A technique for providing a desired level of color balance in field sequential color systems with brightness enhancement. In color wheels having a spectrally-broad transmissive segment, the spectrally-broad segment has a transmittance that is selected to provide a desired level of color balance. This can include transmittance characteristics that are inversely related to the spectral characteristics of the light source or optics. In color switches, this can include varying the amplitude and time duration of the contribution from each of the three primary colors.