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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 2 responses by nsgarch

nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
It may not be your setup or equipment but rather anomalies in you room's response resulting from playing a mono groove with a stereo cartridge. Having a mono/stereo switch on your preamp (switched to mono of course) can eliminate a lot of that. So does using a mono cartridge, but I wouldn't go that far unless I had a large mono record collection.
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nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
Ebalog, when I said "anomalies in you room's response" I was referring to phasing issues and "floating" image (which is what Arch7 was asking about, I think). I wasn't referring to the room's frequency response. A mono groove only produces lateral stylus movement representing a single signal. When reproduced through a normal stereo system (maintaining 2 separate channels from cartrige to speakers) the two signals have phase differences (the "stereo imbalances" JH refers to.)

Using a mono switch combines the two channels at the preamp, and these phase differences (mostly) cancel, so you pretty much get the same signal out of BOTH speakers. However, a mono cartridge sends the SAME signal to both channels, so theoretically, you shouldn't need the mono switch.
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