Hi all, I'm finding more and more that I like the sound of mono, where both stereo channels are summed into just a single speaker.
Simply sounds cleaner and more dynamic than stereo.
It really surprises me...I've pretty much always felt that great stereo imaging was the mark of great speakers....(heck I still have two pair of full-range electrostatics I can't let go of)
Anybody else?
Simply sounds cleaner and more dynamic than stereo.
It really surprises me...I've pretty much always felt that great stereo imaging was the mark of great speakers....(heck I still have two pair of full-range electrostatics I can't let go of)
Anybody else?
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yup, that's me - Mono. Have been for many years.
A Big'un - the Audio Nirvana Super 15
Stereo can be too artificial for my liking, too position / room dependent. And with mono you can focus your effort and resources on just one channel and do it really well.
A Big'un - the Audio Nirvana Super 15
Stereo can be too artificial for my liking, too position / room dependent. And with mono you can focus your effort and resources on just one channel and do it really well.
Not that I'm pitching one over the other.
My 1 speaker under the tv has minimal room mess up.
I've had it for a while now (a good sign of some happiness).
Seated, my left wall has a fabric couch, my right is bare wall, door to outside (can't cover).
When i setup my thiels on either side of the tv, the left speaker only threw an image basically centered on the tv, while just the right speaker sounded like it was to the right of its physical placement. Mentally i wasn't keen on this knowledge.
From where i sit, the couch catchs a lot of reflections.
I'm worried (know) when i get a left and /or right done that the room will be much more interactive.
The tweet will be centered at 33" off floor.
Maybe get a couple of sonotubes and drag out when i want.
My 4' tall 9 x 4" array really lit up the room when i had it.
Many horn guys like 90 x 40 horns versus the 100 degree ones, maybe something about ceiling reflections.
My 1 speaker under the tv has minimal room mess up.
I've had it for a while now (a good sign of some happiness).
Seated, my left wall has a fabric couch, my right is bare wall, door to outside (can't cover).
When i setup my thiels on either side of the tv, the left speaker only threw an image basically centered on the tv, while just the right speaker sounded like it was to the right of its physical placement. Mentally i wasn't keen on this knowledge.
From where i sit, the couch catchs a lot of reflections.
I'm worried (know) when i get a left and /or right done that the room will be much more interactive.
The tweet will be centered at 33" off floor.
Maybe get a couple of sonotubes and drag out when i want.
My 4' tall 9 x 4" array really lit up the room when i had it.
Many horn guys like 90 x 40 horns versus the 100 degree ones, maybe something about ceiling reflections.
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Hi Mark,
Agree your findings, myself started that route couple years ago to help keep things simple and save some work when learning about DSP correction, here later its still a mono speaker feed a stereo signal. Admit i'm one of those who like a head phone sound stage and think learned that a stereo feeded mono speaker can come close to that, at least for my particular setup it can.
Agree your findings, myself started that route couple years ago to help keep things simple and save some work when learning about DSP correction, here later its still a mono speaker feed a stereo signal. Admit i'm one of those who like a head phone sound stage and think learned that a stereo feeded mono speaker can come close to that, at least for my particular setup it can.
After restoring a mono valve amplifier that my father built in the 1950's, and then developing a transmission line speaker for it, I've found myself listening to mono more and more. Mono is particularly satisfying for nearfield listening late at night, or when listening at my largish workbench because I don't have to be concerned with placement. But best of all, there is a rock solid centre image
Graham.
Graham.
Looking at this from the other end of the signal chain for a moment...
Quite often, I'll do a multi-track recording of the live bands I work with. When mixing and mastering, life gets much easier when working in stereo. For example, two distorted electric guitars are much easier to distinguish when you pan them out a little.
That said, I always check my mixes in mono. If something's wrong in mono, then the mix is wrong. Full stop.
Chris
Quite often, I'll do a multi-track recording of the live bands I work with. When mixing and mastering, life gets much easier when working in stereo. For example, two distorted electric guitars are much easier to distinguish when you pan them out a little.
That said, I always check my mixes in mono. If something's wrong in mono, then the mix is wrong. Full stop.
Chris
Hi BYRTT, and hi jerryo
BYRTT, I've responded to your post to build off it and give jerryo some reasons for mono...
Like you, i turned to mono to keep things simple to learn DSP and measuring.
(And really, isn't all loudspeaker development done mono to begin with, even if it just by ear, and a passive design....?)
So.... I do all this work in mono, get a glorious sounding and measuring box....get all excited to hear boxes in stereo....and then hear DAMN...freaking mono is cleaner and more dynamic.
This happens all too often on way too much source material IME.
Some stereo sounds best still, but odds are against stereo...
I simply can never know what's gonna sound best....on a track by track basis, not even album by album. Until I listen to both.
Well if you have two usable ears since birth then you have been listening to stereo all your life.
Why then would one then have a preference for mono over that of stereo ?
Mono is so dull and boring, with no sense of depth or in the changing location of that sound. Stereo is dimensional and allows for a greater freedom of expression in music. Try listening to the world through one ear all day and ask yourself which is the more enjoyable or seeing through one eye for that matter. Two is what nature intended, one is never better.
C.M
Why then would one then have a preference for mono over that of stereo ?
Mono is so dull and boring, with no sense of depth or in the changing location of that sound. Stereo is dimensional and allows for a greater freedom of expression in music. Try listening to the world through one ear all day and ask yourself which is the more enjoyable or seeing through one eye for that matter. Two is what nature intended, one is never better.
C.M
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