One channel *slightly* louder than the other?

[AJXD]

As some of you know, I've been working on that 1030 for my little lady for Christmas. Well today I was working on another friend's turntable... and I noticed the right channel was softer than the left. So I put on some new RCA cables on the turntable and tried again. Still softer.

So I hooked up my turntable... still softer. Switched speakers. Still softer. Switched records. Still softer.

Here's what it boils down to... with the Balance set equally, its very hard to notice... if testing all the way right, then all the way left (in stereo) its very noticable. If testing all the way right, then all the way left (in mono) its slightly noticable.

What should I do to fix this issue?

 

[kcollins4]

My SX-1250 started doing the same thing. Turned out to be dirty phono select buttons, both of 'em.

 

[AJXD]

Dirty phono select buttons? Explain more... and how you fixed please.

 

[kcollins4]

On my receiver, there are two buttons, phono 1, and phono 2. Your unit might have a selector switch. I opened up the unit and cleaned the push buttons with deoxit. Both channels now even in volume, using either input. When the problem started, I thought it was a problem with my turntable. Recently horsed around with another TT, and realized it was dirty switches in the receiver. I had cleaned the switches in this receiver a year ago, but probably "missed" the TT switches, or didn't get them clean enough. Dirty controls can cause all kinds of symptoms.

 

[AJXD]

Thanks for the tip... I'll have to try cleaning the selector switch and see if that helps.

Any other suggestions anyone?

 

[rulerboyz]

Basically what he said. Until you've cleaned all potentially dirty pots and push button switches that play a role in the audio path, you will not know if this could be the issue or not. Cleaning is always the easiest place to start.

The more I play around with vintage gear that has been allowed to sit for many years and accumulate dust, the more I am noticing that almost all of them have at least a slight "dirt" issue that's causing an audible problem.

 

[Danger Boy]

my Pioneer PL-530 is the same way.. a friend on the Polk Audio forum said that the needle needs to be calibrated..

Here is what he wrote:

you need to check the azimuth. Tools needed: a mirror and a magnifying glass, as well as the ability to either turn the headshell from side to side or adjust the cartridge in the headshell.

1. place the mirror on the rubber mat.

2. gently place the stylus on the mirror.

3. with the magnifying glass, look at the stylus (head on) and its reflection. It should be exactly (or close as possible) to perpendicular to the mirror. The reflection of the stylus and the stylus itself should be in and exact straight line.

4. if in fact it is not, then loosen the headshell and rotate it until you get that straight line of the stylus & reflection.

he also sent this link http://www.audiophilia.com/features/cartridge_setup.htm

 

[Lefty]

Cleaning controls and pots (balance and volume) is the normal recommendation of problems like this.

If the volume is unequal for all source channels, then a specific procedure for troubleshooting this kind of problem, if one has the proper testing setup, is to inject a sine wave tone using a 'Y' cable into both the L & R aux inputs, but keeping the unit in stereo mode, and then using a good DVM or scope measure the signal level stage by stage to see if they are of equal amplitude and if not where they differ. Problem could be the gain of a specific stage, pot that has poor tracking properties, or of course dirty switch contacts.

Lefty