Tone controls -- assuming you're ok with them, when would you try them?


So, I'm learning and experimenting w/ speaker/sub placement. I've had some success. Presently using my old Adcom GTP-400 preamp (treble, bass, and loudness/contour controls). It's likely my next amps won't have tone controls (nor balance). 

Beyond compensating for old/bad recordings, I realize there is, nevertheless, a standing debate whether tone controls are worth the (likely) sound degradation. Imagine that debate was settled and tone controls were deemed worthwhile, overall. IF you'll stipulate to all that, my question is this:

QUESTION: If the sound is not right in your room, and you've placed speakers as best you can, what do you try next? At what point do you go for tone controls?

Perhaps some just go for tone controls from the get-go…happy to hear from you all, too.

FWIW, I saw this nice list from @erik_squires on this topic:   
erik_squires8,293 posts
08-19-2017 11:06am
Tone controls help us compensate for differences in recording trends across decades of recordings.
Tone controls help us adjust our sound quality to different listening situations and volumes.
Tone controls help us adjust for speaker placement.
Tone controls are much cheaper and more efficient way of doing this than most other solutions.
A good tone control is a lot easier to implement than a good equalizer. Fewer bands so more affordable to use high quality parts.

128x128hilde45
...The purist ideology falls flat more often than not. Also, why NOT use tone controls if they are otherwise transparent? Why should I go out looking for a new preamp/amp/power cable if the tone control is right in front of me??  ...

And those same purists use interconnect and speaker cables as passive tone controls, while tube folks roll tubes to change tone too. Yet some rather go spend big $$$ on a new preamp or power cables over tone controls with hopes of changing the tone and sound in some way.  It's all good, just interesting how we all approach it in different ways.  

One way or the other there is some tone-controlling going on. :) 
Some people even get the wax cleared out of their ears. That's a drastic form of tone control.
Some people even get the wax cleared out of their ears. That's a drastic form of tone control.


You may think this is funny, but I encourage regular use of a body wash and the shower head.  I produce quite a bit of wax, more in one ear than another and after having to have it medically removed I notice my right ear starts to clog, and the L/R balance starts to shift if I do not very regularly include aural irrigation as part of my routine.
I have a Manley Stingray II, which has a REC OUT / LOOP IN capability. Thinking of adding a Schiit Loki to tweak tone, especially for low volume night listening. At normal volumes, system seems right on - but who knows. Maybe the Loki would improve things overall. It’s cheap and easily defeatable. Thoughts?