Recordings that lean to the left or right channels..............................

Wayner · « **on:** 19 Apr 2010, 09:07 pm »

First, let me explain my background. I am a recording nut. Most folks here think I'm a nut anyway, but now I have an adverb to go along with it. I've had almost every kind of recording equipment you could think of, like several reel to reels, several cassette decks, several MD decks, a DAT deck, a couple of CD burners, but thankfully, no 8-track, a multi-track hard disc drive recorder, a Tascam multi-track recorder and several HIFI VCRs that could do a fine job with audio.

The one thing they almost all had in common was the VU meters always exposed "lean" in a recording. At first, I thought it was the equipment, like the cartridge or the turntable or the preamp or the tuner, but now, I quiet sure it's the recording itself.

There are some recordings that do not lean. I'm listening to one of them right now. The VU meters on my Tascam are almost just about right on. But many other recordings either lean to the left or lean to the right.

Why is this, I ask? Did the recording studio or mixing guy have a balance problem? Was the guy mixing left or right handed (eared)? And can I hear the recording lean and does it match what the meters tell me?

I have my own opinions, but I'd like to hear yours. Do you think you've experienced the same thing? Do you blame it on your equipment or the recording, or perhaps, you've never noticed?

Wayner

Niteshade · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 12:30 am »

I love making my own albums too and have noticed this. My theory is that it's a method of exacerbating the stereo effect. It's not uncommon to hear more bass out of one channel than the other. I have also heard vocals on one side and instruments on the other. Maybe the added separation sounds better?

charmerci · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 05:46 am »

I think it might be because they set different equalization levels (or maybe just different levels) for the different instruments and voices.

martyo · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 08:45 am »

It depends on the soundstage. I'm sure in the vinyl days they tried to equalize the bass energy for tracking. Most amps I had before the Ultra had meters and I'd say most recordings did lean one way or the other. (I haven't done vinyl since '92)

avahifi · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 12:49 pm »

My recordings of Rachel Maddow always seem to lean towards the left, while those of Glen Beck kinda lean towards the right and even with the best I can do with my balance control, I can't get them as centered as I would like. However, with an EC series preamp, using a set of interconnect cables cross connected to the EPL in and out jacks, punching the EPL button in does wonders, and there is Rachel right there with a Tea Party convention.

Regards,

Frank

rollo · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 01:14 pm »

I believe most are out of phase. If one has a polarity switch try It and see if the effect goes away. It usually does. Except for the obvious poor balance of some recording phase plays a role here IMO. Check your plug orientation as well, meaning that pos. is to pos. and neutral to neutral That has made a difference as well. When both are correct then it is the recording.

charles

rollo · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 01:17 pm »

Quote from: avahifi on 20 Apr 2010, 12:49 pm

My recordings of Rachel Maddow always seem to lean towards the left, while those of Glen Beck kinda lean towards the right and even with the best I can do with my balance control, I can't get them as centered as I would like. However, with an EC series preamp, using a set of interconnect cables cross connected to the EPL in and out jacks, punching the EPL button in does wonders, and there is Rachel right there with a Tea Party convention.

Regards,

Frank

Very funny Frank.

charles

Listens2tubes · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 01:20 pm »

Quote from: avahifi on 20 Apr 2010, 12:49 pm

My recordings of Rachel Maddow always seem to lean towards the left, while those of Glen Beck kinda lean towards the right and even with the best I can do with my balance control, I can't get them as centered as I would like. However, with an EC series preamp, using a set of interconnect cables cross connected to the EPL in and out jacks, punching the EPL button in does wonders, and there is Rachel right there with a Tea Party convention.

Regards,

Frank

Frank, you ROCK ON!

Neal

martyo · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 01:31 pm »

That's a VERY wide soundstage Frank.

Tom Alverson · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 03:39 pm »

I've noticed my TV leans towards the left (except for cable, it's all over the place). My AM radio leans towards the right, but FM has no lean except for that NPR station.

Can your fix that with your cool new toy?

