Why can't I use my buds as 2-channel now, when I've always used them as 2-channel?

I think it's always been that way, but I have no idea why.
If an output has a joint channel, like the older single speaker "built-in output" then it has a single master fader & the two separate channels are disabled.

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If it has distinct channels, then the channels are active & the Master is disabled.

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