Voices Slightly Off Center, Going Insane!

[gatorjon]

Hello Everyone,
I've been the proud owner of some Electromotions for about a month now. After they were broken in I did the entire setup procedure in ML's youtube video. After I was done the voices in music were coming slightly left-of-center. I have tried changes in toe-in, moving the speakers in from the walls, then out from the walls, then one more than the other, spacing them farther apart, closer together, and uneven distances. Lastly, and I probably should have done this first, I switched the speakers to make sure it wasn't a problem with one or the other. Needless to say, there was no change, the overall sound changed, but the voices still came left-of-center. I feel like I somehow missed the sweet spot and just messed everything up with so many changes.

Here's what i want to ask from you guys: Ignore everything I tried. Tell me what the order of adjustments you would make to bring the voices back to center. I will try as recommended.

 

[slowGEEZR]

First thing to try is to swap your speaker leads, to determine if the amplifier isn't sending an unbalanced signal. Second, are you trying different recordings? I've noticed that some recordings are not centered.

 

[zaphod]

if your preamp, or perhaps a source, has a MONO setting, then use that to see if a mono signal sits left of center. what you want to do is work back from your speakers to the source.

switch speakers (done)
switch speaker leads
switch inputs to amp
switch inputs to preamp from source
shutdown equipment before making any changes and then power back up to test

change only one thing at a time. do not undo a change when you move to the next step. change only one thing at a time.

shutdown equipment before making any changes and then power back up to test

at some point you're going to have the sound move from left of center to right of center you know have isolated the problem source.

if you get all the way to the end, and no change you have two remaining possibilities - your ears or your room.

the ears might be an easy first test before switching about anything. get a sound level meter and a recording that is the same tone and level alternating from one channel to the other. the sound meter should NOT measure the same for both channels. if it does, then .it might be your ears.

 

[MPS]

It might be issue with room acoustic. Something behind the speakers or listener or different materials in first reflection points (left/right)?

 

[Bernard]

I notice that occasionally too, and use the balance control. A slight turn and the problem is resolved.

 

[amey01]

Second, are you trying different recordings? I've noticed that some recordings are not centered.

+1 for the second suggestion. Many recordings aren't centered. Try a few. You might find that just as many have the sound favoured to the right.

 

[jmschnur]

The stereophile test cd 3 has a series of stereo
Mid, treble, bands that let you easily check this out.


J

 

[amey01]

The stereophile test cd 3 has a series of stereo
Mid, treble, bands that let you easily check this out.


J

Yep. And very easy to make your own using Audacity too.

 

[gatorjon]

Thanks for the help guys. I have tried many different recordings, switched the leads, and most of your other suggestions and I am happy to say the problem is fixed. Unfortunately, it was not from any of your posts. I ran into an unplanned TV purchase yesterday, a 60" plasma at Costco for $470. Anyways, I got it home and placed it on the table between the speakers. Before I even hooked it up I sat down to get some work done and put on a record. Well, I laughed my ass off when Tom Waits gravely voice was coming from directly in front of me. Every track I tried since was the same. I don't know enough about acoustics to say why but somehow the TV fixed everything.

 

[JonFo]

Glad to hear it got fixed, and it absolutely is due to room acoustics.

Here's the thing: electrostats are dipoles and radiate an equal amount of energy to the *rear*, so where that energy goes and how it bounces off walls and other objects in the room is absolutely critical to how good (or bad) a soundstage you get.

In your case, it looks like reflections off the wall behind the speakers is asymetrical, and by blocking a good bit of the reflections between the speakers with the TV, it improved the image balance.

For an even better result, put broad-band absorption on the wall immediately behind the speaker. I recommend Realtraps Mini traps HF.

Also, if your speaker positioning relative to the left and right side walls is asymmetrical, that is, one of the walls is either missing or much further away to one speaker than the other, placing a MiniTrap on the wall that is closest to the speaker will help balance the L/R imaging.