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Stereo image abnormalities

HowardMil said:
8 feet apart and toed in 22 degrees. I sit 11 feet from speakers baffles.
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Have you heard of the magic triangle? Your seating should match the speaker separation, in this case you should be sitting 8 feet from both left and right speaker. If you have to sit at 11 feet, separate the speakers 11 feet apart. This is a must for imaging and sound stage and should be the main priority in setting up a system.

The next thing I would do is move all your room treatment out of it and bring in things you are going to have in there to make it a comfortable living space. In other words, I don't think your card board boxes are going to be your tables. Get some throw rugs on the floor, plants (Dry or Live), wall hangings and decor. Room treatment is not just industrial acoustic panels thrown all over the place.


IMG_3209.jpg

Once your actually moved into this space and corrected the flooring and seating then we can see if acoustic panels help judiciously placed. What I see in your photo makes my ears hurt and looks like your putting the cart before the horse.
 
Smart Ass;
I like your ideas. I will be moving boxes behind me out of the room. The “Golden Triangle “ is not Gospel..
Robert Harley suggests sitting A great feet further back than the speakers are apart- I agree!

A big question is what if anything, to cover my right side window? ( behind first reflection absorption panel) Regular material shades, acoustical absorption shades, sound proof blinds, wooden blinds... etc??
 
musichal said:
First, I would check with headphones to ensure all your gear is working properly for the preamp Output. It probably is okay, but if you do note the same anomaly via headphones, then you need to look at preamp or source.

Second, temporarily swap L/R channels to see whether the fade changes to the other side. If it doesn't change, then it is likely the room, but...

Third, with L/R back to normal, physically swap the speakers, then listen again to see whether the problem changes. If it remains as before, it is almost certainly the room; if it changes sides, then you may have a speaker issue - several times I've rectified such things with a simple recap, though driver or other issues are possible.

Which brings you to where you are now, with room anomalies to address, but, hopefully you already checked the possibilities above.
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Hi Misical:
Checked all above - as you say- a room anomaly indeed.
However, yesterday angled speakers in about 1 inch each ( to the mm- exactly to be honest). The image was virtually ‘Perfect in center’ on pop vocal.
It’s classical soloists that slightly vary with frequency or program source. Piano soloists fingers dead center- then/ Inadvertently move slightly to left of center. It’s becoming FRIGHTENING——-every time I put on a classical piano concerto—- don’t know what to Expect!!!!!!!!!!
 
HowardMil said:
The “Golden Triangle “ is not Gospel..
Robert Harley suggests sitting A great feet further back than the speakers are apart- I agree!
Click to expand...

I disagree because it all centers off that spacing, anyway we see your room, the advice your getting from Robert Harley and GIK selling you acoustic panels. Good luck.
 
We build systems to match the room and that work within that space.

We don't build rooms to force the system to work within a space.

Some really over think this and what really is sound quality and enjoyment.

If I was thinking this hard every time I played a track and wasn't really "Listening" to the music, I'd push all my gear to the curb.
 
HowardMil said:
When you say PLYWOOD..... Is there something more like a panel of Wood framed SHEETROCK or GYPSUM BOSRD that can be bought? ( I hate DIY projects but maybe it’d only alternative??
https://www.hunker.com/13403201/how-to-build-a-freestanding-drywall-room-divider
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How about a piece if sheet rock with a bit of reinforcement screwed to the back, a few 2x4's. And a real good read is 'Get Better Sound' by Jim Smith. Remember this is suppose to be fun so enjoy the ride. Especially at our age.
 
HowardMil said:
Smart Ass;
I like your ideas. I will be moving boxes behind me out of the room. The “Golden Triangle “ is not Gospel..
Robert Harley suggests sitting A great feet further back than the speakers are apart- I agree!

A big question is what if anything, to cover my right side window? ( behind first reflection absorption panel) Regular material shades, acoustical absorption shades, sound proof blinds, wooden blinds... etc??
Click to expand...

FWIW: IME the Golden Triangle often leads to the hole in the middle effect. I usually start with a speaker width of 70% of the listening distance..
 
Pianos are sometimes miked so that the the keyboard has width in the image...

Mono sources are good for evaluating balance issues - stereo sources can drive you crazy because you don't know what placement was actually intended. Not all soloists are supposed to be dead center, for example.
 
Back to the OP, is that a hollow core door in the back wall? The door way will change the “reflection”, for lack of a better term, and a hollow core door would have even more impact.

Not sure if any of what I offer as observations matter, but it’s an interesting subject, that I’ll leave to the “sound” guys....
 
Moderation Note:

One persistent threadcrapper has been banned from this thread, and his contributions, except for the single post that was on subject, have been completely stripped, by popular request.

Thread has been re-opened for business. Carry on...tread carefully though.

Rich P
 
I've had this issue before. A blanket won't solve your problem. I use a folding screen draped with thick, heavy, loosely woven fabric and curtains. I'm talking like 5 or 6 layers of terrycloth on both sides. It's also nice because I can move it and adjust it to get the level of absorbsion I need to get spot on imaging.

