Imaging/sound stage question

MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum

Help Support MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

thepogue

Active member
Joined
Apr 27, 2005
Messages
40
Reaction score
2
Location
hayes va
II find that with my current room/set-up the "center" of my sound stage seems to move...what I mean is that with some LP's and CD's the center tends to be left...then the next LP it's dead on and on others it will be off to the right...I know that sounds very weird but I never had that happen (not at least to such a extent that it was a issue) using my "Box" type speakers...I normally just use my balance control to shift the sound stage to center as needed. Here's my thoughts and questions. Is the imaging so darned detailed on my Prodigy's that in my smallish room (12 x 13) that a "strength" has become a weakness in this room/set-up? OR after a couple of months, am I still not used to the way they present music. One more point I have a set-up disk and one test is that it allows you to pin-point the center by using a test tone that shifts for left, left center, center, right center and then right. (and back and forth quite a few times) when using this, my balance control needs to be in the 1 to 1:30 position to have center dead-on. Even when set, some LP/CD's tend to be off (some left and some right of center). Because of this I think it's a combination of me not being used to such accuracy and my room being overloaded and just doing wacky thangs... I also checked the amps and wires but because the overall volume seems to be the same (L/R) and it's more the imaging shifting I think that it's not a hardware issue (in that vain). Any thoughts? Just for the record, by this winter I'll have a 12 x 22 area which should do much better. Thanks, Pogue
 
Last edited:
I've had the same experience. I believe the problem (if there is one) is in the way the recording is made. Sometimes a soloist is placed off-center intentionally. Other times, there may have been a production slip-up. I do not think it is your equipment.
 
thepogue said:
One more point I have a set-up disk and one test is that it allows you to pin-point the center by using a test tone that shifts for left, left center, center, right center and then right. (and back and forth quite a few times) when using this, my balance control needs to be in the 1 to 1:30 position to have center dead-on.

My older pre-amp was like this. I had to have one side set higher than the other. If your test disk has the center imaging set right, then like others have said, it is the recording.

I too have heard this on some recordings and I just take it as the way it was mixed and/or recorded. It is easy to get annoyed or fixated on getting things just right with out setups (I tend to get this way at times)....try to sit back and enjoy the music.

Dan
 
I read an article once that said each and every recording should be tweeked with for balance control because each recording is different.

I've noticed a balance shift between LP and CD, sometimes between different LP's. CD's seem to be set the same for the most part.
 
I've noticed the same thing too but my pre-amp does not have a balance control so I'm out of luck....
 
I have had a similar problem.

Sometimes my right SL-3 LED does not come on. This is accompanied by a slight shift in balance to the left. Even though they seem to be playing at the same level I am sure that the right ML is just running on the residual current stored in its transformer/crossover. Re-seating the power cable causes the LED to come on and the balance to snap into place.

I am not sure if that is your problem at all but you never know where an answer may come from.
 
The wanderer

This does sound like a panel problem, but before assuming that it is:

Do all of the the necessary L/R cable switching between the CD, pre and amp to ascertain that the problem is not there.

You might also check on the tightness of the RCA connectors on the inputs and outputs of all the equipment. I have noticed that some loosen a bit and this can account for differences between channels. Clean the male end of the RCA plugs. Make sure that anything you use to clean them is completely removed before reinserting.

On the speakers:
Switch speaker cables between speakers. If it’s still on the same channel, it’s a speaker problem.
Diagnosing the speaker problem:
1. Stand to the side of the “normal” speaker, and make a bowing motion, allowing your ear to run the length of the panel, more or less along the vertical center axis. There should be little variation in the SPL over the length of the panel. You will hear little significant SPL variation over the length of the panel. If there is SPL variation on the other speaker, there is a panel problem that may be rectified with the unplug, vacuum, and shower drill.
2. Check the integrity of the connection between the panel and the internal circuitry of the speaker.
2. Make sure to check the integrity of the plugs into the speaker and into the wall.
3. Check the wall plug serving the speaker. Consider replacing it with a hospital grade plug. Remember to turn off the circuit breaker serving this plug. A lamp plugged into this will allow you to know if the circuit breaker is definitely off.
 
I have had the same probelm, with box speakers and my ES Panels, but only in my current room, which leads me to believe it is a room issue. I have noticed the probelm appears to shift the centre image depending on frequency. ie. On the same track, same recording, lower frequencies seem to be centered differently to higher frequencies, eg. singer hits a low note then the next high note seems to come from a different location. I have managed to alleviate a great extent of these problems by playing around with positioning.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top