background vocalist moves from left to right

I agree with Clbeanz. You are talking about 2 different systems in two different rooms, correct? The fact that switching speaker leads doesn't make a difference supports this theory, about the room that is. Try reversing speakers in the original room where the voice is on the right. It shouldn't shift sides there either, if this is a room dependent phenomenon.

thanks for the leads, i don't understand how the room would cause this.

Ryan Adams is smack dab in the center, and on stage right is the female vocalist/guitarist on my main system.

on my 2nd system in a separate room, Ryan remains in the middle, but the female vocalist is placed stage left.

I have noticed this was other discs as well, I recall Kate Bush Aeriel, one track has footsteps from the far edge of the speaker which progress across the entire stage to the other side. the steps begin from the left on one system and the rigth on the other.

I have noticed this was other discs as well, I recall Kate Bush Aeriel, one track has footsteps from the far edge of the speaker which progress across the entire stage to the other side. the steps begin from the left on one system and the rigth on the other.

Based on that last paragraph about the footsteps, it definitely sounds like something is connected incorrectly. In your original post you mentioned that you swapped the leads at the speaker end. Did you mean that you completely swapped them from one speaker to another or did you just reverse the +/- leads for each speaker. If the later than all you did was reverse the phase not the left and right channels. Pardon me in advance if I misunderstood.

The other thing that occurs to me is that you might have a channel mix-up inside of a component. Although swapping the speaker cables should show this, the easiest, most straightforward way to test this is to get a test CD that has a left/right channel test track.