I often read that a mono recording played on stereo loudspeakers should sound like it's coming from a narrow column that's dead centre between the two speakers. Whenever I play a mono recording it occupies the entire space between the two speakers, like a wall of sound. The further the speakers are apart, the wider the mono 'wall of sound' becomes. Is this what's supposed to happen? (For clarity I'm referring to digital mono files, not mono vinyl played on a stereo cart).I’m perfectly happy listening to mono vinyl on a stereo system as to my ears it shifts more air and widens the soundfield.
I often read that a mono recording played on stereo loudspeakers should sound like it's coming from a narrow column that's dead centre between the two speakers. Whenever I play a mono recording it occupies the entire space between the two speakers, like a wall of sound. The further the speakers are apart, the wider the mono 'wall of sound' becomes. Is this what's supposed to happen? (For clarity I'm referring to digital mono files, not mono vinyl played on a stereo cart).
Yes, I find mono over headphones a very 'between the ears' listening experience, though hard-panned stereo sounds equally as unnatural to me. When I started mixing mulitrack recordings on headphones as a teenager I quickly learned never to pan an instrument 100% to the left or right!Technically it should all come from a small single point in the centre, there is no width or height information encoded in the signal (there is depth). In practice it doesn’t due to the distortion added by non-point-source speakers and the inevitable effects of room acoustics. In practice this helps IME as it gives a larger and more subjectively natural perspective. Mono is a highly unnatural experience IMHO. No music exists as a point source, even something as simple as a solo flute is always a source in a larger space, so I far prefer mono recordings played back via a stereo. I find mono recordings very hard to listen to via headphones.
PS Yes, that WE horn is the way to listen to mono. I bet that sounds absolutely stunning!
I’d look back to the Gilbert Briggs-era and build the Tannoy into a huge corner horn as part of the room! He published several designs in his ‘Loudspeakers’ book including much use of bricks etc, i.e. actually making the speaker part of the structure of the house! I suspect that is the only way I’d get the size and scale I’d want from mono. I’m perfectly happy listening to mono vinyl on a stereo system as to my ears it shifts more air and widens the soundfield.
I often read that a mono recording played on stereo loudspeakers should sound like it's coming from a narrow column that's dead centre between the two speakers. Whenever I play a mono recording it occupies the entire space between the two speakers, like a wall of sound. The further the speakers are apart, the wider the mono 'wall of sound' becomes. Is this what's supposed to happen? (For clarity I'm referring to digital mono files, not mono vinyl played on a stereo cart).
WE +1 if you can find one with 212 Mono
Have 15inch 104bd Coaxial great with Mono
Technically it should all come from a small single point in the centre, there is no width or height information encoded in the signal (there is depth).
Is there depth? If it is heard subjectively, it can only be an illusion, not something that reliably reproduces the original sound-field (assuming an acoustic recording).