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Phono cartridge left / right output voltage differ

Just received a new Denon DL-S1 cartridge and noticed that the output voltage for the left and right channels are different.The left is .16 mv and the right is .18 mv.Though this is only a .02 mv difference it turns out to be about a 12% difference between channels.

Will I hear this channel imbalance ? Should I send it back ?

Thanks
carbonfiberone

Showing 3 responses by almarg

almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
That is a difference of almost exactly 1 db, which is quite small. But I would be hesitant to say that it is completely insignificant. If your preamp has a balance control that is either continuously adjustable or has small steps near the center position, you should be able to determine if there is any audible significance, and compensate if necessary.

Regards,
-- Al
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Well, we have three different statements of what the difference is in db. I would re-assert that it is almost exactly 1.0 db, as I and Mulveling indicated. 20log(0.18/0.16) or 20log(0.16/0.18).

Regards,
-- Al
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I must have remember the formula incorrectly--I thought it was 10 log (P1/P2).
It is. However we are dealing with voltage, not power, and it is 20log(V1/V2) as Mulveling explained. Since for a given load power is proportional to the square of voltage, the logarithm gets multiplied by an additional factor of 2 when calculating from voltages.

log(X squared) = 2(log(X))

Regards,
-- Al
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