I purchased a 3dio through a second-hand transaction, but the left-right sound balance is not correct. When I asked the seller, they claimed that this is normal and that all 3dio units have imbalanced left-right audio.
I recorded a video demonstrating that when I tap the center of the product, there is a significant difference in the input levels between the left and right channels. Although I cannot attach the video, I am sending an image instead.
Is it true that the 3dio products inherently have this left-right imbalance? The difference is apparent even to an average listener.
Or did I end up purchasing a defective unit?
Please check the input levels carefully.
Hello 성찬 황,
Thank you for reaching out to us. I'm sorry your mic doesn't have proper L/R balance.
We match all microphones to have identical sound output within 1dB between L&R ears. Therefore, there should be no imbalance.
If you haven't yet already, we recommend replacing the 9V battery inside the mic. If the battery level is low, you may experience one ear louder/quieter than the other or you may hear some static in the signal.
To replace the battery, simply remove the lid from the center enclosure to access it.
If you still have an imbalance, please let us know and we'd be happy to continue troubleshooting.
Thank you,
~Brian
3Dio Customer Care
@3Dio
What I need is not after-sales service, but rather to know if the left-right imbalance shown in the video or image is at an acceptable level for a product sold by 3dio.
When I tap the center of the microphone, the difference between the waveforms of the left and right channels seems to exceed 1dB by a significant margin.
I would like to ask again:
Does this indicate that the product is defective?
Hi 성찬 황,
It is difficult to tell from a cellphone screenshot whether the imbalance exceeds 1dB. We don't use the method of tapping on the center enclosure to determine any imbalance.
If you are looking for confirmation about whether the product is defective, here is what we recommend:
1) Replace the 9V battery inside the microphone with a brand new battery. Doing so will eliminate the possibility of a dead or low battery from affecting the balance between the ears.
2) Place over-the-ear headphones onto the microphone and play white noise at a reasonable volume in the headphones. Make sure the headphones are situated onto the microphone evenly between both ears.
3) Make sure the gain levels for the left and right channels are identical on your audio interface.
4) If the visual level indicator on your audio interface displays a difference in the levels between left and right, then there may be an issue with the microphone.
If you can provide the microphone's serial number, we can validate that it is actually a 3Dio manufactured microphone and not a counterfeit.
The serial number can be found either inside the center enclosure or on the underside of the microphone on one of the ears discs.
Thank you,
~Brian
3Dio Customer Care
