Please simplify for me stereo vs. mono and their realtinship to panning

For all 45 years of my musical life I have developed ideas (some taught by others) about what stereo is and what mono is, and how panning works in both areas. Recently, I have come across a situation which has caused me to re-evaluate what I know in this area.

It was suggested to me, that if I were to have a stereo input on my mixer (pre-recorded music) panned all the way to the left (or right) routed to my main outputs, all I would need to do in order to route a mono signal from there to my amp/s is to take either the left (or right) and...whallah, I've got my mono signal! It was also mentioned to me that each channel, left and right, were equal and are true mono respectfully!

I was always under the impression that left and right channels in stereo contain slightly different content respectively. If I take the stereo signal and pan it all the way (left or right), does this condense it into a true mono signal, which contains 100% of the stereo content prior to conversion?

I'd appreciate any comments that would help clear this up!

Stereo has different content in each channel. If you solo just the left or the right channel, you'll have a mono signal--but it won't be representative of the original stereo track.

Assuming this is a serious question, the answer is yes, if you combine a stereo signal to one channel, then you have turned it in to a mono signal. If you combine three signals to one channel, you have created a mono signal. If you combine four signals to one channel...well, you get the idea.

Also, at the risk of being pedantic, stereo was originally intended as an attempt to recreate the sound field, and hence, the different signals in each side.

This is exactly what I have been struggling with! I keep being told that if I just take one side of a stereo output, then run it to my amps (DJ style), I would have all the musical content coming out my speakers. What you've just hit on is exactly what I have thought all these years. Some of the content will not be there if I do this! Taking either the left or the right of a stereo signal does not give you the TRUE mono out I would want to obtain!

If this is so, how do I combine it all into a complete mono source out of my L/R main outputs on my mixer, and send it to my amps, without sending it first through an electronic matrix to capture all origainal content?

Does anyone else want to take a stab at this?

Getting to the reason I am fretting over all this, for one, I'm somewhat of an audiophile, and I want to ensure that what I've got coming into my mix, is exactly what I want going out (and that's all of it, with nothing added or dropped). I have spent more years on the recording side, but I am now venturing into live sound. I am fully aware of what stereo is, but less sure about running in mono "live."

Please don't ask me to look at my mixer's schematic, it's been way too long since I've worked with electronic or digital schematics. Allow me to set up a scene for you to illistrate what I would like to know:

I have a Mackie Onyx 1620 (2006 model) w/ Firewire option. When I DJ or KJ, I dedicate one of my stereo inputs to route pre-recorded music thru my mixer. IF I pan all the way to the left, then take the signal out the LEFT MAIN OUTPUT ONLY, will I be sending ALL of the stereo music content thru my LEFT MAIN OUT?

Let's say guitar #2 is panned right, and guitar #1 is panned left in the stereo signal, by panning to the left will guitar #2 be deminished or go away completely at that point (at the left main out)?

Getting to the reason I am fretting over all this, for one, I'm somewhat of an audiophile, and I want to ensure that what I've got coming into my mix, is exactly what I want going out (and that's all of it, with nothing added or dropped). I have spent more years on the recording side, but I am now venturing into live sound. I am fully aware of what stereo is, but less sure about running in mono "live." Please don't ask me to look at my mixer's schematic, it's been way too long since I've worked with electronic or digital schematics. Allow me to set up a scene for you to illistrate what I would like to know: I have a Mackie Onyx 1620 (2006 model) w/ Firewire option. When I DJ or KJ, I dedicate one of my stereo inputs to route pre-recorded music thru my mixer. IF I pan all the way to the left, then take the signal out the LEFT MAIN OUTPUT ONLY, will I be sending ALL of the stereo music content thru my LEFT MAIN OUT? Let's say guitar #2 is panned right, and guitar #1 is panned left in the stereo signal, by panning to the left will guitar #2 be deminished or go away completely at that point (at the left main out)?

