Sound design is an essential component of videos or even other forms of media like Podcasts, songs and n number of other things. Any great sound design relies on great audio capture. Now there can be many ways to capture sounds around you. But almost all of them involve using a microphone in order to convert an analogue sound wave to a digital sound file. Depending upon whether you are capturing a voice or environment your needs might vary.
When it comes to microphones, you will note that there are two types of microphones to use – mono or stereo. You might wonder which type of microphone to use since we hear the sound in three-dimensional sound. In this article, we’ll discuss the differences between the two and when to use them in order to get the best outcomes.
Table of Contents
What is A Mono Microphone?
Mono in English means one and phonic means sound. A mono microphone is a mic that captures sound from a single source and outputs the audio as a single channel.
However, this doesn’t mean a mono mic only captures one sound from one object. It means that a mono mic records all sound sources equally regardless of their location or direction. So, the audio from both the left and right speakers when played back will have no differentiation or any other spatial cues.
What is a Stereo microphone?
A Stereo microphone has two channels and is designed to give you a three-dimensional soundscape compared to a mono microphone. A stereo microphone has two individual diaphragms that pick up sound from different angles to capture sound from two or more sources.
This way it creates a more immersive audio experience, as different sounds can be heard from different directions using advanced sound systems such as a pair of stereo headphones or 5.1 sound playback systems.
When to Use Which MicroPhone?
Mono Microphone
- If you are recording a single sound source, such as a person speaking directly into the microphone, such as in an interview or a speech.
- When you need to capture sound from a specific direction, such as the sound of a bird or a musical instrument.
- When you want to minimize background noise and focus on the primary sound source.
In short, mono microphones are often used in news reporting, interviews, and other scenarios where the focus is on capturing the audio from a single source.
Stereo Microphone
- When you’re recording music or other performances that require a more immersive audio experience.
- When you’re recording ambient sounds, such as the sounds of nature or a cityscape.
- When you want to capture sound from multiple directions, such as in a group conversation or a sports event.
In short, Stereo microphones are often used in music recording, film production, and other scenarios where a more immersive audio experience is preferred.
In stereo sound recording the placement of the microphone determines how the overall soundscape would sound to the listener as it creates a virtual 3D environment through sound in the listener’s head.
We hope you found this guide informative and that it would help you the next time you are out to buy a microphone. For more such tech guides stay tuned to Inspire2rise.com.
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