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Mono - can we talk mono?

likebike23 said:
@jobrewer1983, is that a push pull 6v6 amp? It's pretty cool how you can put it on the shelf without the face being on its side.

My Webcor Musicale Coronet is a 6v6 push pull amp and sounds pretty good. Spinning some mono Beatles through the internal speakers right now.

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It is, its a 6 tube amp, it uses 2 6V6GT, 3 12ax7, and a 5Y3gt tubes the unit sounds fantastic. I recently landed a 2nd one. It’s similar to this one in the video.


Was pulled from a similar table as what you have set up, mind you I didn’t pull it from the table. I purchased it on eBay minus the tubes, it needed some love so I got it for a great deal. The 2nd one is in the same cond. I need to run a new power cable and install some binding posts and a new RCA Jack, need to clean the controls and most likely will need some new caps. Considered making a nice monoblock set but I love them to much to do anything but run mono on them. They play well with stromberg Carlson drivers, have been loving rolling tubes and various full range drivers with it, the unit sounds amazing. I’m going to try to post a video of it playing. Trying to do that now. :)
 

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Cool stereo amp there too. I'm in process of going through a Voice Of Music stereo console amp. I got all the caps and a few resistors for it. I need to order some hookup wire before I start though. I'm going to reinstall it back into the console and see how it sounds. It's a 6V6 push pull.
 
likebike23 said:
Cool stereo amp there too. I'm in process of going through a Voice Of Music stereo console amp. I got all the caps and a few resistors for it. I need to order some hookup wire before I start though. I'm going to reinstall it back into the console and see how it sounds. It's a 6V6 push pull.
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nice, the stereo unit is one I got for @Greg Nal waiting for our post man, the last tube I need is out for delivery. I may be able to give it a listen this evening if I’m lucky.

what speaker is in the VOM cabinet? Is it a large full range driver or is a mix of smaller drivers?
 
That mono phonograph in the video is nice, I'd love to find one of those. My Webcor cabinet is a little worn, but the amp is nice and speakers sound good.
The amp in mine is a 5 tube with a 5y3 rectifier, 2 6V6, a 12ax7, and a 12au7. It runs a ceramic cart so there is no magnetic phono stage and the associated tube.

I installed a cheap banpa chuo denshi p190 clone aka a Crosley cartridge on it and interestingly it isn't half bad. It gives a nice full sound, not tinny at all. The trick with ceramic carts is running them into a high impedence input common to older tube amps.

I love experiencing the old tech in a manner that previous generations did. It's kind of eye opening to hear exactly how good it sounds. Makes you wonder what all the critical people are hearing to make them talk so bad about some of this stuff.
 
jobrewer1983 said:
nice, the stereo unit is one I got for @Greg Nal waiting for our post man, the last tube I need is out for delivery. I may be able to give it a listen this evening if I’m lucky.

what speaker is in the VOM cabinet? Is it a large full range driver or is a mix of smaller drivers?
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The VOM is a model 812. It is a stereo tube amp, separate preamp with 2 aux inputs, it has 2 12" woofers and 2 tweeters.

This pic is of the actual unit with the legs removed, didn't want them to break while it's in the garage waiting to be restored.

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That video hit the nail on the head for me. Sometimes when listening to stereo I feel that the mix is distracting because it seems artificial. I'm not saying I'm going to ditch stereo and become a crusader for mono or anything, but it does make me appreciate a good mono record on a single speaker more.

It also made me start to think of what would be the best placement for my speaker in my setup. I have moved it around a bit and haven't quite come to a definite conclusion. With it right in front of me it sounds a little too focused. With it on the side of me sometimes I feel like it's too much in one ear which irritates that one ear for some reason.

So does anyone have any tips or articles on mono speaker placement considerations? I have done a quick Google and most of the info is about stereo speaker placement.
 
SixCats! said:

Pearl Acoustics/Sibelius Speakers designer talks about MONO vs. STEREO.


SixCats!
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This was a great video, and the explanation of mono “filling the entire space with sound” is excellent and is what I’ve been trying to explain but didn’t have the correct words to explain myself. It’s true tho, a nice little mono rig has a way of filling the space with music. My main stereo system is on the other side of the apartment, while I play music from my main rig it sounds fantastic in my living room, yet if I go the the bedroom I get muffled sound as I’m not in the direct path of listening. On the flip side, if I run my mono rig with a nice large driver my whole apartment is filled with quality sound. If I go to the bedroom it’s the same sound as all over. I just assumed it was due to the placement, now I know why it sounds so damn good. I can play music on my mono rig and go about my day and really enjoy the music, when I’m listening to stereo I have to be planted in front of it. Both have their pros abs cons but a truly feel a true audiophile should experience a good mono set up at least once. It’s 100000000000000% not the same as hitting the mono switch on a stereo amp.

0F5E614F-4B2B-4A1B-B8CC-9F86CD6659F3.jpeg
 
Also, while I’m at it, I want to thank @Ben LaVigna for all the help and tubes. Ben gave me a set of 12ax7 for one of my mono amp, a real nice set of 3 for the pilot amp, also some nice 6v6 tubes and a few rectifier tubes as well, he knows his stuff and is super helpful:) thanks Ben for all the help!!
 
