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Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 19:00
by sussko
I am currently using the Royal Grand 3D for recording some tunes via an USB audio interface with the NP4. The thing which slightly bothers me is the fact that the stereo sound seem a bit unbalanced to me. I don't know if that is exactly how it is supposed to be by the 3D sampling of this sound or if I have screwed up some recording settings which results in this behaviour. To me, it seems like that even very high notes sound a bit louder on the left side of my headphones. I have listened to these recordings several times using different headphones and the effect stays the same. Anyone familiar with this issue?

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 19:16
by fieldflower
You actually have the headphones on the wrong way - high notes should be on the right hand side. ;)

This is intentional, as You have the low notes to the left of the keybed and the high notes to the right, this also comes through in the stereo panning.
I guess it's most pronounced on the 3D as it's sampled with binaural recording from players position.

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 19:18
by sussko
I already knew about that. Lets just say that every note I play - wherever in the low or high register - appears to be louder on the left and not on the right side.

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 19:23
by sussko
Maybe its better to directly post one of my recordings here so you guys can better tell what is going here:

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 19:27
by fieldflower
Yep, agree.
The range is from kinda far left to middle instead of a little left to a little right.
Strange panning.

Is it the same if playing through headphones directly from the keyboard?

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 19:35
by DJKeys
I think this is a headphone/cable issue. Happened to me at band practice using a faulty or failing headphone extension cable.

-dj

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 19:38
by fieldflower
DJKeys wrote:I think this is a headphone/cable issue. Happened to me at band practice using a faulty or failing headphone extension cable.

-dj
Not headphones - the sample is clearly shifted towards the left.
But cables or recording settings is kinda likely.

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 20:16
by baekgaard
In your recording, your left channel is approximately 13 dB louder than the right channel. That sounds gross... When you recorded this, did you ensure the levels on your audio interface had the exact same settings? And did you pan the left channel fully left and the right fully right?

One simple thing to do is to record something (like you did), then swap the cables coming out of the NS3 and record the exact same thing again and compare. That will tell you whether there is an issue in the recording chain (if the left channel remains the loudest) or if it's the output of the NS3 or the connectors in that end (then right becomes the loudest).

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 20:39
by sussko
I am kinda new into this recording things. I use two 1/4 inch cables and plug them in into the USB interface. Probably the right and left mix is not balanced but I don't know how to exactly adjust it.

Re: Unbalanced stereo recording on NP4

Posted: 10 Jul 2020, 22:05
by sussko
okay, I just did a new recording with basically the same settings but this time it surprisingly sounds more balanced, maybe even perfect. What do you guys think about it?