Dave in ABQ Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Hello Meagain, I really don't know didley squat about this, but I just had a thought. (happens sometimes). When listening to stereo, both speakers don't usually play the same information. The left channel caries some of the program material and the right carries the other half. This would make one speaker sound very different from another if you were not combining the signal into one with a Mono switch or such. Of course, I'm just letting my mind wonder into your problem and I could be completely off base. Good luck in your quest. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 It took a while for my eyes to focus on it, but it looks to me like the ears hear a bigger difference than the spectrum analyzer. Why am I not surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 It took a while for my eyes to focus on it, but it looks to me like the ears hear a bigger difference than the spectrum analyzer. Why am I not surprised. Right on, Dean! Obviously, she's not pleased enough or wouldn't keep metering. Like you and the rest of us said: "Try it with your ears." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Yea - I'm sort of dead in the water right now (frustrated). I can't a/b the 2 speakers cuz they are different so there's no point. The post above bothers me in that they were supposed to be hooked up in mono, and I'm almost afraid to go look to make sure they are. If not, oh - I'll be mad! [8o|] I'd be really happy if I could magically/instantly swap x-overs in one speaker but I can't. Anyway, I hear a difference. How much? IDK at this point. Husband less so. I'm going to do what Mark? (& others) suggested and just listen to one song to death with old, replace both, and listen to death. I don't have faith in my ear memory. The question is, how much money is this difference worth? IDK Jeff - are you still listening to yours or did you send them off to Bob. That said, I scored a nice deal on a Behringer DEQ2496 based on posts from members here and I'm looking at it right now. Before I get yelled at - I promise not to touch it till I sort this all out. [] EDIT: What's a 'P-Trap'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Meagain, go ahead and do whatever is easier right now as to getting either both new ones in or both old ones in and just listen in stereo. Then, swap both out. I'd run a comparison on a nice, clean song with good dynamics - that's why I chose Steely Dan. Then, just ask yourself when you're done whether you're left guessing or not. If you're left guessing, I'd say the difference is not distinct enough to worry about it anymore, and you should move on to other alternatives. EDIT: I won't beat a dead horse, but...... don't say I didn't tell you so. It's the *mp! [] I said wayyyyyy back when, and I'm stickin' to my guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebse2a3 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Meagain one thing you might want to check just for a reference. Run your test say 3 times on your left speaker(for example) to see just how repeatable your test results are. Alot of test signals(like white or pink noise on a CD) vary slightly over time and depending on when you take your reading you will see some variation. If this is happening to you then the best you can do is take several test and average the results. Also pink noise is one of the most common to use with an RTA. Another question: Are you sending a test signal from A CD using seperate left and right outputs for your test signal? If so you might be better off using only one channel to feed the test signals to your left and right speakers so that you eliminate any variation in the Test CD,CD player,Receiver, ETC..... Meagain you can take a speaker that measures flat say within +/- 3db and as soon as you install it in a room you could easily see variations of up to 15db. The best suggestion is to swap left and right speakers and listen as well as testing is a good one also to help see any real variation due to the room response and to decide if one speaker really sounds different from the other. As others have said also trying to hear a difference between left and right speakers if you use a stereo source is about impossible and should really be done with a mono signal. mike[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Jeff -- well actually, what I was trying to hint at is that the ears pick up on things that microphones and spectrum analyzers don't. Things that often measure the same don't sound the same. "...and should really be done with a mono signal." I also think that's important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Well actually, what I was trying to hint at is that the ears pick up on things that microphones and spectrum analyzers don't. Things that often measure the same don't sound the same. To put it more lightly.... Who gives a rat's a** what the meter says? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78Khorn Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Mono isn't a hook-up. It would just be a button on your receiver. Most receivers have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78Khorn Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Other option is if your receiver has both "A" and "B" speaker outputs you can hook one speaker up to the left channel of speaker "A" and the other speaker up to the left channel of speaker "B" and then switch back and forth between speaker "A" and "B" to compare the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Sounds like we're testing the amp, now. Hmmmmmm,,,, If you put the xovers in and listen, the test is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Other option is if your receiver has both "A" and "B" speaker outputs you can hook one speaker up to the left channel of speaker "A" and the other speaker up to the left channel of speaker "B" and then switch back and forth between speaker "A" and "B" to compare the sound. Ha! That's a good idea (I think:). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 It is if you listen in mono. Maybe she'll hear a difference in mono that you can't hear in stereo. Is that where she should be going? Just wondering why. [:|] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78Khorn Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I have my HT center channel pre-amp out hooked into an Integrated amps left channel amp-in and I have my Belles hooked up to the left channel "A" and "B" terminals. I select the "A" + "B" setting and this lets me place the Belles on either side of my TV and play the center channel out of each at 8 ohms. Seem to work well and balance well with my Khorn mains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Mono just makes sure the same exact thing is being sent to each channel -- a stereo mix won't do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78Khorn Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Jeff, these mono comments were in response to the question of were the speakers really sounding different from each other or were they just receiving different stereo left and right channel sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in ABQ Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hello Meagain, I really don't know didley squat about this, but I just had a thought. (happens sometimes). When listening to stereo, both speakers don't usually play the same information. The left channel caries some of the program material and the right carries the other half. This would make one speaker sound very different from another if you were not combining the signal into one with a Mono switch or such. Of course, I'm just letting my mind wonder into your problem and I could be completely off base. Good luck in your quest. [] Listening in mono to both speakers should help determin if your "diference" in speaker sound is physical or just the recording channel on one speaker sounding better (having different information on it). edit: hopefully your receiver has a simple "mono" switch. My old Pioneer SX-950 and my Scott 299B have one, but my newer Kenwood surround sound recevier does not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 EDIT! LOL The music was put into the computer and played through the computer to each speaker in mono. This is what I've just been told. I have a 1984? Yamaha amp and a NAC Series 20. I think the Yamaha will make this all easier on me has the HK doesn't do mono. Are you sending a test signal from A CD using seperate left and right outputs for your test signal? If so you might be better off using only one channel to feed the test signals to your left and right speakers so that you eliminate any variation in the Test CD,CD player,Receiver, ETC..... mike[] YesTo add to the "I'm stupid pile", I have this odd habit of forgetting I have probably one of the cheapest DVD/CD players known to man. Prolly cost $80 bucks a few years ago? Toshiba. I've been told this could make a big difference (even via email), but I keep blocking it out of my mind. Going to find my Yamaha amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Meagain, you're all too graciously humble. Don't worry about it. I hope this didn't make you miss just seeing UT kick USC's a** as Vince Young rushed for a TD on a 4th down and 5 yards-to-go last ditch effort with only 19 seconds left on the game clock. OMG!!!!!!!!!! Go UT!!!!! Okay, now........ She heard a difference because she's been listening in stereo. That's a relief. We're good so far. Meagain, why not try it this way if you just want to know if there's a difference one speaker at a time? Put your balance full-left and exchange the left xover to hear before and after. Then, put your balance full right and do the same for the right speaker. Sounds easy enough. Then, since you never heard the cumulative difference in stereo (which is ultimately what difference you will permanently listen to), listen with the xovers in stereo with balance on center; then, switch both out and listen again. BTW: Even a $15.00 Walkman is good enough for this test. These cheapy CD players aren't as bad as you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78Khorn Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Meagain, rather than switching amps you could just hook up the right speaker to the left channel at the back of your amp and the left speaker to the right channel. Replay the same music you had on and see if the bad sound moved to the other speaker or not. This would tell you if the speaker had a problem or if the one channel of you DVD/AMP was bad. Then you can troubleshoot the correct equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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