"Away" with mix notes

[ALX]

Why time align and gain match the XY Mics?

I find that it helps the instrument imaging. Try the settings that I suggested on mono XY channels and listen to the original stereo wave and see if you can hear the difference. Listening in mono should really make the difference stand out. Although the mics are usually close together, the mic distance from the side walls if not perfectly the same can create a smeared sound. Every time I do this on Mic pairs the image gets sharper. Sometimes I get lucky and do not have to change anything.