Mono compatability importance?

[TeyshaBlue]

I have a question that's been niggling at the back of my mind.

Is there any value now to insuring optimal mono playback?

I know alot of the expanders/wideners use selective phase cancellation to create the effect and too much of it can cause things to almost dissappear when a mix is run mono. But is mono compatability as important now as it once was in the days of AM and pre-fi TV?

This question is not addressing using mono as a mixing/mastering technique...ie insuring instrument space/balance mix wise.


Damn....this probably should be in the mixing/mastering area. Sorry.

 

[Farview]

There are two reasons for mono compatability.
1. You don't have control of how your music will be played back. My daughters old ford escort's stereo speakers bounced off the glass in that car in such a way that you heard it in mono. If someone plays the song through a PA system at a club, it might be played in mono.

Another thing to consider is that someone listening to it in the next room is really hearing it in mono. There won't be the total cancelation, but it will be worse than something that was mono compatible.

2. Mono compatible songs always sound stronger and more solid. The more phasy stuff in a mix, the less focused it is. The effect of this gets worse if you are not in the sweet spot of the stereo field.

 

[leddy]

This is a great topic; I hope some good responses come of it.

I think about this a lot. I record a lot of live music (jazz) that usually involves a main stereo pair and a few spot mics. I have really struggled with dialing in the stereo pair. I always seem to come back to a mid-side pair, which is a perfectly mono-compatible method. The spot mics always seem to sit in better. If the spots are not well-isolated, I can pan them more to the center. If they are well-isolated, I can move them left or right more and retain mono compatability.

Sometimes I listen to recordings I did with spaced omnis and appreciate the spaciousness missing in mid-side. Then I hit the mono button and puke. The odds of hearing a mono recording are slim, but the channels are mixing in the air between your speakers and your ears to some extent, no? I think the amount of mono-compatability can have a big impact, especially in more reflective listening rooms. Again, I hope more people chime in on this.

BTW,
I used to be more disappointed with the lack of spaciousness of mid-side. Then I picked up a Sennheiser MKH30. Now it's MUCH nicer. That is an incredible side mic. Not cheap though.

I've also used a Jecklin disc with reasonable results. That's probably a good compromise, assuming it is executed well. Hard to do for live recording due to its obtrusive look. That method seems to give good time-difference cues - usually without being overly phasey or colored in mono.

 

[noisewreck]

Also, when you listen to stuff that's out of phase/i.e not mono compatible on the headphones, at times it will seem like the sound is coming from behind your head, which might not be what you're looking for.

In general if the left and right channels are our of phase or more likely if there is some stereo elements in the mix that are out phase, while they may sound impressive when you're in the sweet spot for listening, they'll more often than not have less of an impact and lose punch.

 

[TeyshaBlue]

Thx guys. Kinda where I thought this was headin.