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In the Forum: Audio For Dummies ™
In the Thread: A new 'chic' foolishness about mono systems
Post Subject: How vs. What We HearPosted by Paul S on: 12/27/2010
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We have already talked about how recording techniques do or do not make the most of a given format, and/or available recordings do or do not especially lend themselves to a given playback system. Then, there is the matter of setting everything up in the listening room in order to "make the most of it", whatever "it" is. Who knows what is possible until someone really decides to push it? I admit I have not so far enjoyed a lot of mono "re-processed into "stereo"; but I have enjoyed some of it. And I am not so sure we have done everything that can be done with "stereo" yet, either.
At this point, the biggest problem I have with mono - generically speaking - is that it tends to collapse the sound field compared to stereo, and also the sound field tends to "breathe" in and out according to the volume and complexity of the music. Along with this, all sounds tend to "radiate" from the same small-ish place. Of course, some mono recordings are better than others on these counts. However, for all I know, there are already ways to "deal with" the problems I have cited.
It is also fun to "compare" "stereo" to 5.1 "surround". Although the "surround" I have heard has serious issues, yet it appears that the idea itself has as much intrinsic merit as normal "stereo", given recording processes that consider the playback, going in. Not much serious "surround" program presently available, however...
Which brings me to the main reason I have stayed with stereo so far. It is not because I care about the "two ears, two channels" agrument, but it is because, to date, it has provided the best known-to-me source/playback format in terms of listening to available program material, according to my present experince with playback. In other words, I'm still an audio ho', and I would jump ship in a New York Minute if something better came along.
Maybe there are even ways to more or less "re-mix" "stereo" playback signals in order to process them better in terms of our perception...
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