2. analog
  3. 163667-128706

Ok to adjust balance to achieve center vocal image?

I have an all analog tube vinyl system and don’t remember having to adjust my balance setting in order to achieve a center vocal image. I do now though. I’m getting a left leaning vocal image with the balance set to zero. Is there a good way to see if this can be fixed so I don’t need to balance adjust to achieve a center vocal image? Could it be a preamp tube going out? Something else? Any harm in just continuing to adjust the balance - meaning am I experiencing any signal loss doing so? 
Thanks! Paul
paulgardner
lewm
13,519 posts
 
Like I said, a small change in anti-skate would not affect channel balance, in my own experience, but your mileage does vary.
gandra
2 posts
 
Mono is the key. Either a mono record or even better, if your phono has a mono button just toggle between stereo and mono and you'll be able to identify the source of the problem. If it's upstream of the phono stage, pressing the mono button will immediately refocus the sound. If pressing the mono button doesn't do anything, then the issue is downstream from the phono stage, i.e. amplifier / speakers / room / hearing and associated cables. 
pragmasi
212 posts
 
Might be worth checking whether the stereo image moves when you adjust the volume. If your volume control is a log potentiometer the left/right matching is awful at lower settings.
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