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Speaker Placement Issue/Thoughts

I'm not sure if it's my hearing, my rooms (I've had the stereo in three different ones over the past few years), or a recording bias, but I consistently hear my image being biased slightly left of center.

I've had to resort to balance controls to fix this issue, but have also tried various speaker placement solutions (Thiel 1.6s and now 2.4s). When thinking about how to address the problem, I regularly get stuck in what feels like a logical paradox.

So, to shift the center image to the right, I can alternatively convince myself either that I should A) make the right speaker louder by moving it closer to me, or B) move the right speaker further away to shift the actual center of stereo speakers. Unfortunately every time I try to test this, so much ends up changing (the damn spikes are so hard to deal with) that I never figure out which is the appropriate solution.

Maybe I just need to pay a professional to come in and place everything for me...
128x128cal3713
cal3713's avatar
cal3713 OP
388 posts
 
Well, last night I used a small rope to match the distance from my listening position to both speakers (inside and outside corners). Unfortunately it didn't correct the need for a 4db shift. I'm starting to blame the fireplace that's in the front left corner. I think it might be amplifying the sound from the left speaker, making that side louder, and muddying up the Thiels' imaging.
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect
2,013 posts
 
Just to reiterate...a majority of this is recording based...the Thiels are simply passing the information...
jetson
128 posts
 
I'm wondering about two things that may be it.
First, you body position is canted making your left ear face the speaker more.
Second, your left speaker's output is coming at you, and also bouncing off the left wall and rear wall when reaching your left ear. Your right speakers output is reaching you, with some going past you and returning and a much greater percentage of it is bouncing back and forth between the right end and going out the doors. A lot of output from the right speaker seems also to be hitting the left wall and then going past and behind you and bouncing toward that short hall way.
Thus I see the first wave and the rebound waves all being more concentrated toward your left ear.
Just my 2 cents.
unsound
6,115 posts
 
I suggest making an appointment with an audiologist.
cal3713's avatar
cal3713 OP
388 posts
 
PC and Jetson, I think you are both correct. I remember reading about someone with a McIntosh stereo amp actually noticing a difference in their right & left meters and getting worried that something was wrong, only to decide later that it was simply a louder left channel in a number of recordings.

That said, I think my room is still amplifying the left channel, and the fact that the left speaker is in a corner, while the right is truly on a long wall (but with a close by doorway) isn't going to help. Fortunately, I don't think the seating direction isn't really an issue, as I just sit facing directly forward (where the TV is) rather than actually following the plane of the couch.

I started reading the "Get Better Sound" book, it looks like it is going to be very valuable... and will be an easy, and interesting read at the worst.
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