[ajp120]

If the sound stage was a clock I typically hear the lead singer at 11:30 o clock instead of dead center at 12 o clock. I started
Worrying that this is because I am losing hearing in my right ear so I started doing left and right channel checks. The vocals are slightly loudred in my left ear on many tracks with instruments louder in the right and the vocals slightly quieter.

Do producers specifically pan vocals to one side slightly?

I only started noticing this with my HD25s. But I don't think it's a mechanical problem of the cans.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

You could give us an example track so others could listen and judge to the same track. But as I see there's mostly 4 options:

1) The song is recorded/mixed that way
2) The gear you use has unbalanced right/left (headphone/amp)
3) Your settings if you're using computer as your source is not centered
4) You've got more hearing loss in one of the ears


2) is very common unfortunately. Especially the amp provides often unbalanced channel volumes at low volume and since HD25 is a very sensitive headphone and if you amp I'd be particularly suspicious about that. Headphones can also vary from sample to another if quality control is poor, one sample HD25 could be nearly perfect, another might have up to 5dB varieties at some frequencies, it's not impossible.
 
3) should be noted if that's the case, at certain volume levels the left/right channel is actually one digit different. I tend to stick to one on the volume bar in the lower right corner that I know when checking through control panel shows the same digit for left/right.

 

[nick_charles]

If the sound stage was a clock I typically hear the lead singer at 11:30 o clock instead of dead center at 12 o clock. I started
Worrying that this is because I am losing hearing in my right ear so I started doing left and right channel checks. The vocals are slightly loudred in my left ear on many tracks with instruments louder in the right and the vocals slightly quieter.

Do producers specifically pan vocals to one side slightly?

I only started noticing this with my HD25s. But I don't think it's a mechanical problem of the cans.

 
1. Take a track, any track and make it mono any level imbalance between the ears will be apparent, put the headphones on the opposite ears (if you can)  - is the imbalance on the same ear ?
 
How long has this been noticeable ?
Not to be rude but how old are you ? - hearing loss does frequently occur with age - I have a slight imbalance between my 55 year old ears which used to be on the right but as I aged has now moved to the left, my dad had the same as he aged
 
There are a few hearing tests online but I would seriously consult your doctor as it might just be earwax or might be a symptom of something serious

 

[ajp120]

I think that setting my Sansa zip to mono fixed it. But I tested while walking around shopping I will need to a b test at home alone.

I'm only 26 and although not impossible it's not the norm age for hearing loss, an I actually here the guitar more so in the right than I can in the left so I dunno.

Ill also a b test with other headphones. I really only noticed this when I got my HD25s

 

[ajp120]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e8ODm-F9-IM

Doing this test with my N tunes, HD25s and Monoprice buds I didn't see an imbalance, if anything the right actually sounded louder but was faint enough to be imagined.

 

[proton007]

I've been facing a similar issue.
 
There are many reasons of 'hearing loss', it does not mean your ear is damaged.
 
The most common cause is blockage in the eustachian tube and the middle ear, caused due to an infection.
If you're prone to regular throat infections (I am) this can be a permanent issue which will present itself as hearing loss.
 
 
In my case the doctor diagnosed a 2-3dB drop at 500Hz in the left ear. He was unsure of the cause, and blamed it on my audio habit. Its unlikely because the loss wasn't gradual, and I don't listen to music so frequently (read a few hours everyday) or at high volumes.
Also, my left ear never completely pops.
 
Get your ears exeamined by an ENT specialist.