Problem with stereo balance: is it monitors or my ears?

[LoveEnigma18]

So, I finally got a new pair of monitors (Yamaha HS7) yesterday and after setting it up and playing some music to test it, all my excitement turned into worry.

With both monitors set to the 12 o'clock volume level at their back, properly positioned in the room at equal distance from all walls and myself at third corner of equilateral triangle, I started playing some music in my DAW. Oddly, I was hearing the left speaker louder than the right one. I doubted the speaker. So, I swapped the left and right speakers (cables as is), but again, no difference. Then, I just exchanged the cables, no difference gain. Then I swapped cables at source only, so that left and right channels are swapped, but to my surprise, the left speaker still felt louder.

I tested the music in mono too. In mono too, the left speaker felt louder. However, with mono enabled, I panned it hard left and the hard right one by one and I did not hear any noticeable difference in what my left and right ears heard.

I am not facing any hearing problem in my day to day routine, like sounds of surrounding near or far or different directions, my wife and son talking to me, or even when I listen in headphones. Everything sounds OK and balanced.

I am only facing this issue when I am in front of my studio monitors. The phantom image is a little towards the left. I asked my wife to sit in my position and she said it sounds in the center to her (she does not know much about this, but there is no other option than accepting what she said is true).

What could it be? I am really worried and unfortunately due to covid situation being critical here, I cannot go out to visit a doctor too.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[LoveEnigma18]

Could it be my room?

I have basic acoustic treatment in place, and while I had panels on the front corners and either sides of the speakers, there is a window on the left side (which is where the balance is stronger) after the panel area.

I checked my old speakers and there I see I have the right side speaker a little higher in volume. I knew this fact before installing the new speakers, but I was ignoring that and trying to ensure my ears are fine.

Also, the balance varies a little bit based on the audio. Sometimes it is more towards left, sometimes more towards the center. But never in center with volume levels matched at the back of the speakers.

But I still need to make sure that my ears are fine. So some help is appreciated.

[Passing Bye]

Think it's your room.

[jancivil]

Well, I definitely hear more on the left, have forever
CF: varies a little bit based on the audio.

[chk071]

I also think it's your room.

I have the same issue here... turning both speakers to 6, on moderate volume, I hear the sound slightly from the right. If I turn the volume higher, the sound comes from the center...

It's already happening when I have the speakers positioned very slightly different. I often had the impression that the sound rather comes from the left, when I had them in a different position... all very sensitive.

[thecontrolcentre]

I've recently had the same issue. I haven't changed monitors or my room from when everything was sounding fine and balanced. Now the right monitor sounds louder than the left.
I tried swapping the monitors around, then the cables, but it made no difference. I notice no problems with my hearing other than when I listen to my monitors from a central position.
I've seen my doctor about this, but he couldn't find any issues and has referred me for a hospital appointment. Unfortunately the waiting list is a minimum of 3 months because of the Covid crisis, so I have to put up with it for now.

[jancivil]

easy thing to test: if this is true using (reputable) headphones it's your ears

[fese]

In general, everyone has some hearing differences between the right and left ear. AFAIK this is mostly noticeable in the higher frequencies.
Is the volume knob on your speakers a potentiometer? Those do have tolerances, and if I remember correctly, those can be surprisingly high especially for cheaper ones. So it would be best to not rely on the position but adjust the levels so it sounds right. I think this is better done with white noise instead of music.
Else what jancivil wrote, test with cans.
Fun/depressing thing to do: take a test tone generator and do a sweep from low to hi. Notice if and how it wanders between the speakers I know my monitor setup isn't good due to space issues, but I was surprised just how unstable the stereo imaging was over the frequency spectrum.
You could take notes where it is most extreme and the cross check those frequencies with headphones.

[LoveEnigma18]

easy thing to test: if this is true using (reputable) headphones it's your ears

Yes, fortunately, it seems that my ears are fine because I don't notice the problem when listening in headphones, as I mentioned in my original post. However, I just listened to some music on my Audio Technicas and it sounds balanced.

That said I still have the plan to visit a doctor once the pandemic eases a bit. What a pain it has been for everyone!

