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Balance knob ..

So I'd say I've been a budget audiophile for 40+ years. Used to sell audio at Audio Warehouse in Cincinnati in the '80s. Currently I have a pretty big room with 12' ceilings, but different open areas behind each of the Maggie 1.7is and the Emotiva BASX 10" subs behind each. All driven by an Emotiva XPA-2 Gen3 and old CJ PV-10AL preamp. Listening mostly through a Bluesound Node 2i. CD player is a Panasonic Aventage BD1060 disc player. I have the sound, honestly, pretty damn great. But I am realizing a bit of bias to the left speaker. I think this is because that speaker has a lot space behind and to the side whilst the right has less and more complicated space behind and a closer side wall. 

I have always been told - and believed - that you shouldn't ever mess with the balance knob. But if the sound is a bit UNbalanced isn't that what it's for? Just to "balance" the output? But then I think with more signal going to the channel that the knob is turned to - which will screw-up imaging, soundstage, depth, etc., no? 

I am kinda stuck cuz I can't move the speakers or have a dedicated listening room. 

Thoughts? 
jkf011
roxy54's avatar
roxy54
7,956 posts
 
Just use the balance control!...jeez...
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,739 posts
 
As the SO is calling the shots, when she's not around move the speakers out one inch from the front wall every night before retiring. Hopefully she won't notice. In a few weeks, you're golden.
ndevamp
55 posts
 
Is it a speaker positioning problem, or an amplifier etc. problem? I’d try to work out where the problem lies before resorting to use of a balance control.Try swapping the channels at the speaker leads to see if the balance issue swaps channels. If there’s no change, the balance could be due to the different acoustic space each speaker is in, as you say.
I use a balance control sometimes as some of my records have balance issues, and a small tweak of the balance control fixes it. As long as the balance control is correcting the imbalance, you should be fine with regards to depth of image, etc.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Unless you use a sure-fire method for speaker placement such as the XLO Test CD or similar test CD track for speaker set up you’re just shooting blanks in the dark. No matter what your room looks like or what you have in the room in terms of furniture drapes, acoustic devices, etc. or what speakers you have there will be ONLY one set of speaker locations that is the absolute best. All techniques that involve moving a little, listening a little are only going to obtain “local maximums.” Unless you have a guaranteed method of speaker placement it’s like trying to solve a set of x simultaneous equations in x + n unknowns. 
erik_squires
16,027 posts
 
I have always been told - and believed - that you shouldn't ever mess with the balance knob.

Same story with tone controls. Rubbish. Use it if it feels right. I mean, what exactly would the consequences be?

I do have to watch out for ear wax though as it builds up faster in one ear, always worth making sure your ears are clean.

Best,

E

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