I also go along my long wall too. I've never set up a stereo in any room along it's short wall and gotten results nearly as good as along the long wall.
 
adnick said:
Back to the OP, is that a hollow core door in the back wall? The door way will change the “reflection”, for lack of a better term, and a hollow core door would have even more impact.

Not sure if any of what I offer as observations matter, but it’s an interesting subject, that I’ll leave to the “sound” guys....
Click to expand...

Closets do make a difference, I am glad you brought it up as I was going too. It took me a while to figure it out. Hollow type door even wider than the one pictured. The bass response near that closet is notably better although the other speaker not near the closet seems more dominant. I think this is because the extra bass output on the left Closer to the closet makes that speaker seem less bright and the other appears to be brighter. I just try to ignore it.

I still dont understand what you mean by shifts but maybe you just notice more after sitting for awhile.

Also some music is a tad more dominant either left or right so in this situation you notice that effect more. When I had a stereo reverse selector (which I miss) I used to use it for songs that were a little dominant left or right to better match my room acoustics. so im my current situation if a song seemed more dominant to the left one near the closet I would reverse it and see if it helped; alot of the time it did (when I had one)

when I am trying to figure stuff out somtimes I forget to do it in mono mode to take away any left right stereo dominance. Its a good way to test yes my equipment is fine, its just other stuff going on.
 
This may be off base, but a few months ago I had an issue with my left channel slightly weaker than the right. As an LP played, it got better. With the AK'ers help, and much testing, (looking at the turntable 1st), it ended up being the attenuators on the speaker being a little dirty. After massaging them, all is good. My guess is, as the record played, the vibrations made the attenuators make better contact, thus, better imaging. Not sure if your speakers have attenuator(s), but worth a look at.
 
mkane said:
How about a piece if sheet rock with a bit of reinforcement screwed to the back, a few 2x4's. And a real good read is 'Get Better Sound' by Jim Smith. Remember this is suppose to be fun so enjoy the ride. Especially at our age.
Click to expand...
I like that idea/— now I have to get off my ass and build it!
 
sqlsavior said:
Pianos are sometimes miked so that the the keyboard has width in the image...

Mono sources are good for evaluating balance issues - stereo sources can drive you crazy because you don't know what placement was actually intended. Not all soloists are supposed to be dead center, for example.
Click to expand...
This is an Excellent comment! Some Pianists or live recordings have the engineer spacing her hands and the PIANO across the mid- left- mid right... heard that today. Many times Her fingers were centered depending on the music and hand movements on the keyboard ( mitsuko Uchida) .
Stereo sources are ridiculously crazy at times. Today the Chesky test record was very good and perfectly placed..... then you go to a piece of recorded music and once in a while you find yourself moving your head/ slightly right or left to “center” things.
 
sqlsavior said:
Pianos are sometimes miked so that the the keyboard has width in the image...

Mono sources are good for evaluating balance issues - stereo sources can drive you crazy because you don't know what placement was actually intended. Not all soloists are supposed to be dead center, for example.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and I believe symphony orchestras usually put a piano on the left in front of the first violins.


HowardMil said:
This is an Excellent comment! Some Pianists or live recordings have the engineer spacing her hands and the PIANO across the mid- left- mid right... heard that today. Many times Her fingers were centered depending on the music and hand movements on the keyboard ( mitsuko Uchida) .
Stereo sources are ridiculously crazy at times. Today the Chesky test record was very good and perfectly placed..... then you go to a piece of recorded music and once in a while you find yourself moving your head/ slightly right or left to “center” things.
Click to expand...

I agree, you both make some valid points.


HowardMil said:
Hi Misical:
Checked all above - as you say- a room anomaly indeed.
However, yesterday angled speakers in about 1 inch each ( to the mm- exactly to be honest). The image was virtually ‘Perfect in center’ on pop vocal.
It’s classical soloists that slightly vary with frequency or program source. Piano soloists fingers dead center- then/ Inadvertently move slightly to left of center. It’s becoming FRIGHTENING——-every time I put on a classical piano concerto—- don’t know what to Expect!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...


Hi Howard.

I figured, but made the comment because it's so easy to overlook some issues, make quick checks that can be confusing, and begin working on the wrong thing. Of course, neither you nor I would ever proceed in such a haphazard way. Except that I have a couple times. :)

Good thread; I missed whatever drama may have been posted previously.​
 
ReactiveLoad said:
I've had this issue before. A blanket won't solve your problem. I use a folding screen draped with thick, heavy, loosely woven fabric and curtains. I'm talking like 5 or 6 layers of terrycloth on both sides. It's also nice because I can move it and adjust it to get the level of absorbsion I need to get spot on imaging.

I also go along my long wall too. I've never set up a stereo in any room along it's short wall and gotten results nearly as good as along the long wall.
Click to expand...
This COULD WORK;;;;!!!!!

https://www.vocalboothtogo.com/prod...ets-sound-absorption-panels-producers-choice/

OR- you said it! A folding or ONE (Partition ) covered with ( hanging) the above link^
 
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