Improved Listening Position
Posted by: Tarquin Maynard - Portly on 31 March 2003
Muchachos
Having just had the grin factor return to my stereo, I was listening away last night ( Kate Bush ). My mind wandering, I noticed that my left leg, being crossed over my right, was pointing exactly at the right hand speaker. Being a bloke, I wondered if my right leg, when crossed over my left, would point at the left hand speaker so I swopped over.
It did; experiment over I swopped back. My eyebrow raised in Bond fashion, as to my surpirse, I noted that the sound seemed very slightly better with the left leg over the right. Swopped back; sound dulled slightly, touch of midrange bloom. The effect was confirmed.
Has anyone else noted this effect? Any ideas why? My only idea is that the left hand side of the brain controls emotion and maybe some audio processing bits, and the sound is less affetced with the left leg pointing at the right hand speaker - less leg muscle in the way etc. ( I do slouch right down in the sofa. )
Any ideas?
Mike
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by Bruce Woodhouse
...and spaghetti grows on trees.
Bruce
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by John3
Mike, if this isn't an April fools joke, see a doctor!
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by uem
Mike,
An obvious case for some serious blind testing:
Option one: Do this leg swopping with your eyes closed.
Option two: Have your wife/girl friend/partner do the leg swopping for you (while ignoring, should you happen to realize which leg is over which...)-- be prepared for some non-acoustical side effects, though---.
Regards
Urs
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by greeny
I wondered why my Hifi was sounding inconsistent last night.
Now I know, it was you, you sod, crossing and uncrossing your legs!
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by Jez Quigley
Having your leg-over always improves the evening I find...
"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by Emil F
Mike
What about phone conversations? Which ear is doing the job better?
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by blueoyster
I would`nt know, when I return home after a night out I usually end up lying on the floor `cos I`m too pissed to haul myself up onto the sofa!
Cheers
Blueoyster
PS What Kate Bush album? 'Hounds of Love' is very good & well recorded.
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Colin
"The Kick Inside." I recently bought 4-5 of her albums for no mare than £1 each. The ones I have heard make me sorry I did not discover KB years ago. "Army Dreamers" on another album is wonderful.
What are you doing about upgrading your LP12? Still considering stands? ( Akiva...akivaaaaa!)
Regards
Mike
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Emil F
spending a lot of time on the phone will/has resulted in wax build up in the preferred ear, the right one in my case. It follows that the left ear hears best.
Some years ago I had my ears syringed; a lump the size of a pea came out of my right ear. Incredible improvement in what I could hear - eg. my neck rubbing on my collar. This effect wore off as my brain adjusted levels.
Regards
Mike
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Geoff P
Mike
Have you considered having both legs amputated to get rid of the problem all together?
GEOFFP
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by blueoyster
Mike
Have now upgraded LP12 to Ekos/Dynavector XX2, unfortunately could not afford the Akiva but it will be my next cartridge, maybe. The XX2 requires a long running in period (that`s why I got paranoid over the weekend as it sounded awful).
I am at this moment setting up the Audiotech wall shelf, is your Audiotech a wall mounted shelf or floor standing? I must admit I have trouble with equipment stands, do you buy Hutter, Sound Org (are they any good ?), Mana etc etc. I have the Quadraspire reference for all the Naim gear plus CD player, everything else, (Lingo etc) is on the Quadraspire standard table, it all sound ver good to me. What about the Townsend range (seismic sink etc) is it OK? It is so difficult to have a dem on all these products.
Regards
Colin
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Tarquin Maynard - Portly
Colin
My Audiotech is a floor stander, and my other supports Sound Org. All of these are at least 10 years old, but I can remember the effect / improvement that the Audiotech stand made - I found it quite annoying that it made my LP12 sound better.
A dealer I respect greatly - Colin Macey at Martin Kleiser in Beaconsfield - uses Hutter as far as I am aware.
It is a problem trying different supports; unles you can get sale or return, or have mates with the same kit as you and the supports you are considering.
'Tis a puzzlement.....
Regards
Mike
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by achandoke
Good question !!! Did you consider the fact that one of your ears may have lost some hearing in the higher frequencies, it happens as one ages
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Minky
Have you tried spreading your legs ? I find that crossing them muffles the horn section.
Posted on: 02 April 2003 by Rasher
It has been suggested that the system sounds best with no-one at all in the room. I was going to go to the pub and listen via my mobile phone
Posted on: 03 April 2003 by Rasher
Mike...I have it sussed.
Its your flares man!
Putting your right leg over your left, the excess material of your flares drops to the magnetic north, and if you cross the other way, you expect your flares to drop the other side - but they don't - they are still attracted to magnetic north. This is damping the high frequencies reaching your northenmost ear. Try changing the room around 180 degrees and see the effects, which theortically should have the same result as moving to the southern hemisphere.
