[cfc7]

Very interesting thread.
I found it searching on google for the same issue...vocals and bass more on the right side which sometimes becomes really annoying.
But I've noticed that with much more low quality gear the sound is more centered...any idea why?

 

[SilverEars]

I'm experiencing this too. Sometimes is the vocals and some instruments. To me this happens only in some songs or even in entire albums. It's weird because I feel that my right ear becomes more "tired" for the sound that is going predominantly there for a long time. I though it could be that the earbud is unbalanced because when I use another earbud I have (lower quality) all the sound becomes more central. But I still don't know because in the earbud that this happens when I change to mono audio the song becomes "central".

Sometimes I wonder if its unbalance or soundstage

I believe our ears can get out of balance depending on various physical conditions, so don't rule that out.

I have had instances where I noticed song is playing in slow motion, so our auditory system is not a sampling electronic, but an organic sensing system tied to a emotional brain that has relative responses.

I know. I know, we are strongly confident it's not us, but we can't be sure of that.

A good step to being accurate in assessment is considering yourself. lol

 

[Jamaulson]

Just to tack onto this, I could physically change the vocal centering by turning/adjusting my neck positioning. I spent a solid hour stretching just my left side of my neck (not enough stretching after working out + Audeze headphones...), and the centering was corrected. After some research into tinnitus, some cases are related to neck strain and certain exercises can significantly improve tinnitus (it did for me!). So I would agree, sometimes its you, not the gear.

Though sometimes, it is the gear

 

[sajesak]

A little update: it could be your amp/headphones.

It's a pretty long holiday here in Thailand, so i did a little experiment and research.

1.) My M-100 are the worst offenders. I noticed things were a little more centered when un-amped with my rx-3b. So i tested them straight from my iphone. Definitely tilted to the right. I borrowed my wife's Beats Studio (i know, i know) and everything was waaay more centered. But seriously, it was hard to tell where things are with these cans. Took them to the shop from where i got them, the dude listened to them for a minute or so... And i'll hear from them on Wednesday whether i'll get a replacement or they can repair them!!!

2.) Now for the others (xba-40 and Woodies). I've noticed for a while that on the lowest volumes, my rx-3b is waaay louder on the right relative to the left. Didn't give it much thought - pots do that, i guess. But then i got to thinking that may be this is connected to things shifting to the right??? I read up on this a bit and concluded that there is a significant tolerance in two-channel potentiometers (even good ones) but maths says that it is much worse at low values and nearly negligible at higher values. So i tried setting my 3b on 'low gain' and turned the volume knob (nearly) all the way (needed to, low really means low with these guys). And yes, while the voice is a little to the right, it's a lot less now. Most actually seem centered as far as i can tell. And for some strange reason - and i might be imagining things here - this gets better (more centered) and the amp warms up.

Now i guess guys with sensitive iems or ciems have it worse - i barely noticed the imbalance with those beats as the volume is turned up quite 'far'. But I digress...my point is that if you experience this, it's best to check your amp/cans also. Specially the amp thing can you have a bobcat as a pet(theThirty3rd, that'd be you with them 334's - yes, i'm jealous but that's beside the point.)

I'll look further into this phenomenon/problem/time vampire and report more findings should i unearth any.

C

Hi, ive gotten into this crazy thing where im sure that the vocals coming from the record is slighly panned to the left. There is still vocal audio in the right channel, but it seems weaker. Just vocals tho, guitars, drums and other instruments + multiple vocals are balanced depending on the tune.

I did not notice it really until i listened to the 2015 remaster of Queen II - Father to Son. And from there i could swear almost all records had the same issue.

This is on a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon with an ortofon 2M Blue. - Factory set-up.
I changed the stylus to a 2M Red, same result.
Reversed the cables, same result.
My girlfriend listened, and to her the vocals were more centered.

BUT: If i reverse my headphones, i get clear vocals from the right-side headphone.
I can check the azimuth with a magnifying-glass, whilst the needle is on a record to see if it skewers.

BUT, i did test Queen I on a TT in a store, and the same damn thing was occuring there.


I will connect the TT to the line-in on my pc and do a recording in Audacity to see wheter actually there is a difference..
Other then that, i can only imagine its my right ear having issues, as i swear the same issue occurs on my phone..

Has anyone else encountered this?