Sound Setup...FOH Mono or Stereo?

[Randy L]

Let's discuss the pros and cons of setting up the FOH speakers in MONO (same signal to all FOH mains) or Stereo (mixer is adjusted so some instruments are more to one side, etc).

[Paul O]

Both can work well it just depends on the gig. If you're doing an smaller event where most of the crowd is in front of and between the speakers then stereo can be utilized to provide some added effects. But at larger events where the audience is spread out beyond the center area then stereo becomes a liability because those on either side will only hear the speakers nearest them so stereo effects are wasted.

[meep]

Agree with Paul.

Running a stereo mix can get you in a lot of trouble if you don't know what you're doing. Excessive panning, for instance, or really any panning at all in a large space distorts the mix. Better to use L/R delays for a given channel for spacial effect, but it adds a lot of complexity.

The room itself will add nice ambient reflections, and the onstage natural sounds will create enough sense of space.... People love live bands and I've never seen anyone leave a club saying, "wish it was a stereo mix..."

That said, i usually wire everything in stereo unless on some sort of a weird output bus budget.... but the mix is mono.

Mike

[Randy L]

Agree with Paul.

That said, i usually wire everything in stereo unless on some sort of a weird output bus budget.... but the mix is mono.Mike

Mike, so you are essentially splitting the mono mix into two channels, right?

[billfitzmaurice]

I always run stereo, using stereo effects, as otherwise it's dual mono anyway. The psychoacoustical result of running stereo effects is the equivalent of 3dB of gain. Instrument panning can be effective depending on the room layout, but it's stereo effects that's really key.