Are Tone Controls and the Cutting Edge Incompatible?

[JohnVF]

do the purists object to channel balance control too?

Who here's a purist? I don't recall anybody doing anything except finding the best sound for their own purpose, and none of those purposes were "purity".

That said...why would your channels be out of balance? Move your speakers or move your seat. I can't recall using a balance control in several years.

 

[davidro]

dudes relax u do know what i mean by the purists.

well channel imbalance might be the recording's inherent problem or it's your acoustic environment and the control is there just as tone controls, i'd have thought.

my question would be that do those who don't like tone controls object to the balance control for the same reason? (i.e. getting in the way of signal?)

 

[Mr. Lin]

I'm not sure if I am a purist, but I can't imagine buying a pre-amp without one.

Channel balance is a good thing to have in some situations, that's for sure. I've found this to be the case more often with headphone listening, but not exclusively so.

I have one phono preamp with two pots for individual channel balance, and sometimes that's a great thing to have so you can lock in the center image perfectly (well, what sounds close to perfect at least). I think in that case, however, the issue is not always about the original source recording, sometimes it's a slight imbalance in cartridge channel separation.

 

[Cadillac Kid]

The only time I use the Tone Control on my McIntosh C220 is when driving the Sennheiser HD800 headphones via a Lehman Black Cube Linear. I have the BCL on an assigned out of the C220. On some recordings I cut the highs and boost the lows. Glad I have the option.

 

[JohnVF]

dudes relax u do know what i mean by the purists.

We can't relax. The fate of the free world rides on the outcome of this discussion!

I do use my balance, though..to check that I wired everything correctly. Sweep to the right, and sound comes out of the right speaker? Sweet, I don't have to switch cables around. There are preamps that have individual volume knobs for each channel...

 

[Bigerik]

We can't relax. The fate of the free world rides on the outcome of this discussion!

I do use my balance, though..to check that I wired everything correctly. Sweep to the right, and sound comes out of the right speaker? Sweet, I don't have to switch cables around. There are preamps that have individual volume knobs for each channel...

Which is easily the stupidest design "feature" I have ever come across in the audio world. I will NEVER by a preamp with dual volume controls again. Really hated dicking around with that.

 

[davidro]

i didn't mean anything derogatory by the purists btw. hell my main amp doesn't even have no controls whatsoever apart from input selector and volume control. and i like it that way.

 

[RichPA]

Which is easily the stupidest design "feature" I have ever come across in the audio world. I will NEVER by a preamp with dual volume controls again. Really hated dicking around with that.

Seconded. A really stupid idea, though I confess I've been there and done that. On the other hand, some means of adjusting channel balance is essential - there are just too many recordings that have balance issues not to have it.

 

[JohnVF]

i didn't mean anything derogatory by the purists btw. hell my main amp doesn't even have no controls whatsoever apart from input selector and volume control. and i like it that way.

And I didn't mean that the fate of the world actually depended on this .

I'm probably a bit of a purist and just don't want to admit it.

 

[davidro]

i like that john.

but again, are we adding something undesirable in the signal path by adding the balance control? as rich said there are just too many recordings that have balance issues which greatly affect the proper imaging (which i think is often more important than the purity of the sonic signal). do you just put up with it or would u commit the crime of adding something by having the control?

 

[Bigerik]

i like that john.

but again, are we adding something undesirable in the signal path by adding the balance control? as rich said there are just too many recordings that have balance issues which greatly affect the proper imaging (which i think is often more important than the purity of the sonic signal). do you just put up with it or would u commit the crime of adding something by having the control?

He'll just keep moving his speakers until the balance is right.

 

[JohnVF]

i like that john.

but again, are we adding something undesirable in the signal path by adding the balance control? as rich said there are just too many recordings that have balance issues which greatly affect the proper imaging (which i think is often more important than the purity of the sonic signal). do you just put up with it or would u commit the crime of adding something by having the control?

The only thing here that I have that doesn't have balance is my NAD DAC/pre (and my Berkely DAC when I use it as a pre). If its there, I'd use it if I needed but I can't remember when I actually felt that I need it. Others have, though. I'm a lot more relaxed about this stuff in practice so I'd probably just sit through the off-balance rather than get up and mess with it. I just don't like adjusting things for individual CDs. I'm either a purist or lazy, and its probably the latter.

He'll just keep moving his speakers until the balance is right.

My listening chairs are couches, so I'd probably just scoot to one side or the other. Butt-based balance control.

 

[davidro]

damn i say john gets something like harbeth 40.1 so that he might have to change his plan of lifting speakers.


speaking of harbeth 40.1 btw, my friend in korea has recently got a pair and did a shoot out with jbl harkness and some exotic vintage lowther....and reportedly most of his friends preferred the vintage options with most musical genres other than classical.

ok enough of detour here.

 

[tomlinmgt]

I had a hot nut for an Audible Illusions pre but just couldn't pull the trigger 'cause I just knew I'd get pissed when my altered state of consciousness ass was trying to adjust two volume knobs in a near dark room.

I have a few EMITs actin up in my right Quantum 1. I love my balance control.

 

[Jeffery]

my question would be that do those who don't like tone controls object to the balance control for the same reason? (i.e. getting in the way of signal?)

That's why I hate that damn volume control, gets in the way of the signal. That's why it's full signal right into the amp around here. If it's too loud, I stick my fingers in my ears. Need balance, just pull one finger out a bit. Tone control, use cotton instead of fingers.

Do I have to think of everything?

 

[Bigerik]

I had a hot nut for an Audible Illusions pre but just couldn't pull the trigger 'cause I just knew I'd get pissed when my altered state of consciousness ass was trying to adjust volume in a near dark room.

Thank God they smartened up and now have separate volume and balance controls! :thmbsp:

 

[kirk57]

what is this 'balance control' that you speak of?

Real men get up off their chairs and adjust balance 3 or 4 times, just like I've been doing since 1986, first with the Superphon, now with the Audible Illusions.

What a buncha wimps.....

 

[tomlinmgt]

what is this 'balance control' that you speak of?

Real men get up off their chairs and adjust balance 3 or 4 times, just like I've been doing since 1986, first with the Superphon, now with the Audible Illusions.

What a buncha wimps.....

I know....I have to look at this wimp in the mirror every morning. It sucks. :sigh:

Did I mention both of my pre's have a remote? The Accurus even has remote balance control.

Sometimes I make myself sit on a cinder block with a bag of rocks on top of it while I'm listening to my rig...just for retribution, ya know.

Fact is, trying to use the key fob remote for the Dared is punishment in and of itself....that POS sucks.

 

[marantzfan]

Short answer: yes.

 

[tomlinmgt]

^^^

Oooh. Hardcore has arrived.