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plauged by off center image, am I insane?

It distracts me to no end when the image is off center. I'm not talking about early stereo recordings where spacing was spread out unnaturally, but when there is a fairly simple arrangement with vocal that you expect to be dead center in front of you. Some recordings are dead center, and then some are a just a little bit off center. Almost always to the right.

I also notice that whenever there is a featured soloist, if they aren’t centered they are displaced to the right.

I attribute this to the recording, not my system since some are dead center and some are not. I was wondering if I am the only one who has experienced this. I am pretty sure my speakers are set up properly and I’m not partially deaf in one ear.

Do you think it is me, or my system, or the recordings? Maybe the guy who mixed the recording was careless or has a hearing problem.
herman
jond's avatar
jond
3,400 posts
 
I notice the same thing,images a bit to the left, but I'm pretty sure it's just my room. The left speaker has a side wall about a foot away and the right speaker has open space. I'm sure that inbalances things, though it's not very severe and not all the time.
rwwear
2,692 posts
 
I used to have the same problem with the image slightly to the left. I just moved more to the right.
rajnaj
5 posts
 
I've been bugged by the same thing on certain CD's. Sometimes, when no ones looking, I find myself moving my listening position in order to compensate.
fedreams
107 posts
 
Are the speakers evenly placed? You might want to try and toe in the speakers a bit to the listening position. It will probably tighten up the sweet spot but you will have less off center soloist. Another thing may be the room reflection at certain frequencies. Is the tendency to be off center more with male or female singers? Hope this helped. Good luck.
herman OP
1,974 posts
 
I ran a test CD and it is centered. It doesn't bother me on instrumental music. Like I said, what bugs me is a fairly simple arrangement with vocal that you expect to be dead center in front of you and the vocal is slightly off center.

Good point about turning off the lights. That works but I can't darken my room during the day. I may notice it more than some because I have a small window centered on the wall behind my system that gives a visual reference for the center.

I just got an old Scott integarted with a balance control that takes care of it. A slight tweak on the control and I'm locked in.
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