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209.115.206.27
Just throw some 'what it might be' ideas at me for this problem.
Scenario - One speaker plays louder than the other. Not a lot, couple of dB, but enough to really drive me nuts (not a far trip). So the soundstage sorta' leans to one side. Need to set the balance to about 2 o'clock if the lower sounding speaker is on the right to get the soundstage back to the middle.
- They're 3 way speakers with adjustments to set your preferences for mid & high range (watchamacallit - L-pads)
- Everything measures pretty much the same - as in one driver pretty much matches the ohms reading to it's opposite.
Changed the LF caps (40uF-50v) but not the HF caps (3.3uF-50v). Helped some but not a lot.
It's not the room - well it is a little bit but I know that and have compensated for this purpose.
It's not the amp/source. Changed those out to several different ones.
OK - bring it. Speculate. Throw some stuff at me.
Thanks.
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jac - desperaudio
Follow Ups:
I ended up replacing all the caps (if you're going to one side you better do 'em all!) as well as both sets of inductors and one of the L-pads - both of the previous items were giving me some rather weird DMM readings compared to the 'good' speaker. I have the requisite burns from my soldering iron to prove it. I have rather large hands and trying to work inside a 9" opening is no so much fun sometimes!
Sooooooo - it's all up and happening now. Actually (and not really unexpectedly) the speakers sound quite a bit better than before and continue to improve as I get some time on them. I'm finally enjoying them - like I knew I would!
Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions
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jac - desperaudio
then my money is on the HF crossover caps. They would have been the first things to go.
Cheers,
David
I used to own a pair of cary/montana 301 loudspeakers. From day one I noticed that one loudspeaker sounded (louder and warmer) different from the other. There were 3 drive units in each, and with a simple battery test I was able to discover that one of the drive units had been wired out of phase.
Place a 1.5 volt battery across the terminals of each drive unit in turn, place + to +. The speaker cone should move out if in phase.
Do not used this test on a compression drive unit.
Regards,
Mike
At this point I'll try anything. I just ran the whole S'phile test Cd gamut and then switched sides and did it again (that will help account for room influences)
I haven't gone over the results in detail but there's a difference for sure.
I know it's not the LF drivers that are out of phase - they're moving together.
But first - I have to go shovel a whole bunch of snow. Then, if I'm still able, I'll take a run at your idea for the other drivers.
Thanks for the hint. I know about the battery trick - just didn't occur to me to do it!
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jac - desperaudio
How's your hearing? Honestly, I had the same problem once and someone on another forum posed that question to me. Turned out I had a wax buildup in one ear that I hadn't noticed. Cleaned it & voila, both speakers were equal!
These are the only speakers I have that do this. I have an amp or two that are louder on side or t'other but these are the only speakers. I have four stereo systems running in the house plus a 7.1 HT rig and perhaps a couple dozen pairs of speakers that are moving in and out of those systems on a regular basis along with regular new (to me) acquisitions.
The problem persists no matter which side I have the speakers. If the softer speaker is on the left then the soundstage leans to the right - and vice versa when I swap speakers.
I do appreciate the comment on the hearing. It's something I do take care of - especially now that I am well into my 5th decade - and is something everyone who enjoys music should be well aware of. Keeps them ears clean guys!
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jac - desperaudio
What have you tried swapping side to side? For the electronics, you can start from the source and swap cables from one side to the other, then swap channels in the preamp from one side to the other by switching R input and output cables to L side, then amp channels, etc. Keep going until you find the balance changes. If you have swapped everything including speakers and still have the imbalance to the same side then by process of elimination it's the room.
I've had at least 5 different amps and sources hooked up to these speakers. Different cabling. I've even tried them in 3 different rooms - and they still do it!
I've switched drivers inside the cabinets. And it's the same cabinet that plays softer.
IS there any chance that it could be the L-pads?
There's only two things I haven't changed. The 3.3 HF caps and the L-pads. And I don't know if I can even get at those. (We're talking about accessing the Xover by pulling the 10" woofer. And those pads are immediately inside and below the woofer opening. A most unfortunate placement.)
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jac - desperaudio
Sorry, I need some clarification.1) When you swapped cables, sources and amps the imbalance did not change, correct?
2) When you swapped the drivers between left and right speakers the imbalance still did not change, correct?
3) When you physically switched the right and left speakers the imbalance still did not change? If this is correct then there is a problem with the room. If the imbalance changed to the other side when you physically switched the right and left speakers then the problem is in the speaker, and if number 2 above is correct then it has to be in the wiring or crossover in the speakers since swapping drivers did not do anything.
Unless I'm missing something.
Edits: 01/08/09
1) When you swapped cables, sources and amps the imbalance did not change, correct?
Correct
2) When you swapped the drivers between left and right speakers the imbalance still did not change, correct?
Correct
3) When you physically switched the right and left speakers the imbalance still did not change?
The imbalance didn't change - it stayed with the speaker. If it was on the left (louder) and I moved that speaker to the right then the loudness was now on the right. So I'm pretty sure it's in the actual speaker and not a room effect. Same thing when I change rooms. That one speaker is just louder (or, depending on your perspective, one speaker plays more softly)
If this is correct then there is a problem with the room. If the imbalance changed to the other side when you physically switched the right and left speakers then the problem is in the speaker, and if number 2 above is correct then it has to be in the wiring or crossover in the speakers since swapping drivers did not do anything.
Unless I'm missing something.
Nope - you pretty much got it. I'm going to change the 3.3 caps out (if I have replacements - and I should - I have a couple of big boxes full of crossovers and parts).
If that doesn't help then I believe I'll try changing the adjustment pots or L-pads or whatever the hell they're called. I really hope I doonI'm gonna' get this. It's pissing me off - I really like those speakers and I'm going to get this right! Dammit!
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jac - desperaudio
Looks like you've got it narrowed down. Better than an experience I had where I thought I had it narrowed down to the speakers, sent it off for repair, they checked it and said everything was OK, sent it back and the imbalance was gone!
That, somehow, just isn't right. Leaves you feeling a bit bewildered, foolish and a little peed off that you couldn't make it better yourself.
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jac - desperaudio
Put a meter on the outputs of your amp as well to see if it's the same on both sides.
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