Someone please explain this to me.

The stock radio/cassette player in the 83sd work. Unit produces lots of sound. but almost all sound comes from passenger speakers.

To get a stereo effect....I have to run the balancing switch almost all the way over to the driver's side to get any sound from the driver's speakers.

Sound quality is ok, but not much volume. Dash driver's speaker sounds a little 'crackly' when you turn up the sound, but not like bacon frying or tinfoil crackling.

Bad speaker, balancing switch, or radio amp?

Should I just trash the old radio for a new radio/cd unit?

Advice?

BTW. Had the identical problem on an 87BMW325es sound system. The audio techie said my balancing switch was bad and did a 'work around' solution with the balancing switch. The new amp had enough power to compensate and everything was fine.

Help?