

I have moved my speaker cables so many times, like bending a wire hanger back and forth, they eventually broke. Grover huffman was kind enough to repair my speaker cables...twice.. Have some bending going on to fasten on binding posts. 

I sprayed Deoxit on all connections, that didn’t make a difference.

i routed all power cords neatly and away from speaker cables.

I’m thinking of getting 4ft speaker cables so that I have a straight run. Otherwise I’m out of ideas.

any help?

 

 

jacksky

Agree with preceding. Swap with other cables. SPL tests each time.

I'd want to know how  acoustically symmetrical your room was, overall. You could play some white noise on and walk around the room with your spl meter/phone on and just see what happens. Things bunch up in weird ways that our eyes don't always predict.

@oldhvymec

as I remember the expression pop(p)ed has an entirely salacious meaning you surely didn’t intend?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No idea what you mean, ok then, slapped him up side the head, hows that? :-)

Deformed his ear, POPPED his ear drum.. You know the three stooges stuff.

I had to look up what salacious ment.. Mechanics and salacious don’t normally wind up in the same sentance.. :-) Just sayin’

Regards

Ok, lots to do today:

clean cable terminations with Flitz

try an alternate set of cables

SPL test each speaker ( someone please recommend an ap I can load on my android Galaxy phone)

get my ears flushed and tested (Dec 3 so results will have to wait on that one)

Regarding room symmetry, 15x22. With speakers at front and sitting position at rear: front wall is solid bare Sheetrock. Right wall is solid with large centered window. Left wall first 4 ft is solid, then 7ft opening to adjacent room then solid to rear. Rear wall is almost completely open to adjacent room.  Floor is wood with large area rug.

i will do a walk around to measure differences.

Well have a good time OP, it's foggy here. It's a good day for something inside..

Time to feed the chickens..

Regards

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