Position of speaker cables and irregular behavior


 I move my speakers around a lot, experiment with placement, also move a few different sets in/out of rotation.  Reason:  I have a persistent problem in that my left speaker is dominant. Playing in mono the image is centered about 2 feet left of center. In stereo, not only are vocals shifted left, the right side just doesn’t carry the same level of volume , soundstage and depth. 

Equipment: Bryston 7b monoblocks, Bryston pre, Opp BDP105, Grover Huffman Empress speaker cables, Siltech xlr interconnects.

I have swapped/reversed every single component to try isolating a culprit. No luck.

Although there are differences in left/right side walls in the room, the parts that matter ( reflection points ) are basically the same.

my speaker cables are 8ft so I have about 3-4 ft of excess. When I move the cables around it affects the dominance to either lessen or exaggerate to the left.  Sometimes I get close to almost centering the image , when that happens the right side blooms open. But it lasts a few hours or days and then I’m back to playing with speaker and cable placement.  I’ve suspended the cables off the floor , sometimes helps temporarily. 

I have tried adjusting the balance on the preamp . that makes the volume equal but not the brilliance of music which remains duller on the right.

There are even times when I’m listening to a song and as I’m listening the image shifts either more to left or more to center.  I thought it might be a sound pressure issue in my room, then I move the speaker cables and it gets better....for a while.

its not my hearing, when I attend audio exhibitions or meets the sound is equal.

I have moved my speaker cables so many times, like bending a wire hanger back and forth, they eventually broke. Grover huffman was kind enough to repair my speaker cables...twice.. Have some bending going on to fasten on binding posts. 

I sprayed Deoxit on all connections, that didn’t make a difference.

i routed all power cords neatly and away from speaker cables.

I’m thinking of getting 4ft speaker cables so that I have a straight run. Otherwise I’m out of ideas.

any help?

 

 

jacksky

@oldhvymec 

as I remember the expression pop(p)ed has an entirely salacious meaning you surely didn't intend?

I had a "sound stage right" problem for years with my Acoustic Zen cables. They use bare copper terminations. I would get the occasional very good but very temporary sound. A little Brasso metal cleaner worked wonders. Looks like G H cables use bare copper too.

holmz: I don’t understand what you mean by playing speaker singularly and using REW, can you explain?  I will try taming reflection one side at a time at the usual mirror spot side wall. Regarding rear wall reflection behind speaker, these are planers, I think they are supposed to utilize that reflected sound, not deaden it. But I’m game, I’ll try it.

A single speaker playing at a time. And some app to measure SPL or the spectrum.
It might be a loos e connection in the speaker?

Your switching speakers around (left to right) is a good step towards working it out.

Agree with preceding. Swap with other cables. SPL tests each time.

I'd want to know how  acoustically symmetrical your room was, overall. You could play some white noise on and walk around the room with your spl meter/phone on and just see what happens. Things bunch up in weird ways that our eyes don't always predict.

@oldhvymec

as I remember the expression pop(p)ed has an entirely salacious meaning you surely didn’t intend?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No idea what you mean, ok then, slapped him up side the head, hows that? :-)

Deformed his ear, POPPED his ear drum.. You know the three stooges stuff.

I had to look up what salacious ment.. Mechanics and salacious don’t normally wind up in the same sentance.. :-) Just sayin’

Regards