How's it going everyone. This is my first post here on Gearslutz. Since getting into home recording about three years ago I have found this site to be by far the most helpful in answering my questions regarding all aspects of working in a home studio. However, I am currently having a problem that I cant find an answer to. About 2 weeks ago I upgraded my studio monitors from a pair of M audio studiophile av40 monitors to a set of Yamaha Hs80m. Never had any trouble with the m audio monitors but found that my mixes sounded terrible everywhere else but in the studio. It seems the m audio flatter the mix a lot.

So I was after something a bit better for mixing and the Yamaha's definitly fit the bill. So I rang a music store about an hour and a half drive from where I live and they said they had 5 in stock so I went to get a set. When I got to the shop they had 5 alright but one was a faulty returned one. Two otherS where set up for display and one was sold. So they only really had one. So the guy in the shop offered me the new one and a display one at a discount price. I wasn't overly keen on the display one but after driving up and everything I took it.

My fist impression of the Ymaha hs80 was WOW. So clear and crisp and the stereo imaging is amazing. Just what I was after. Even listening to some of my favourite albums on it I was hearing things I didn't even now where in the songs. After a little while however I started to notice that the right speakers was not as loud as the left. All the setting were the same but the left one was slightly overpowering the right one. I got someone else to have a listen and they agreed. I have found a small fix for this. If I just boost the volume in the right I can roughly even out the sound but i'm worried the right one may be damaged and im pretty sure it was the display model from the shop.

The one other thing I should mention as It is definitly a factor is that the right speaker is in a small corner. I now this will affect the bass response but would it also affect the projected volume in the speaker. Are the seperate volume controls on the Yamaha's designed excactly for this kind of problem.

I have attached a small image of my studio shape and monitor location so maybe someone can tell me. I have swapped the leads around and tried different leads but it remains the same. I'd really appreciate any feedback on the matter. Thanks

Hey buddy, nice choice with the Yamaha's! With out a doubt the speakers should output the same level and since you had one floor model, I'd take them back. Your right having the speaker in the corner will effect the bass response and maybe just maybe a db but nothing drastic should change in level. Oh by the way, when you find another $350 lying around, GET THE SUB. Once you go sub you never go back. The Yamaha HS series offers a great 2.1

Hey, Thanks for the response. I wouldn't have said it was more than a Db or 2 but its definitly noticeable. Its like your attention is being pulled to the other speaker. Kinda strange. Yeah it looks like I may have to return them but i'll definitly get another set. The sound is amazing.

I think the HS-80s were notorious for amp inconsistencies and QC issues. Once you get a good set, they're great for the money. Take them back and have them order you a new pair or file a warranty claim with Yamaha.

lemmy, the positioning of one speaker in a corner will absolutely have a noticeable effect on balance. since the power of sound is largely concentrated in the low frequencies, the speaker in the corner will seem louder - remember that if a speaker is placed out in the middle of a room and off the floor, it will radiate as a sphere. placing it on the floor or against a wall will cut that sphere in half. moving it into a corner will cut the radiant wave in half again - each time in that process you will be adding about +3dB of low frequency output to what you are hearing.

and you are correct that it generally only affects low frequencies, so you should do a little test. get a sample of a mid-level frequency tone, maybe 1000 hz, and run it through both speakers. switch the playback from stereo to mono back and forth a few times. listening to the playback in mono will tell you whether the LR levels are balanced (it should seem to come from exactly the middle). if the system sounds balanced at 1000 hz, your speakers are probably fine. trying to correct the low freq imbalance problem by altering the overall volume of one side will result in other kinds of freq balance problems. so, to correct your placement problem (assuming you dont really have a better choice to place them in the room), you should use the "room" EQ control on the back of the monitors to either slightly boost the low freq on the speaker that is not in a corner, or slightly reduce the low freqs on the speaker that is in the corner. then use 3-4 test tones at perhaps 4khz, 1khz, 300 hz, and 90-100 hz one at a time thorugh the speakers - listen to each tone carefully in mono and stereo to ensure you have correct balance from L-R for the entire frequency range. if you still hear slight imbalances, use the room (low), mid, and high freq EQ onctrols on the rear of the monitors to get it just right.

good luck.

Sry for being Captain Obvious but why don't you swap the speakers (left to the right and vice versa) to rule out the speaker position in your room as the cause?

Thanks for the answer. I will try use the frequency tone to test but i'm afraid its the speaker in the corner that has the lower volume so thats definitly not a good sign. i'll let ya know how I get on. Cheers

It may be obvious alright but its the one thing I hadn't thought of trying so no need to be sorry. I'll give it a go and let ya know how I get on. Thanks

Hey Guys, So I have tried a few things and I definitly have a bad speaker. First I swapped the speakers to th opposite sides and sure enough the lower volume was on the other side now. So I put them back and opened my DAW and duplicated a drum track and panned it to opposite sides, taking in turns to solo each one and by doing this it was very clear that one speaker is a lot quieter.

So i'll ring the store that I bought them from in the morning and hopefully get them swapped for a new pair. I just hope that because I have had them 16 days it doesn't affect my rights. Thanks for the help guys

Really stupid, obvious statement here.. Have you checked the speaker trim and room correction switches in the back to make sure they're the same?

Hey guys,

a question for anyone who uses the hs80ms; what volume do you guys keep your speakers at? I got mine at 4 usually and I control the levels from my interface, but I was curious to know what other people usually set the volume of the monitors at.

Same as you do.