Working from home with my SN3 playing in the background. Looking at it, it struck me that in over three years of ownership, I’ve never used the balance knob once. It’s never left the 12:00 position.
Just wondering if anybody actually uses the balance control? And if so, what types of situations would necessitate its use?
Low level listening?
User who has to be off axis due to room layout?
Someone who has a hearing issue in one ear?
Never used my SN-3 balance Knob it stands at 12.00 
Men do like their knobs.
This sounds like a case of an unused knob.
Yes I use mine.
My room setup means I cannot sit centrally between the speakers, so I use it to adjust it slightly to the left to give me a more “balanced” sound.
My speakers are in my main living space, which of course is not ideal for balanced sound reproduction. Obstructions and reflectors on one side are quite different from the the other side. Therefore, the balance knob is critical for a balanced sound presentation.
What is special about the SN3 balance knob that warrants a dedicated discussion over say, the 282, 252, or in fact all other Naim preamps that have balance control hidden via function without a knob but still under user control?
Not every recording is balanced. Not every room or listening position is the same. Not everyone has balanced hearing.
I’m not aware it can be bypassed, so in a way we all use it.
Andrew
I use it all right. And quite often: depending on which side of my sofa I sit.
When I had an sn3 I used it and I use the one on my 282. Due to room layout my right speaker is further away than my left. I recently had to adjust it a tiny bit more when I changed my speakers. I wouldn’t want a system without some form of balance control.
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