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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
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
It actually doesn’t matter if the listening space is symmetrical or not because the radiation pattern of speakers is not uniform. And probably not symmetrical from one speaker to the other. Objects like bookshelves, furniture, etc. will also contribute to the non symmetry. Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water. 🦈 
big_greg
6,622 posts
 
I have a small system in my computer room and one speaker is about 4 feet from my listening position, the other is about 7 or 8 feet.  I listen from my computer and also have a turntable and CD player.  I use the balance controls on the PC and also use the balance controls on my Parks Puffin phono stage.  I can't do anything about the CD player, there's no way to balance the speakers when using that, but it's pretty rare that I do.

Repositioning everything so that I'm sitting smack dab between the speakers isn't really an option.  

Sure it's a compromise, but would listening with one speaker almost twice as loud as the other be better?  I don't think so.
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,739 posts
 
@big_greg But your scenario is not the same as the OP's primary system. I don't know about you but my speakers are aligned for imaging to 1/8 inch.
big_greg
6,622 posts
 
@noromance Fair enough. I didn't mean to derail the thread by responding to those that think a balance control is the Devil's work.

I've done a lot of experimenting with positioning and sound treatments in my main system. I think my preamp has a balance control, but I've never used it.  I have some spaces limitations there also but have been able to get really good imaging. 
jkf011 OP
290 posts
 
Eliot, Sorry, I have NO idea what you were talking about WRT that line conditioner. That whole thread just completely went over my head. 
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