Turntable louder on the left channel

I have an Audio Technical AT150MLX cartridge on my Technics SL1200G.

Now, the table itself is pretty much foolproof so it's not like I have installed the arm incorrectly.

The table is dead level.

The cartridge 'looks' aligned to the best of my ability.

However, using the manufacturers tracking force for the cartridge (which is extremely wide!) and setting the anti skate to match it causes the left channel to be louder.

I have to adjust the balance on my Rotel amp to +4 on the right channel (out of a max possible 15) to match the channels.

Possibly some of that imbalance is the configuration of the room but still, it seems too big.

I have tried whacking up the anti skate to the maximum 3 (such that when I set anti skate using the much derided method of using a blank record with no grooves, it skates off away from the centre) and this seems to have some impact. But surely this cannot be the correct solution?

So I assume that the cartridge is probably misaligned in the headshell. Is that the correct conclusion?

And if so, what adjustment should I be making to correct the problem? Do I need to twist it one way or the other...and if so, which way should I turn it?

 

Easiest solution is adjust your balance on the amplifier.

 

Listen on headphones to eliminate room gain. Reverse the turntable leads to the amp to confirm the imbalance is coming from the turntable. (Right should now be louder.) If the turntable cable is replaceable, do so. If the problem persists, it is either the cartridge or turntable internal wiring. To eliminate wiring as the cause, you can reverse the white and red leads to the cartridge and test as you did when reversing the turntable connection to amp. If a removable headshell, clean the contact points and be sure the connection to the arm is properly aligned and tight. If imbalance still there, be sure the stylus is properly seated in the cartridge and that internal contact points are clean. Finally, try another cartridge.

 

Sounds like a mismatch between VTF and anti-skate. Do you have a test LP?

 

Oh and, have you verified the mismatch with some kind of level meter? i.e. on a cassette recorder, computer, or even with headphones?

 

The truth is that you can't visually align a cartridge. I made this mistake for years until I learned how to use a protractor to properly do it. Because a record is round, the cartridge has to be turned slightly inward to make it track properly. The only way to know how much is with a protractor. Once I learned how to do this, it fixed a variety of minor issues on my turntable. It sounds like your stylus isn't sitting down in the middle of the grove and adjusting the tracking force and anti skate won't fix that. You can download a free protractor at Vinyl Engine.

 

If you are hearing an imbalance something is seriously off. Go thru realigning everything again.

 

Imabalance is usually a cartridge issue, I am afraid. Is the cantilever perfectly straight when you look with a loupe?

 

Not with his turntable. Cartridge should be straight in the headshell assuming the cantilever/stylus is straight.

 

Is there a change when you dial back the anti-skate?

 

I detected a lower level in my LEFT channel. Turns out I have a slight hearing loss in the mid-range frequencies in my left ear. But, I'm old.

 

Well, I never thought to swap the cables over to test. So I did...and, er, I feel a bit stupid now because it was STILL louder in the left channel.

Hmm. So, I am thinking it must be either my room acoustics or my hearing? I asked my daughter to listen and she couldn't hear any imbalance, but to be honest, she's not exactly a "critical listener".

I guess that's why they put balance controls on amps?!

(Thanks for all the replies btw. Much appreciated.)

 

Does your amp have a stereo mono switch? If you switch it to mono and the imbalance is still there, then it may be a problem with one channel of the amp.

 

Have you confirmed that the cartridge is wired properly? I mean the phasing or the +/- portion. A friend had a similar delimma and I determined he had been listening with the +/- reversed on one of the cartridge channels.

 

You need to put some numbers on this. If it is 2 dB or less, then it is within cartridge specs. I hear a slight imbalance in my system that I can measure with a mono LP.

I would get (use) a mono LP and listen for center image, adjust balance to center image. Then put on a mono CD and repeat. If the balance setting is the same, then its the room or your hearing, or your amplifier, ie. something in common to both LP and CD.
If its different, then it's probably your cart or phono pre.

 

Hey keiron99, I just wondered if you figured out what your problem was with your louder left channel? Reason being I had a similar problem tonight after bringing out some of my older equipment out of moth balls due to a pre-amp of mine that needs to be sent off to Santa Clause for a fixin'. I may post a thread on it. Funny how we are convinced it's one thing and then BOOM.....it's not that at all.

 

Check your cartridge azimuth alignment and make sure the cantilever isn't biased toward one side. Check the wiring on the cartridge and make it's not reversed putting one channel out of phase. Try a different pair of interconnects, could have a bad one. Back off on the antiskate and use as little as you can.

 

compare it to another source

 

The Technics tracking error scheme does not require a protractor to achieve. Just attach cart to headshell, leaving mounting screws loose enough to adjust the stylus to headshell tail distance to 52mm using the supplied gauge. Then, square the cart to the headshell and tighten mounting screws. That's it to realize the Technics tracking error specification. The OP's issue could be a defective cart, that's to say azimuth is not vertical and/or the cantilever is not parallel to the cartridge body. The other thing which causes channel imbalance is main speakers do not have a symmetrical relationship to the listening area. For example, one speaker is next to a side wall and the other is 5 or 6 feet from a side wall.

 

Hmmm, left channel imbalance eh?

 

Sorry for the late reply.

My experiments show it is probably the room or my ears. So I just turn the balance.

As it happens, I have been investigating the idea of "micro suction ear wax removal"!

One other thing, not sure if it's related or not, but the "sweet spot" in my room is very narrow and even tends to shift. I've tried firing my Harbeth speakers at all sorts of angles, pulling them further toward me etc, but still it seems very narrow.

 

keiiron99, have you checked your headshell connection? I'm not talking about the cartridge wires (but you should look at that too) I'm speaking of where the headshell screws into the arm of your turntable. My old SL1600mk2 had not been used in forever and I had a spare headshell and cartridge installed initially (Audio Technica) so when the problem persisted after drowning my old Onkyo intergrated amp in contact spray I had a premonition.

I opened up a drawer with my original headshell and a cartridge already installed and switched it out from the above. And guess what? Now I was getting some sound from my dead left channel. Took it back off and applied a shot of contact cleaner and the sound got better. Ok I thought, the headshell connection is my problem. At this point I felt like the right channel wasn't as sharp and vibrant as the left. I stopped the music and loosened the headshell a bit. Wala! It's perfect now. And I was convinced all along it was the phono side of the amp.

 

Anti skate wont help much with this. Probably just a cart imbalance thats inherent.

 

This may sound like a dumb suggestion but I promise it has worked for me, and having read the thread I don't think it has been eliminated, but I suggest look at your speakers. I had a long-time imbalance issue in my system and I always blamed it on my receiver and I went through all kinds of headaches and changes and etc. but I finally changed out the speaker wire (and made sure they were the same length - not supposed to be an issue but it was) and that solved it. Even now periodically I have to disconnect my speakers and reconnect them, it seems that the screws on the speakers that hold the wires in get loose over time or something.

 

I've got a similar problem, but it's coming from my antique preamp. I set up Sound Studio put on a mono record and adjust the balance until the meters are level.