Possible system inbalance

[Haselsh1]

I don't know what is going on with my system lately but since moving in to this new cottage and changing to Spendor S3/5R2's I am aware of a potential inbalance in the presentation. With all CD's I have listened to there is a huge cavernous space of air and acoutsic to the far right of the right hand speaker but there is no such thing to the left of the left hand speaker. This is rather annoying to say the least. Anyway, with this in mind, here is what I have checked:

Swapped over the speakers - no change

Swapped over the speaker cables - no change

Swapped over all interconnects - no change

Swapped over all preamp valves including the rectifiers - no change

Swapped over all power amp signal valves - no change

So far all I haven't done is swap over the EL34's and swap over the digital coax cable for another make. I am starting to think that it may well be the room that is causing this oddity.

Any suggestions..?

[struth]

maybe the room Shaun

[Macca]

I've had a similar problem and it was the room, or rather the position of the speakers in the room. It did not occur with all speakers, just some. Moving the speakers resolved the problem.

My room is not symmetrical on either side of the speakers, on one side is a plain wall, on the other a long alcove between 2 chimney breasts. Until I experienced it I would not have thought that this would make such a noticeable difference to the sound. When it was suggested to me as the cause I was sceptical. But I moved the speakers anyway and it was indeed the problem.

[Ali Tait]

Have you tried reversing phase on one of the speaker connections?

[Haselsh1]

No Ali I haven't. Macca, sounds familiar. My room is a very vague L shape in which there is more room behind me to the right than there is to my left. This is why I think it has to be the room. Also, I have never encountered a pair of speakers that are so directional ever before. The slightest movement of each speaker makes a huge difference.

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Have you tried reversing phase on one of the speaker connections?

As Don asked here, incorrect phase is or could be the problem. In the circumstance I would visually check that + is wired to + and negative to negative for each channel. Noting too
that some combinations of equipment deliberately alter phase.

[Haselsh1]

Chris, taking the really obvious things first, all of the cables were and are correctly plugged together in that red goes to red and black goes to black but if things have been labelled incorrectly then I have no idea. The only thing I have obviously changed is the speaker distance to the rear wall which has gone from maybe thirteen inches to ten. I just cannot understand how a week or so back when I switched it on and played a CD the whole left side had opened up. As I said, prior to the last twelve months the system had had very little use but that changed at the beginning of this year when we started to listen a lot more. I was seriously pissed off with the stereo image up to this point but now it is wonderful.

[Haselsh1]

As Don asked here, incorrect phase is or could be the problem. In the circumstance I would visually check that + is wired to + and negative to negative for each channel. Noting too
that some combinations of equipment deliberately alter phase.

Oh yes, I did try this but it just made the whole sound very vague.

[Macca]

Maybe swap to some big Tannoys, they don't seem to care where you plonk them.

Are your speakers quite tall? I only have the issue with tall speakers, 5 foot or so.

[Haselsh1]

Maybe swap to some big Tannoys, they don't seem to care where you plonk them.

Are your speakers quite tall? I only have the issue with tall speakers, 5 foot or so.

Hell no mate, speakers are LS3/5a wannabee's on Atacama stands at around 24" tall. Stunning speakers by my own standards but very bloody picky.