[LoveEnigma18]

I've recently had the same issue. I haven't changed monitors or my room from when everything was sounding fine and balanced. Now the right monitor sounds louder than the left.
I tried swapping the monitors around, then the cables, but it made no difference. I notice no problems with my hearing other than when I listen to my monitors from a central position.
I've seen my doctor about this, but he couldn't find any issues and has referred me for a hospital appointment. Unfortunately the waiting list is a minimum of 3 months because of the Covid crisis, so I have to put up with it for now.

Looks like we are in the same boat. I feel you. Are you able to listen fine on your headphones? I hope you do. That's the only comforting thing to me right now otherwise I was so worried. I will definitely visit a doctor when this Covid crisis eases a bit and get my ears checked for official assurance.

[LoveEnigma18]

I also think it's your room.

I have the same issue here... turning both speakers to 6, on moderate volume, I hear the sound slightly from the right. If I turn the volume higher, the sound comes from the center...

It's already happening when I have the speakers positioned very slightly different. I often had the impression that the sound rather comes from the left, when I had them in a different position... all very sensitive.

Yeah, but for me even at low volumes this is happening. Damn, it's crazy!

Is turning up the other speaker an acceptable solution to this? I did myself earlier, but now I am wondering if that's OK.

Asking this because when I tilt my head a little to the right from the center position, the phantom center is fine. Something to do with not being in the exact sweet-spot and time delay between speakers perhaps? Individually the speakers sound the same at same back panel volume setting, there is no noticeable difference.

[LoveEnigma18]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated. It does seem to be my room or maybe something to do with sitting position, as I can listen to fine on my headphones. At least no noticeable difference in phantom center on headphones. I did everything I could, but the left speaker is a little louder or at least feels so.

[LoveEnigma18]

In general, everyone has some hearing differences between the right and left ear. AFAIK this is mostly noticeable in the higher frequencies.
Is the volume knob on your speakers a potentiometer? Those do have tolerances, and if I remember correctly, those can be surprisingly high especially for cheaper ones. So it would be best to not rely on the position but adjust the levels so it sounds right. I think this is better done with white noise instead of music.
Else what jancivil wrote, test with cans.
Fun/depressing thing to do: take a test tone generator and do a sweep from low to hi. Notice if and how it wanders between the speakers I know my monitor setup isn't good due to space issues, but I was surprised just how unstable the stereo imaging was over the frequency spectrum.
You could take notes where it is most extreme and the cross check those frequencies with headphones.

Yes, but in this case it looks like it is not frequency specific.

The volume knob should be a potentiometer, however, to eliminate that being a problem I did a test. I set Speaker A at 12 o'clock position and placed it on the left and same with Speaker B and placed it on the right. Then, I increased the volume of the Speaker B on the right so that the phantom center is established. Next, I swapped the speakers keeping the volume settings as before. Naturally the Speaker B which I moved to the left sounded louder since the setting was higher than Speaker A. But then I had to set the Speaker A on the right higher than Speaker B to establish the phantom center. All this checked in both stereo and mono.

This means the speakers themselves are fine and any speaker that's placed on the right needs to have higher volume than the left. I swapped cables too, but those are not causing this problem.

Apparently, I am able to hear fine on headphones, which feels good. No noticeable difference.

I will try to do the stereo imaging test you mention. That's a good point. Thanks.

[jancivil]

"when I tilt my head a little to the right from the center position, the phantom center is fine. Something to do with not being in the exact sweet-spot and time delay between speakers perhaps?"
this makes a lot of sense I think

[LoveEnigma18]

"when I tilt my head a little to the right from the center position, the phantom center is fine. Something to do with not being in the exact sweet-spot and time delay between speakers perhaps?"
this makes a lot of sense I think

Yeah, I took rough measurements of my sitting position, and while I am roughly in the center, I might not be at the same distance from both speakers or as the same distance between both speakers. Time to disturb the wife again. But tomorrow, as it's too late and I should be sleeping.

Also, I wonder if I should set the back panel of my monitors to +4dB (which is the 12 o'clock position) or -10dB (which is the maximum setting). Guess it should be +4dB or around it for professional audio purpose as I think -10dB will get too loud. I am using Komplete Audio 6 as my audio interface.