Tom

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 03:53 pm »

People do not have the same frequency response, etc. across both ears. One ear is typically more sensitive to highs than the other, with the other ear being more sensitive to lows.

Usually, a person can test this very easily: Switch sides (which ear you are using) when talking on a phone with a standard handset. It will sound "better" in one ear than the other.

Re: Stereo recordings. Historically, the right channel has more treble, with the left channel getting more bass. That has more to do with instrument placement in the spread, than EQ settings: You don't EQ a channel, you EQ an instrument. The drum kit is usually in the middle, which places the floor toms on the left (relative to the listener).

The more time I spend listening to music, the more I prefer a properly done mono recording.

Wayner · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 03:54 pm »

I should have known that this thread would turn into political bullshit.

That's it for me.

rcag_ils · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 06:45 pm »

In my early recording days, I tried it many times to adjust the inputs so both meters would be equal, but the result was not satifactory, it always turned out one's louder than the other.

So I just put both left and right inputs at the same level on the front panel, not on the meters, and both meters just below 0db, the recording came out just like the records that I was recording.

Now, if I ever do anymore recording again, it'd be because it's cool, not for it's sonic benefit, really, why bother?

BobM · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 06:52 pm »

Some instruments and some frequencies will just pin the VU meters more than others. A triangle will cut through a symphony, but still not move the meters a whit, where anything with prominent bass will move them a lot, even if that bass is being overshadowed by a sax or a voice in terms of what you actually hear.

Then again, some older recordings pan instruments fully to one side or the other. Piano and sax left, drums and bass right. You can't expect the levels to be equal from side to side on something like that, but the sound you hear is mostly balanced. This is often true of those simple crossed dipole recordings that capture the room acoustics more accurately then fully mixed recordings.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 09:47 pm »

Quote from: BobM on 20 Apr 2010, 06:52 pm

Then again, some older recordings pan instruments fully to one side or the other. Piano and sax left, drums and bass right. You can't expect the levels to be equal from side to side on something like that, but the sound you hear is mostly balanced.

That's also why the PAS2/3 have that "blend" switch.

Brett

Listens2tubes · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 10:59 pm »

If many but not all recording seem to biasd to one side it may be the room. I've noticed that most jazz combo recordings seem more naturally balanced than some large classical works that feature the strings. It may be the way the upper midrange effects the space, which would include female vocals.

Niteshade · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Apr 2010, 11:45 pm »

You'll have to talk to your boss about that.

Quote from: Wayner on 20 Apr 2010, 03:54 pm

I should have known that this thread would turn into political bullshit.

That's it for me.

Minn Mark · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 05:41 pm »

Wayner,

In the interest of redirecting back to your inital observation:

I have not made a fresh (cassette) recording in many years, but I knew as soon as I saw the thread, what you meant. Thanks for validating my observation that for my system, most recordings leaned toward the right. On my TEAC Z-6000 I virtually always had to nudge the left side up a bit, or lower the right side a bit to get equal signal from both channels. This seemed independent of the source or any other associated gear. Therefore, I chalked it up to a (minor) imbalance in the deck itself. I hope we can direct the thread back to base and get some feedback from other recordists. I would welocme their experiences.

To follow up: can readers respond with their best sources for fresh, high quality cassette tapes (C-90)??

Thanks, and Cheers,

Mark

avahifi · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 06:07 pm »

I wonder if the balance issue could be caused by too much, or too little, anti-skating adjustment?

Frank Van Alstine

Minn Mark · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 Apr 2010, 06:14 pm »

I've 'monkey'd' with the anti-skate on my turntables, and can't honestly hear any difference. Also, it didnt seem, if memory serves, to make any difference in the recording, either....my recent Pro-ject Debut III table has a weight (not magnetic anti-skate) and of my tables, this device seems the most sensitive. By that I mean I can visually see that's doing something, versus the others, where seems like you can crank the anti-skate to OFF, or to MAX , whether in a groove or not and they dont seem to do much (Technics SL-D3 direct drive TT, and SOTA Comet). Am I 'quazy' or what??

Mark