Do you ever use the balance on your pre amp?

Plato, you are joking right? Thanks guys, and the balance is on my remote as well. Since my pre has a standby feature (I don't know if that is the reason for this) it keeps everything in memory. Bottom line? Don't have to redo the balance everytime I listen. Huge difference in my music now. That vocal, though only a tad off center, was bugging the shit out of me and hard to rationalize/spin. Dead center is where a vocal usually is , and dead center is where I like it. The rest of the music falls into a balance.

Drubin, I'm sorry, but I thought my post was clear about the room and not being able to do the things Plato was talking about...Plato, I think I hurt Drubin's feelings more than yours? If I'm wrong, didn't mean any harm. Not on Christmas. Any other day: beware...lol..I'm joking Drubin.

The centering of my vocals with the pre amp is much more profound than I realized. When the balance centers the vocals it moves more than (obviously) merely the vocal, in my case, to the left. Instruments' position in space, and the soundstage itself have been profoundly affected. The balance is a good thing....

If the "only slightly off center image" could be taken care of by a few clicks of the remote, why go for the expense of the room treatments? I would think room treatments have a much more profound affect on many other things other than the center image?

I have the same problem. One side of my room is open and the speaker on that side loses the side wall for reverb etc. Anything I could do, acoustically, would have a VERY strong negativo WAF...

This soundstage thing: The musicians are postitioned in space where the recording engineer puts them. Referent? Not a clue. Now let's look at a live recording. Again, unless I was there and remembered the exact positioning of all the instrumentalists, singers, etc. there is still no referent. Soundstage, IMO, is the most over used descriptions in this audiophoolish hobby and one of the most profoundly misunderstood characteristics when describing live or recorded music as a positive or negative thing. Particulary recorded. Unless the guy who did the mix is sitting next to my listening chair, how am I to know where the instruments are meant to be? On a stage, regardless of where the musicians are they all come out of the speakers in the same place, unless we are talking a small jazz venue with the drummer moving his drums all over the stage and the sax player following him into the audience. Granted I have been guilty of using the soundstate lingo for a long while, as well, but no more.

I don't know what that has to do with what I said, and I am aware those "Test CD3s." I'm tired of the soundstage talk and its' power over so many audiophools. Save it Tvad, ain't happening here. "Phantom audiophile term?" I like that. But as for soundstage? Not from me anymore. At least you know one thread you won't be reading me. A healthy and a happy to everyone. peace, warren :)