Perhaps it's perspective that might make a mono one speaker music system sound appealing . Much of the music is right there in front.

I have noticed some stereo recordings are too laid back. I can switch DAC's on my good stereo system to bring the vocals more forward, that sometimes sounds much better.

My home theater set up has a much more forward sound all the time and sometimes despite not having the resolution of my good stereo, It really kicks as#. Making some music sound better overall. This might explain the five star rating many folks give their far from perfect AVR and basic stereo receivers such high marks.

I did some experimenting with perspective switching my AVR from stereo to 3 channel sound to include the center speaker. Again with some music big gains in overall satisfaction. It may not be accurate but it can sound much better non the less.
 
For the most "open" single speaker, monaural sound, try a few speaker placements, like @jobrewer1983 keeps trying. He enjoys his mono sound throughout the floor. Inevitably, room boundaries can either help or hurt, but def. influence the sound. I recommend corner speaker location. Every wall, ceiling or floor a speaker can couple with (as in "close to") increases bass resonance by nearly 2 db.

Coupled to the ceiling or floor corner, your mono speaker's bass resonance is increased by close to 6 db ! That means much more efficient lows with punchier impactful bass...
Place the speaker "catty-cornered" between the walls and the walls will "couple" the mids and highs, acting like acoustical horns, spreading the sound throughout the entire room.
Place it correctly and the sound might bounce throughout your household...

Then, when you get in the groove, Spin some 78s and Boogie On...
 
Hi all, Wow, I so happy to see so much interest in Mono. While I do enjoy my Stereo Systems, I seldom just "sit" (in the sweet spot) and listen. I have been listening/enjoying my (four or so) Mono systems over the last dozen or more years. As I type this, I am listening to this Brociner Back Loaded Corner Horn (with single 12" University 6201 Coaxial Driver). Tonight, it sound lovely (playing Canon Ball) using my Mono 2A3 SET Amp (3.5 Watts). The Brociner is in the far corner of my (largest) room (Audio Room) and is located about 18 feet behind my Head. Guess what, I still enjoy both the direct (and reflected) Music. Funny, when I play my Mono Systems, I don't so much "think" about gear and I just enjoy the mellow/room filling Music.
All's good! Ooh, in the photo, I was using my FISHER 500 Mono Receiver (which also sounds VERY good!). The Brociner/University is easy to drive. My 2A3 SET Amp can play volumes on the Brociner much louder than I listen.
316692656_5893078160743828_3829642226472560569_n.jpg


SixCats!
 
tubeactive said:
For the most "open" single speaker, monaural sound, try a few speaker placements, like @jobrewer1983 keeps trying. He enjoys his mono sound throughout the floor. Inevitably, room boundaries can either help or hurt, but def. influence the sound. I recommend corner speaker location. Every wall, ceiling or floor a speaker can couple with (as in "close to") increases bass resonance by nearly 2 db.

Coupled to the ceiling or floor corner, your mono speaker's bass resonance is increased by close to 6 db ! That means much more efficient lows with punchier impactful bass...
Place the speaker "catty-cornered" between the walls and the walls will "couple" the mids and highs, acting like acoustical horns, spreading the sound throughout the entire room.
Place it correctly and the sound might bounce throughout your household...

Then, when you get in the groove, Spin some 78s and Boogie On...
Click to expand...

I have a good 8-10 various full range drivers I’ve been playing with, also finding single coaxial drivers can be rather impressive too. For me, I’ve really been enjoying messing with full range drivers, I have closets full of nice speakers yet a single Wharfedale super driver has me floored… it’s just a different experience when done correctly. I’ve really been enjoying it.
 
SixCats! said:
Hi all, Wow, I so happy to see so much interest in Mono. While I do enjoy my Stereo Systems, I seldom just "sit" (in the sweet spot) and listen. I have been listening/enjoying my (four or so) Mono systems over the last dozen or more years. As I type this, I am listening to this Brociner Back Loaded Corner Horn (with single 12" University 6201 Coaxial Driver). Tonight, it sound lovely (playing Canon Ball) using my Mono 2A3 SET Amp (3.5 Watts). The Brociner is in the far corner of my (largest) room (Audio Room) and is located about 18 feet behind my Head. Guess what, I still enjoy both the direct (and reflected) Music. Funny, when I play my Mono Systems, I don't so much "think" about gear and I just enjoy the mellow/room filling Music.
All's good! Ooh, in the photo, I was using my FISHER 500 Mono Receiver (which also sounds VERY good!). The Brociner/University is easy to drive. My 2A3 SET Amp can play volumes on the Brociner much louder than I listen.
316692656_5893078160743828_3829642226472560569_n.jpg


SixCats!
Click to expand...

Fantastic!! I have a university 6201 as well, need to set it up. Have yet to try it as the previous owner was using an external crossover so I need to wire it up and swap a few caps.
 
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