Columns Retired Columns & Blogs |
It isn't something I have done since the days of 8 tracks.
Last week we picked on tone controls, so this week, we'll put the spotlight on the balance knob. Do you use it in your system? Is it at any setting other than dead center?
Never touch it. My sweet spot was predetermined by my choice of components, not by extraneous circuitry. It should be noted that I do not sit in a "head-in-a-vice" position while listening to music, eitherbecause I don't have to. It's really amazing what magic a well-chosen system (analog, two-speaker) is capable of performing. The sound in my listening room comes to me from behind the speakers, on either side of the speakers, and from behind the listening area. I've even had friends look for hidden speakers in the room. Am I bragging? You bet!
Yes, I do use the balance control. That way I can balance the output between the speakers. I use Stereophiles Test CD 2 to balance, or balance by ear. Somehow in my listening room, I always balance toward the right, I use to think that there was something wrong with my amplifier, about 3 amplifiers ago, then my hearing, but that's alright,and it was confirmed by my wife. Now I think it is the room. I want a balance control. It's good that I have one.
Since I play a lot of vinyl a balance control is an absolute necessity. What with buying old and used vinyl even after washing and vacuum cleaning I still notice when the balance is not just right. My sensitivty to this has increased as the quality of my rig has. Most CD's seem to have good balance but there are still some that need a tweak left or right.
Tone controls I don't believe should exist! They exist for "Low & Mid Fi" at best and used to "colour" poor recordings! The Balance knob on the other hand is vital to correct for uneven room accoustics, L-R system imbalances and not to bias the total reproduction of the music.