Stereo Imaging pulling to one side? Help! (1 Viewer)

TylerCrawford · Oct 24, 2003

Hey there guys, I'm new here so bear with me!
I have a set of Paradigm Monitor 3's for my stereo setup. I'm using a Sony STRDE 545 for an amp. I enjoy the sound quality of this setup for stereo music but I'm having a problem with the imaging. Everything seems to pull slighly to the left, like vocals that should be centered are pulled a bit to the left. It's really annoying. I've made sure that they are equally toed in and equal from each other and the wall.
I think the problem might be that there is a wall on the outside of the left speaker but the right speaker has open space. There is a TV in between them. Any ideas on what I can do?

John Garcia · Oct 24, 2003

I think you answered your own question. The lack of a side wall on one side is almost guaranteed to be your problem. Calibration (SPL meter and test tones) will likely help, and I bet you will find that you have to tweak the one without a side wall up a bit to compensate, but you will probably still get a little of a "pull" to the other side from reflections.

Mark Hedges · Oct 24, 2003

I have a similar problem. I have a wall next to my left speaker with my right speaker more or less in the open. I find that vocals pull to the right unless I set the balance to +1.5 dB left. The funny thing is when I calibrate with Avia my SPL meter always indicates I should have my balance +1.5 dB to the right. I have tried this setting but it totally destroys all imaging, so I just go with what sounds best to me.

Mark

Tab Nichols · Oct 24, 2003

Is it possible to but up some sound absorbtion on the wall beside the speaker? That might help tame the reflections, and bring the image back in to where it should be.

Scott Oliver · Oct 24, 2003

Is the TV perfectly centered between them?

Yeah the uneven walls will hinder things and throw the image off, but even worse is a huge pane of glass between them. TV's kill imaging, soundstaging, layering, depth, and all those other audiophile related terms.

One of the biggest improvements I have ever made to my costly system was to sell my 36" TV that sat between my speakers.

Nick L · Oct 24, 2003

Make sure your speakers are out at least 3 inches from the front of the tv. If they are flush with the tv, it will throw the imaging off.

Nick

ChrisWiggles · Oct 24, 2003

It's the side wall, not the TV.

John Garcia · Oct 24, 2003

The TV doesn't help. I have always kept the front baffle of my L&R mains about 1 foot in front of my TV. Left to right imaging is probably not the TV.

Luis S · Oct 24, 2003

Clean your ears.

Seriously, I had the exact same problem in my set up. While some tweaking did even things out a bit,it wasnt till I went to the doctors to get my ears flushed out that I was able to properly balance my setup. Of course you may not have the same problem with earwax I do( My ears make way too much,particularly my right ear...) but its an idea.

Oh and definately move the speakers forward a bit as suggested. BIG difference when you do that...

Later,
Luis S

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