Balance adjustment?

I've been plenty happy with a system (Parasound components/Ascend Towers) I've had for a few years now but always kind of bothered with the asymmetrical room.  There's no way I can set up the system without having one speaker close to a wall and the other with next to an opening.

I never tried handling this with the balance controls before but decided to play around with this strategy this week.  At first, I nudged it just a bit, and I didn't notice any real difference, but then I moved it almost a quarter turn.  All of a sudden the images seem sharper, but even more so, the timbre of the instruments feel more realistic.  At the same time, the bottom end dropped out a little.  

Anyone want to chime in on whether you think this is placebo effect, or if this really made such a difference?  Or how to keep the new-found clarity without losing the punch of the bass (turn the sub up a bit?)

Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks, Andrew.