Classical Music Question - Mono vs Stereo?
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Posts: 10,020
Hey guys,
I'm playing around with trying to get an FM tuner going again since we have nice classical programming on our local public radio. I've listened to this station both streaming digitally and also over the air in FM broadcast.
The FM broadcast has noticeably more body than the streaming digital broadcast, though streaming digital is obviously much cleaner.
Unfortunately, the FM broadcast with my little basic antenna and B&K TS-108 tuner has a lot of static and noise when I'm listening in FM Stereo. If I switch to mono, it cleans up beautifully, though does seem to lose a bit of body here as well.
Not having much experience with classical music listening, my question is, would I be missing a whole lot if I were to listen in mono? I would imagine it will depend more on the recording/piece and the broadcast, but is clean stereo imaging also desirable in classical music listening in general as well?
I'm playing around with trying to get an FM tuner going again since we have nice classical programming on our local public radio. I've listened to this station both streaming digitally and also over the air in FM broadcast.
The FM broadcast has noticeably more body than the streaming digital broadcast, though streaming digital is obviously much cleaner.
Unfortunately, the FM broadcast with my little basic antenna and B&K TS-108 tuner has a lot of static and noise when I'm listening in FM Stereo. If I switch to mono, it cleans up beautifully, though does seem to lose a bit of body here as well.
Not having much experience with classical music listening, my question is, would I be missing a whole lot if I were to listen in mono? I would imagine it will depend more on the recording/piece and the broadcast, but is clean stereo imaging also desirable in classical music listening in general as well?
I disabled signatures.
Comments
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Short and long of it is if the piece was recorded in mono, then technically playing in stereo won't change the sound. Though we all know that listening to a mono in stereo gives it a little more dimension.
But if the piece is recorded in stereo, listening in mono will loose the right channel and thus, half the orchestra. That is unless the channels are matrixed into mono, then you're just loosing dimension and typically some top end. -
Sounds like there's more (or less?) to mono than I'm aware of. I do notice some loss of presence I can't quite describe yet if listening in mono. At first I thought it was just loss of stereo.
Okay. I need to figure out this antenna thing.I disabled signatures. -
That loss of presence is likely matrixing in the tuner. If you lost a whole channel instead and was being fed the left channel through both, it would be more extreme to your ear.
Then again, it all starts with the source mix... -
Interestingly, in the early days of hifi stereo, there were some pretty carefully mic'd and exceedingly well engineered recordings of orchestras.
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Man. I have absolutely no experience or knowledge with recording or tuners in radio transmission. What is matrixing?That loss of presence is likely matrixing in the tuner. If you lost a whole channel instead and was being fed the left channel through both, it would be more extreme to your ear.
Then again, it all starts with the source mix...I disabled signatures. -
Same thing that happens to the rear left and right channels of a 7.1 mix when put through a 6.1 system, the 2 channels are pushed together and any cross talk or interlacing cancels out in the amp before it hits the speaker. And in your case the signal is split again back to your speakers. That's why it sounds a bit lacking to your ear.
Matrixing can be done in reverse as well with a 5.1 mix into a 7 or 9.1 system. Only in this case, the AVR is able to pan the signals to help with the illusion. -
FM multiplex stereo was/is a pretty clever and high-precision analog solution to a problem that the FCC no longer considers any more
How to encode two stereo channels on one carrier without obsoleting the existing base of monophonic FM receivers. In 1961, the FCC licensed the MPX system we still use today. It is simple in concept, mind-blowing in execution. It's amazing that it works as well as it does.
Smoke some dope (or drink some bourbon or drop some acid or drink nine cups of coffee, whatever you prefer)
and read this -- or just look at the pictures!
http://transmitters.tripod.com/stereo.htm -
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mhardy6647 wrote: »Smoke some dope (or drink some bourbon or drop some acid or drink nine cups of coffee, whatever you prefer) and read this -- or just look at the pictures!
http://transmitters.tripod.com/stereo.htm
Or is you brain "Comfortably Numb".
I'm just jealous. The link won't load. Maybe it's because I'm at work. Will try again when I get home.2ch rig: Speakers: Magnepan LRS w/Magna Riser stands Preamplifier: Parasound P5 Amplifier: Parasound A23 CDP: Pioneer DV-563A Cables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp)
Standby: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods -
2ch rig: Speakers: Magnepan LRS w/Magna Riser stands Preamplifier: Parasound P5 Amplifier: Parasound A23 CDP: Pioneer DV-563A Cables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp)
Standby: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods -
Mind you, that system was (probably) invented by men sporting crew cuts, horn-rimmed glasses (worn un-ironically), white short sleeved shirts, skinny ties, and pocket protectors.
Pretty cool and amazing stuff, back when EEs were heroes and superstars.
I will acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, they snuck outside on their smoke breaks and puffed the magic dragon. Maybe...
