Difference Between Mono and Stereo
Anyone who has taken the slightest bit of interest in the quality of sound from electronic equipment and telephones will be familiar with the two sound modes, namely mono and stereo. Traditionally, the listener was not given much choice as the sound was recorded and reproduced in mono. However, technology and the demand for better sound quality gave birth to stereo, which uses more channels to record and reproduce sound, thus creating a sound that resembles its source closely. There are some really significant differences between mono and stereo, which make it even more clearer why one mode is considered better than the other and why preference is given to a sound of lower quality when the option to go for a better quality sound is available.
Instructions
-
1
One of the most basic differences between mono and stereo is that mono involves the routing of audio signals through only a single channel, whereas stereo involves the routing of audio signals through two or more channels. By using more than one channel, stereo gives spatial information to the listener so that he can tell which direction the sound is actually coming from. This depth and direction perception created by stereo creates a real world or same room experience where the sound is originating from for the listener.
-
2
Mono is short for monaural or monophonic sound, whereas stereo is short for stereophonic sound.
-
3
Stereo sound sounds far more natural than mono sound. As a result, the sound experience delivered by stereo is considered to be of much more quality and sound really natural, which is why it is given more preference than mono sound in most situations.
-
4
The biggest plus point for mono sound is that it can be recorded without much hassle. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for recording sound in stereo. Since only one channel is required to record mono sound, only one microphone is need, while no additional equipment is needed. Recording a sound in stereo is not only more experience because of the greater number of channels that it requires, it also needed additional equipment, which is used to splice the music channels together and create a single sound.
-
5
The simplicity of recording and delivering mono sound makes it a preferred choice in situations where creating depth and adding spatial information to sound is not of great advance and instead only ends up taking more bandwidth. It is for this very reason that voice communication, especially via phone, involves mono sound, using only one channel to route sound and deliver it to the other end.
-
6
Stereo sound is the preferred choice when quality sound is the requirement. Music and films typically give preference to stereo sound over mono sound. Additional channels makes it possible for the listener to clearly hear the different instruments used in the music, while the spatial information of the sound makes the film experience even more satisfying and realistic.
