I was using totem to check the application level left-right balance:
In pavucontrol, after unlocking the sliders and setting the balance to 100 and 0 (L and R) in the application level control, on automatic change of media (file), the mode switches from stereo to mono (at 50% volume) and a subsequent change in media brings back stereo at 50% volume and the sliders are 'locked' again.
I was using totem to check the application level left-right balance:
In pavucontrol, after unlocking the sliders and setting the balance to 100 and 0 (L and R) in the application level control, on automatic change of media (file), the mode switches from stereo to mono (at 50% volume) and a subsequent change in media brings back stereo at 50% volume and the sliders are 'locked' again.