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What to expect from MONO

Hello:

I'm curious if when listening to a 'mono' LP, should I be hearing a completely symmetrical sound stage? I'm listening to Coltrane's Blue Train in mono and I have to say that it favors the left channel on some instruments like the cymbals. The horn is mostly centered. I'm using a VPI Scout with Dyna 10x5. It's new and set-up by the dealer. Could this indicate that something is not set correctly?

On a separate thought. Since everything else in a system needs to be broken in (cables, speakers, carrtridge, etc) does new vinyl need to played a few times before it sounds it's best?
arch7

Showing 1 response by zaikesman

zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Play some mono CDs if you have any to double check. Room anomolies, or issues with speaker positioning or unmatched speaker drivers (or pre/power amp tubes), should cause simmilar effects as with vinyl. If not, then it's probably alignment or cartridge related, or possibly phonostage (tube imbalance/resonance).

As for perceiving a strict vertical line or point of images when playing mono, I think this could only happen in an anechoic chamber, if even then. I think the ear/brain assigns dimensional qualities to images emmanating even from a single small driver.
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