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Shindo Monbrison balance issue?

hi

anyone experienced this with their Monbrison (or other Shindo preamps)?

When playing at low volume, the sound is biased towards one side but once the volume is turned up, the level seems to balance itself...... i discovered this when I was burning in my set at low volume and when vocals are played - the voice will "shift" from one side to center as the volume is increased!

I have swapped the interconnects (left -right) going into and then out of the Monbrison to check if source or power amp could be the problem but the results seem to confirm that it is the Monbrison.

Another issue that I encountered accidentally was when playing cd and switching the input selector to other inputs, I can hear the music albeit at very low levels throught the speakers!! is this normal?

aside from these two worrying discoveries, the Monbrison sounds great!

thanking you in advance for your feedback.

best regards
fudgeo
carey1110's avatar
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carey1110
566 posts
 
I recently bought a Vosne-Romanee whitch had the same balance problem so bad that I called my dealer and he is replacing the Pot for me. This problem did not exist in the Masseto. My question is why can't the pre amp design take into consideration this issue and set the gain where this would not be a problem at all. I would think that having a volume control on the amp is just one more device in the signal path that you don't want. I'm sure the shindo amps sound great but wouldn't they be better without the volume pot? Don't get me wrong I love my preamp but I like listening at low levels too.
xronx
55 posts
 
The potentiometers Shindo uses are most likely one puzzle piece which contribute to the "Shindo sound". Also the well known ALPS Pots can have some imbalance in their lower range, one more one less...+/- 10 or 20 % tolerance are not untypical for an carbon pot.

Another pot in signal path is a rather academic "problem" resulting from the audiophiles paranoia that there is "more" in the signal path. Having a pot on the power amp is one part of the Shindo product philosophy, thats why an amp with input controls would is strongly recommended and thats why an channel imbalance in the lower volume region of the preamp pot is not a problem.

best regards

Ron
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carey1110
566 posts
 
I guess you could be right on the Shindo sound being the sum of it's parts, I sure can't complain about the sound.
fudgeo OP
9 posts
 
Hi

Anyone tried swapping their original pots with with a TKD pot? i know that most dont recommend altering their Shindo preamps (even tube rolling) as it has been carefully voiced with its specified components.... just wondering whether changing the pot will cause any noticable change in the Shindo sound.... I'm not trying to improve the sound but this volume imbalance issue is becoming more noticable and beginning to irritate.... I'm going to send the preamp back to the dealer but am wondering whether to ask him to change it to a TKD...
many thanks.
restock
831 posts
 
The Shindo potentiometers are specified at around 0.8dB (10%). The TDK are specified at 0.5dB (5%) in the high attenuation range. Alps Blue Velvet would be around 1.0-2dB (12-25%).

You may gain a little more in accuracy, but you may still be able to tell if you run the volume in the high attenuation range. I bought 3 Alps Blue Velvet for a replacement in my Fi and none would have been much better than what I already have. All resulted in mistracking at low levels. Reducing gain in the chain fixed things...
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