2. speakers
  3. 151799-293

The sonic rightness of a mono system.

Many conventional stereo systems are producing smaller shortened indistinct soundstages that one must sit dead center of while sounding poorly off-axis. So I wondered is the small loudspeaker in stereo the equal to a large one in mono? So I have pursued that line of thought and have come to the conclusion that no a small speaker in stereo is not equal to the large one in mono. I've tried this with some of the most advanced loudspeakers available and they all failed when running up against one large horn in mono. The large loudspeaker just always had a more physical solid presentation the sound stages near the same in size while the stereo always had this tiring artificial sound that the mono system did not. Maybe our brain gets fatigued trying to fill in for what is missing stereo is an artificial technology designed to fool the ear brain system maybe that in itself is the problem. Mono just sounds right. If I had the choice one large horn in mono is what I would select over any 2-way bookshelf no matter what its cost. Nice thing about mono is its ease of entry give it a try you may have all the needed gear stored about. It's also an excuse to buy that cool solo collectable speaker you know the one that is too big to house 2 of. As always YMMV and this is my opinion after much research and we all have a bias I keep that in mind when I do such things but am human and can not fully escape my human limitations.
128x128johnk
Post removed 
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Imo you are conflating the characteristics of mono/stereo with large/small speakers. Why should I use small speakers? I don't, so all the caveats about them don't apply.  :)
johnk's avatar
johnk OP
1,975 posts
 
No one cares about MONO? I don't think that is true and from what this post generated in other forums is far from that conclusion. It is a bit about large vs small- small in stereo and large in mono so you oversimplify and dismiss with absolutes. Don't worry you all are now safe from any talk of mono horns or anything else that may challenge your ridge fixed belief systems. Don't expect replys. Good Day.
Post removed 
phusis's avatar
phusis
1,211 posts
 
To all out there who dismiss mono over stereo, have you ever heard mono-reproduction over a very large all-horn speaker and compared it to the sound of a smaller stereo pair as outlined in this particular context? No need to beat around the bush, because this IS about a single large (all-)horn speaker vs. a pair of comparatively small, direct radiating speakers; it's the whole premise of the OP. 

So, to reiterate: this is about what a single, large horn speaker can supposedly do that small stereo DR pairs can't - not only to one individual's ears. An intriguing thought, I find, and worth looking into. I'd wager the real point of contention here, apart from the heretical notion put forth of potential mono-providence, is a big horn speaker, so people fancy modifying the scenario into whatever applies to their specific setup, and simply substracts one of two similar speakers that aren't big all-horns (likely without placing the remaining single speaker smack in the middle, if it ever gets past a mere thought experiment). Indeed that would be missing the whole point. 

So, is this just about big vs. small speakers? No, that's too crude; it's about a single very large horn speaker playing mono vs. a pair a small(er) direct radiating speakers playing stereo. 
More to discover