I've been a plonker!
Posted by: Popeye on 15 February 2018
Ashamed to admit it but using the system to watch television a police car went past from left to right but the sound went from right to left! I have always had my channels round the wrong way! ????
Having just put them how they should be and started to listen to some music things sound so much better!
Why should sound of improved so much following just the channels crossed?
Thanks
Popeye
Probably because the speaker connections were cleaned by reconnecting them...
I'm sure we've all done it at some point. When I had a vinyl set up I had a test LP (HFS75 or something) which, while mainly used to ensure optimal alignment of cartridge, bias etc, also has track to ensure the channels were correct. I've never felt the need for such a disc with CD.
Still, it's only a soundstage alignment issue, the quality of the reproduction would have been unaffected.
Should have added, a greater 'sin' would have been wiring the the speakers out of phase.
I would imagine its easily done as the L & R terminal posts are reversed, as the amps were originally designed to be viewed from the rear.
I've got an mp3 test track on a USB stick that I use after any equipment updates, moves etc. It simply plays "Left channel, right channel, both channels" and I have to admit it has proven very useful in the past.
I managed to listen to my Active Isobariks with the mid range channel going to treble and treble going to mid for a couple of weeks before a very helpful man pointed out the error of my ways. That certainly had a detrimental effect on the sound quality as you might expect. Luckily didn’t try putting the bass through the treble????
MDS posted:till, it's only a soundstage alignment issue, the quality of the reproduction would have been unaffected.
I confess, I did this myself when I switched to SL. On SL installation, there was a big improvement - lots of detail from the SL cables, especially great bass from the XLRs, that I didn’t realise that I needed to cross the speaker cables at the rear.
When I did finally work it out, wow! What a difference. I don’t think I would describe this as “only” the soundstage. The musical came completely alive.
Until you understand how the left/right positioning came about (amps were for use with the connections facing you) the setup is so unexpected. I would be surprised if more Forum members have not made this mistake and yet to discover it.
... or even the balance control!
Johnell posted:I've got an mp3 test track on a USB stick that I use after any equipment updates, moves etc. It simply plays "Left channel, right channel, both channels" and I have to admit it has proven very useful in the past.
I have the same (though it’s as a playlist on the NAS), and it’s proved very helpful, especially when my 500 was sent off to be DR’ed and a 200 ‘loaner’ was slotted into its place.
First track is left speaker only, second track is right speaker only, third track is both speakers (in phase) and fourth track is both speakers (out of phase).
Simple but effective.
ATB. George.