First Preamp with Proper Balance


Greetings,
I am wondering if anyone else has had the experience I have; after several receivers, pre/amp combos etc. I just recently put a Rogue Audio Magnum 66 into my system. It is the only time I have ever heard the system sound truly balanced!
All these years I have sensed that the right channel is slightly stronger than the left. This was true with receivers years ago and in this system preamps such as a Meridian 501 and Audio Research LS-9, both good pieces of equipment.

I have changed nothing else, just the preamps. But the Rogue gets the separation and STRENGTH of each channel perfect! I always thought I'd just have to live with that anomaly - the slightly stronger right channel. The Meridian had balance control, and I ususally had to pump up the left channel quite a bit (no, room anomalies were not the cause). The Audio Research had no balance control. But when the Rogue was inserted into the system, the "rightness" of it was clear, almost shocking!

This is almost a scary discovery, that a higher end piece of equipment such as Meridian or Audio Research might "skew" the balance/separation so much!

Again, no, there are no other issues such as a bad amp channel, mismatched interconnects, polarity messed up, etc. Plain and simple, these other amps sounded too right - pardon the pun - too much right channel and not enough left. And, lest I receive a barrage of hearing loss jokes, I believe my hearing is just fine. Of course, maybe deaf people just think everyone else speaks too softly! ha

Has anyone else ever had similar experience. I'm inclined to believe that the Rogue has superior design, at least in that regard. When I first heard the Rogue in my system, this correction of left/right channel was so astounding, I sat for hours listening, thinking THIS is how it's SUPPOSED to sound!!!!
douglas_schroeder
Good for you! IMHO the most important elements are synergy and personal preferences. Sounds like your system works for you.
Best wishes,
Jay
Perhaps the new preamp has a weaker right channel that compensates for whatever else is causing the problem. I'm glad you found something that works for you, but it's hard to believe that you happened to get this variety of equipment over the years that were all louder in the right channel.
Yes, I have noticed the same exact thing. I have had to compensate in other ways. Speaker placement etc.
I have a new preamp on order. I hope I have the same experience that you have had with your Rogue.
On a related note, my Klyne SK-5A has the most effective, best tracking balance control I've ever used. A millimeter turn to the left or right and the image moves correspondingly--no kidding. And it stays there till I put it back. Many's the time I've noticed a shifted image and at first put it down to the recording (or shrugged it off the way I used to with less precise equipment) only to find someone had given the balance control a nudge. It's a great pleasure to use this unit.