K. I'll try lol. If you are using just the Left Outputs, anything panned all the way to the right side would not produce any sound. As you moved it's pan back toward the center, or even to the left it would get louder. Looking at the pics of that mixer, it looks like the best way to convert a Stereo source to a Mono source would be at the input. I'm not sure what you're hooking up but basically a Y cable out of both side of the output of the playback device into the Left input of one of the stereo channels should work.

Also any particular reason you're running a mono PA system? I tend to prefer stereo systems although I don't pan anywhere near as aggresively as I do when recording. But pushing things a little each while can help keep the vocals clear throughout the room.

Well, it seems that 75% of the live sound guys I've heard from in various forums say it is best to go mono, that you do not have to worry about one side of the house not hearing the same musical content that the other side is hearing. If the house mains are closer together, I suppose it wouldn't matter as much. Then again, it depends on how it is all panned, isn't it? I guess I need to stop listening to everything everyone in this industry is telling me, and start using my own opinions and be more subjective in my own analysis!

You could send the music mix to two mono inputs instead, and pan them both center.

Aha, I knew someone would come up with a final solution! I do believe this is exactly what I need to do. This way, when I grab the left main output signal, I will not have lost any musical content. All the stereo info will have been condensed into a monaural signal COMPLETELY. EXCELLENT!!!

I am surprised I couldn't figure this one out on my own, and that's why I'm glad you guys are around. Thanks

You may find this article interesting / useful - at least I hope you do: http://www.harmonycentral.com/docs/DOC-1753 Please give it a read and let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks. Good read. I needed a refresher!

???

If you have a stereo PA and the channels are set with the pan on the board center, You already have a mono output on either of the main outs. There shouldnt be any difference between the left and right outs from the mixer unless you have stereo effects running.

Using a Y jack to mono the boards outputs, or plugging both outs into single channel inputs on an amp is the exact same same thing. Unless the amp is mono, and you're plugging into two separate channels with two separate preamp volumes, then those two channels are just tied together like a Y jack.

The way you do it in a live PA setup, is to bridge the power amp. Bigger power amps usually have the option of running stereo with two single inputs for left and right, or bridging the two channels together and making it a mono amp. This is the best solution because its done at a point where the inputs are buffered to prevent channel feedback. If a Y jack is used and one channel is louder than the other it can feed back into the lesser channel causing phase distortions. Whenever you mix line level signals they should be buffered from each other.

This would work also but the mixer he's using is fairly small. Didn't know if he had 2 spare channels to play with.

Sorry, but please don't try to tell us what an audiophile you are when you won't take a moment to read the manuals for your own gear so you can optimize their setup and sound. Just having a look at the manual would answer your questions... which is what I had to do - download YOUR product's manual and have a look to see how it routes audio and what features it does / doesn't have... I hope this answers your questions. Please forgive me for being a bit at you, but if you're not willing to read the manuals, you really shouldn't expect us to do it for you. If you're not understanding what you're reading in the manual, that's another story.

Thanks for the added info. I'm sure we've arrived at the best course of action on this matter. As for reading or not reading my user manuals, I plainly stated that it is the electronic wiring schematics that I have trouble reading, not the connection diagrams in the manual. I have both printed manuals and .pdf downloaded to my laptop. If you were to read through the manual, as I have many times, it does not specifically address the questions I needed answers to.

Yes, I was referring to a stereo source coming in through a stereo input on my Onyx. I know now it would be best to bring the L and R outputs of my stereo source into mono inputs ch 1 and ch 2 (adjusted to line level), panning to center, then taking one side of my stereo main outs to my amp/s. I think this is the best way to get a good mono signal to my single 31-band EQ and compressor/limiter, out to my amp.

If I was running sound for a live show on stage, I would then use my Yamaha 24-channel/8-bus mixer, not the Onyx. If I then needed to bring in outputs from my laptop (or cd), then I would use one of the stereo channels.

Again, guys thanks for your time.