I agree, the balance control in the op's unit may not be designed to fully cut off the sound. All depends on the way the circuit is implemented.
One way to test is to disconnect one channel source. THEN see if the balance control cuts off fully since there IS no signal to that channel. If you still get signal, then yeah you have a lot of crosstalk. If no signal, then it is just the balance control is not designed to go to zero for each channel.And if it does not anyway.. No big deal. nearly all stereo components have some crosstalk. Costs a lot of money to make a diual mono crosstalk free component.
One way to test is to disconnect one channel source. THEN see if the balance control cuts off fully since there IS no signal to that channel. If you still get signal, then yeah you have a lot of crosstalk. If no signal, then it is just the balance control is not designed to go to zero for each channel.And if it does not anyway.. No big deal. nearly all stereo components have some crosstalk. Costs a lot of money to make a diual mono crosstalk free component.

