plauged by off center image, am I insane?

We are truly many who have had this experience with recordings. But to make a list it can be caused by:
1. Difference in components output ( the ear is a tricky thing to fool, and we can tell when there is a differnce in volume right and left, right? ).
2. Speakers are not properly matched in their sensetivety.
3. Cable connections ( inluding internal wire ).
4. Room is causing the trouble with windows, dooropenings, furniture or bookshelves.
5. Recording is not centered.
6. Speakers are not placed right.
7. An ugly combination of all/most/some above.

I have gone through the list in my search for the ´centre vocalist´. All of above was tested and measured. On some recordings, especially with female vocalists, I found that the centre floated off to the right when she struck certain notes. This was the combination of the speaker setup and the rooms acoustic that caused this ´floating´ to the right.
And just by moving one speaker ( missplaced by as little as 1/2inch ) I dead centred most recordings. It should not be noticed, but this small measure was the cause. I do have quite a narrow sweet spot, yes. But in comparison of driving me ´off-centre´-mad...

I think Drubin has got something aswell.

Hope some measures will help.

I have had the same problem, and to assure my self that I am not loosing it I have done extensive testing. Using a volt meter-the good old Radio shak multimeter-I have found everything to be within 1/100 volt, which equates to less than one db. Therefore I concluded it was one of three things, speakers, recording, or room. I switched the speakers and the imbalance did not follow. I have a hard time believing that every recording is off balance to the same side. Threfore I started looking at room reflections. The imblanace in my system is shifted slightly left of center. One side of the room is a wall, the other a window with coverings. The curious and perhaps concluding things is that the imbalance varied with frequency, type of voice, and volume. All this means reflecitons to me. Still working on it, but it is nice to know that I'm not the only crazy one.

I had that problem for a while and then realized that one speaker was 1.5 inches closer than the other and had more toe in. I adjusted the speakers by measuring from the woofer to my chin while sitting in my listening chair. I made sure each speaker was the same distance away (my wife moved the tape measure from left speaker to right speaker while I held the tape at my chin). Then I measured from the middle of the left woofer to the middle of the right woofer and took that distance and multiplied it by 1.22. The distance between the speakers X 1.22 gives you the optimum distance your ear should be from the woofer(or tweeter) in each speaker. You actually measure from the speakers to your ear and not the distance the from the middle of the speakers to your ear. Lastly, if you toe, be sure each is toed in the same amount. My speakers recommend being able to just see the inner side of the speaker. I also try to keep the same distance from the rear wall, but the distance of the woofer to the ear is more important. And, if you can keep the distance from the side walls the same, that helps too. Once I did this procedure, the imaging improved dramatically and only once in a while did the voice sound off center.

The elaborate setup procedure described by Hifimaniac amazes me. If it is that hard to get good imaging you have serious defects in the speakers.

I have absolutely no problem with vague imaging and I think the reason is as follows.

1. Planar (MG1.6) speakers. Their sound is unchanged in SPL from the back of the room to your ear at 1 foot in front of them. So moving them a little back and forth has no effect.

2. I use a center speaker even for 2-channel recordings. (My left and right speakers are too widely spaced for straight 2-channel).

3. Fairly big room with very irregular shape and wide openings into other rooms.

El, I don't think you can compare a system with a center channel to those without. I think it would be almost impossible not to get a stable center image with a center speaker. I have no problem with how you achieved the result, but I can't afford a third speaker and a third channel of amplification of the quality I have so that isn't an option for me. I would rather go to elaborate lengths like maniacal HiFi to optimize what I have.