Let's try narrower icons...

...to see if it removes enough "gray" space on the left
of the vertical meter to be bareable.

images/MicMenu.xpm

@@ -38,3 +38,44 @@ static const char * MicMenu_xpm[] = {
 "  ..              ..... ",
 " .                 ...  ",
 ".                   .   "};
+
+/* XPM */
+static const char * MicMenuNarrow_xpm[] = {
+"19 19 18 1",
+" 	c None",
+".	c #000000",
+"+	c #DCDCDC",
+"@	c #B5B5B5",
+"#	c #8C8C8C",
+"$	c #D6D6D6",
+"%	c #9C9C9C",
+"&	c #6B6B6B",
+"*	c #EFEFEF",
+"=	c #C6C6C6",
+"-	c #737373",
+";	c #4A4A4A",
+">	c #DEDEDE",
+",	c #424242",
+"'	c #212121",
+")	c #ADADAD",
+"!	c #848484",
+"~	c #636363",
+"            ....   ",
+"           .+@+#.  ",
+"          ..$+%+&. ",
+"         .+*.=+-+;.",
+"         .>+*.%+,+.",
+"         .+=+=.'+'.",
+"         ..+)+;....",
+"         ..%+-+'.. ",
+"        .+..!~;..  ",
+"       .+.......   ",
+"      .+...        ",
+"     .+...         ",
+"    .+...          ",
+"   .+...           ",
+"   ....            ",
+"  ....      .......",
+"  ..         ..... ",
+" .            ...  ",
+".              .   "};

images/SpeakerMenu.xpm

@@ -34,3 +34,41 @@ static const char * SpeakerMenu_xpm[] = {
 "                  $$$$$ ",
 "                   $$$  ",
 "                    $   "};
+
+/* XPM */
+static const char * SpeakerMenuNarrow_xpm[] = {
+"19 19 14 1",
+" 	c None",
+".	c #C1C1C1",
+"+	c #2F2F2F",
+"@	c #707070",
+"#	c #4B4B4B",
+"$	c #000000",
+"%	c #090909",
+"&	c #383838",
+"*	c #838383",
+"=	c #7A7A7A",
+"-	c #414141",
+";	c #8C8C8C",
+">	c #131313",
+",	c #676767",
+"            .      ",
+"            +      ",
+"       @    #@     ",
+"       $     %     ",
+"      &$  &  *&    ",
+"   ===$$  -=  $    ",
+"   $$$$$   $  $    ",
+"   $$$$$   $  $    ",
+"   &&&$$  *&  $    ",
+"      $$  %   $    ",
+"      @$  @  #@    ",
+"       +    ;+     ",
+"       .    >.     ",
+"            ,      ",
+"                   ",
+"            $$$$$$$",
+"             $$$$$ ",
+"              $$$  ",
+"               $   "};
+ 

src/widgets/Meter.cpp

@@ -284,11 +284,11 @@ Meter::Meter(AudacityProject *project,
    {
       if(mIsInput)
       {
-         mIcon = new wxBitmap(MicMenu_xpm);
+         mIcon = new wxBitmap(MicMenuNarrow_xpm);
       }
       else
       {
-         mIcon = new wxBitmap(SpeakerMenu_xpm);
+         mIcon = new wxBitmap(SpeakerMenuNarrow_xpm);
       }
    }
 
@@ -1156,7 +1156,7 @@ void Meter::HandleLayout(wxDC &dc)
       rside = intmax(mRulerWidth, rtxtWidth);
 
       // left is now the right edge of the icon or L label
-      left = gap + lside;
+      left = lside;
 
       // Ensure there's a margin between top edge of window and the meters
       top = gap;