Yeah if you screw up sound you may have a problem.
However if you go to control panel then sounds you are supposed to just click restore defaults at least for the playback device or recording device you are on and in deed for advanced options you can do it.
However as was said before, the best solution if you want to default your settings is to probably reformat.
Then again if you knew the default settings maybe you can just set things.
Note, this aint all settings I don't think you will want enhancements.
All volumes are set usually by default round 50 betwene 20-50 %, some speakers and devices have 0 on volumes and some extra speakers and microphones are muted entirely.
Ballance is usually having both speaker sliders move at the same time and are set at 50.
In the old days, there was a program called quickmix in.
This was and probably still exists on the old jfwlite site if its still about.
However this is an xp thing, so many things have changed that I doubt it has any real relivance.
The main thrust of quickmixin was for those that had volume issues or wanted to set different volumes for different things with hotkeys.
You created a profile or sets of profiles and then you switched as you needed them.
For us blind people this was usefull if sound got muted and you didn't have sighted help to put it back or help you reinstall windows to fix it.
But you could use it for a lot of other things.
Adjust sounds for relaxing things, etc.
Ofcause back in xp days compaired to now headphone tech just was not as good as now either.
For me sound volumes are set to 50% if in the same room well my room with the pc but slightly higher if say in a noisier place.
I never need to change my volume with my powered amp and or sub speaker system.
And with headphones especially the studio quality sets I own I have no need at all to change anything.
If you are constantly finding the volumes to low or something, it may be better in fact to not bother with volumes at all, just have things set round 50%.
Sadly with windows its really hard to well line up volumes.
I have adjusted the volumes of some things only for the masters to move with those things.
Restarting the systems have the volumes to loud or to soft.
The only way I have managed this is to slowly advance volume on each slider till correct and restart windows and keep hoping they don't change eventually I get it correct, once it is I never adjust them again.
50% is fine for most people.
If you need to run at higher than 60-70 with say your laptop then maybe its time to use headphones and or powered units while at home.
I don't need powered devices or headsets all the time, well except when gaming or wanting extra power but to be honest.
I am not old and deaf yet so maybe eventually I will be needing powered something all the time.