realskiers

Sorry, I hope this doesn't take the thread off-topic - I don't think it does, really.

Is it possible to compensate for a sub-optimal binding position by a change in the way you ski (your own body position), or are you inevitably going to struggle if the binding position isn't right?

Good question, and off-topic is almost always the case around here. I wouldn't call it a "sub optimal" position, but the binding position chosen by the factory may not be the best for all body types and sizes.  In Todd's case, he has several pair of skis and has his boots the way he likes, so he's trying the find the best match for this pair of skis.
It's fairly well accepted now that women need a more forward mounting position than men because of different body shapes and weight distributions.
And different manufacturers have different preferences.  In general, "Austrian" manufacturers seem to place their default mounting position more to the rear than the "French" manufacturers; and this can become part of a ski brand preference.  Someone used to Volkl (for example) that really works the front of the boot may not like the forward position of a Dynastar of Rossignol. 
There was a study done at SnowBird in Utah several years back that determined that most average skiers were most comfortable with skis where the Ball of the Foot (BOF) was over the Center of the Running Surface (CRS) of the ski. CRS is the midpoint between where the tip and tail of the ski make contact with each other when flat base to base (not sure what the equivalent measurement would be for Rockered skis).  But those same researchers went on to identify other factors that also affected the skier comfort and balance.