[drez]

I recently bought some RS1's, and have noticed something very strange.  

Even when down-mixing to mono, even reversing earphones, the hi-hat always sounds like its coming  from the right.  At first I thought it was a channel imbalance.  This can really get annoying...
 
Could this be down to the shape of my ear canal, some effect of sound-stage, or am I just partially deaf...
 
Has anyone encountered something similar?

 

[mootookang]

Does this also happen with other pairs of headphones, or is it only the RS1s?

 

[drez]

hmm seems to happen on my k272 as well.
 
Its either Im slightly deaf, or most songs have the hi-hat produced to be more to one side.
 
Maybe its also because the RS1 response isn't flat, so it messes with the production?
 
Maybe I need that Meier stageDAC with crossfeed to lessen this effect?

 

[mcmalden]

You have already listened to the right channel with your left ear? I think that would give some information.

 

[robm321]

Hate to ask the obvious question, but is this on many different recordings? 

 

[Danz03]

I don't quite understand what you meant? Did you mean you can only hear the hi-hats with your right ear? Even after you reversed the channels? If that's the case, then there must be something wrong with your left ear. However, if you were saying that the hi-hats seemed to always be louder on the R channel, then what you are hearing is correct, as the hi-hat is usually located on the left hand side of the drummer. 

 

[power911]

try a different song and tell us more info bout it.
try synthesized hi-hats... they're mono. (like owl city)

 

[drez]

I think its the production.  When swapped the  hi-hat comes from the same speaker.  I guess I'm not used to headphones with good stereo imaging.
 
Thanks Danz!  Makes a lot more sense now, i had things back to front in my head.  Seems quite a few records do this with the production, probably because this imaging makes sense.
 
Even Devin Townsend's ZTO which uses drum machine has this imaging.
 
Owl City seems mostly balanced L/R for cymbals.

 

[power911]

good to hear your ears are okay

have fun listening

 

[mootookang]

Glad your ears are okay. 
 
Going deaf could be one of the worst thing that can happen to an audiophile.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Earwax?

A relative thought he had hearing problems. He was horrified at what the doctor syringed out.

 

[kite7]

Quote:

Glad your ears are okay. 
 
Going deaf could be one of the worst thing that can happen to an audiophile.

Not to an audiophile but for just about anybody. I don't think anyone can imagine what life is like on mute.

 

[Danz03]

You are welcome, I'm glad that your hearing is fine too, it must have been terrifying. I thought I lost the bass response in one of my ears a few years back, scared me to death.