Use of Balance Control feature

While I'm sure the above posts are theorhetically/sonically correct, I would not buy a pre-amp that did not have some provision for balance control. I have an SF Line 2, and in my situation, I use the balance control much of the time. It in no way affects imaging or soundstaging. In fact, I would say both are improved because of the ability to center everything. To me this is particularly valuable as I have 3 ASC tubes centered between and behind my speakers (to correct for big window problems), and the primary image needs to be centered on these tubes. My previous pre-amp had a "direct" input, and in a blind test, I really couldn't tell it from the input with select, balance etc. Cheers. Craig.

Sam; my listening position is very slightly off center and I mostly use balance control to correct for this. The correction is typically about 3 dB right (the SF Line pre-amps have a relative dB readout to .5 dB). My Vand. 3Asigs are 80" apart center to center. Of course there are also some CDs that need balance correction. Cheers. Craig