Outputs 1 and 2 --- which is "left", which is "right"?

[chuckJuda]

Hi. Setting up my Stage 3 to connect to a stereo pair of FRFR powered speakers... I noticed that the outputs when viewed from the top panel are labeled in order CH1, CH2, CH3, CH4 reading left to right. But looking at the back panel, CH1 and CH2, and CH3 and CH4 are reversed. So the left-most 1/4" output is CH1 looking at the top panel labels, but it's CH2 when looking at the back panel labels. Which is correct? And, more importantly, which is the "left" channel and which is the "right" channel output?

[chuckJuda]

1 Left 2 Right

[chuckJuda]

IMG_1394.jpeg (414.7 KiB) Viewed 2709 times

Thanks! So CH1 is "left", and CH2 is "right". But which output is CH1 and which is CH2? See photo...

[baekgaard]

IMG_1394.jpeg

Thanks! So CH1 is "left", and CH2 is "right". But which output is CH1 and which is CH2? See photo...

The channel to the left in your picture is left.

You could also test this by panning a sound to the left, or you could check the stereo image of a piano where the bass strings are more to the left compared to the higher notes.

Sent from my phone in brevity

[Hlaalu]

The channel to the left in your picture is left

But if so, 2 is left, not 1.

[chuckJuda]

I don't know where that drawing comes from, but below you can see a real picture of NS3 connectors and they are in the right order

schermata_2022-12-02_alle_15.48.58.jpg (542.86 KiB) Viewed 2659 times

so maybe your NS3 has just a mis-labeling of the rear panel (can you post a picture/photo?), but this is how it is: labels can be wrong (I can't see why or how, anwyay let's assume they could) but the NS3 mainboard is one.

[baekgaard]

The channel to the left in your picture is left

But if so, 2 is left, not 1.

It depends; the "white on red" text labels this CH1 whereas the "black on white" labels it CH2. In reality, as @maxpiano also points out, the output next to the headphone connector is CH1 (or left)

[chuckJuda]

I think we had this already once a while ago - the drawing seems to be from the manual which was wrong. In reality there is no difference between the top and back printing of the outputs, and CH1 is left, CH2 is right.

[hordur]

I find it useful to know when working with sound in general, that odd numbers are always left and even numbers are always right.

[Hlaalu]

The channel to the left in your picture is left

But if so, 2 is left, not 1.

It depends; the "white on red" text labels this CH1 whereas the "black on white" labels it CH2. In reality, as @maxpiano also points out, the output next to the headphone connector is CH1 (or left)

That was my point, yes, but as others have said, that drawing comes from the manual and does not represent what's actually on the board. I think if the real thing had been like the manual, we would have noted!

By the way it's a bit of a mystery why Nord chooses to use numbers as opposed to L/R, when the vast majority of manufacturers use L/R. I get that the stage has 4 outputs, but even then, they could have added the L/R thing in parallel with the numbering system.