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Topic: Mono to Stereo: what program and settings? (Read 6758 times) previous topic - next topic
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Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Some time ago, after extensive browsing through these forums, I found the settings people over here seemed to generally agree upon when using SSRC and Toolame. That came in handy for my SVCDs. Recently, I got hold of a source with mono audio and would like to convert it to stereo before anything else. After some searching, I only found one post where someone mentioned Sox, but I couldn't find either more recommendations for it or what settings to use.
So, I'd like to ask if there is a program that is generally recommended for this task, and what settings yield better results. Thanks in advance.

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #1 –
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Some time ago, after extensive browsing through these forums, I found the settings people over here seemed to generally agree upon when using SSRC and Toolame. That came in handy for my SVCDs. Recently, I got hold of a source with mono audio and would like to convert it to stereo before anything else. After some searching, I only found one post where someone mentioned Sox, but I couldn't find either more recommendations for it or what settings to use.
So, I'd like to ask if there is a program that is generally recommended for this task, and what settings yield better results. Thanks in advance.
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Unless we have crossed-wires you're attempting the impossible. By definition, mono sound has no spatial content so it can't be converted to stereo. Years ago there were hardware systems that produced a kind-of simulated stereo but the effect was poor. Never heard of software to do it but it might exist. You can, of course, make it dual-channel mono, is that what you meant?

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #2 –
I know nothing about audio and you're probably right, but there has been a few threads on mono-to-stereo in here, and programs like VirtualDubMod and Sox allegedly do such tasks.

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #3 –
As a long-time SoX user, I think it's only fair to tell you that - good as SoX is - what you are asking is not quite what the program was designed to accomplish. Still, I'll try to clarify a few points:

  1) First of all, you can use your mono content with an SVCD without having to convert anything. Encode the audio as a single-channel/mono MP2 (ex. toolame -b 128 -m m <input> <output>) and mux as you would any other audio source.

  2) If you still feel the need to convert to a "stereo" (really a dual-channel mono) signal SoX can do so (ex. SoX <input> -c 2 <output>), although this doesn't really accomplish anything; each channel will contain exactly the same information.

  3) Still feeling ambitious? You can create a "duophonic" effect with a combination of comb filtering and delay. Google for techniques; you should be able to find enough free plugins to attempt a rough duophonic mix (or at the very least, you could play around with bass- and treble-filtered L and R channels) using Audacity.

  Have fun.

    - M.

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #4 –
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I know nothing about audio and you're probably right, but there has been a few threads on mono-to-stereo in here, and programs like VirtualDubMod and Sox allegedly do such tasks.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328266"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Mono is when one, the same signal goes to both speakers - imagine a guy saying "black" to a microphone - both speakers will say "black".
Stereo is when two separate signals go to two speakers - imagine two guys, one saying "black" and the other guy saying "white" - left speaker will say "black" and right speaker will say "white".
What happens when you convert mono to stereo? One signal converts into two separate but still the same signals. It's like bringing a second guy saying the same as the first guy - "black" - both speakers will say "black". So the effect is exactly the same as in mono, even if there are two guys/signals, and that's what software does. [:

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #5 –
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imagine a guy saying "black" to a microphone - both speakers will say "black".
Stereo is when two separate signals go to two speakers - imagine two guys, one saying "black" and the other guy saying "white" - left speaker will say "black" and right speaker will say "white".

Seperate but Equal?
Racist! 

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #6 –
M: I guess you're right, and making a pseudo stereo file would only lower the sound quality anyway. What pisses me off is that probably the original audio signal was stereo .

rutra80: Thanks for the explanation, I completely understood it. I have a question then: following your explanation, what goes into converting a stereo signal to mono (i.é: how are "black" and "white" combined into a single word)?

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #7 –
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rutra80: Thanks for the explanation, I completely understood it. I have a question then: following your explanation, what goes into converting a stereo signal to mono (i.é: how are "black" and "white" combined into a single word)?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328468"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It becomes "blight" or "whack" ;-) -- samples are mixed (overlaid / added) -- thus, two periodic sounds out of phase could potentially cancel each other - this would happen most often on lower frequency sounds.  I am not sure of any type of program that analyses the sound before converting stereo to mono, but the principle surely exists : you can achieve that sort of thing with crossfeed electronic filters, commonly used with headphones, to a certain extent.

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #8 –
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rutra80: Thanks for the explanation, I completely understood it. I have a question then: following your explanation, what goes into converting a stereo signal to mono (i.é: how are "black" and "white" combined into a single word)?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328468"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It becomes "blight" or "whack" ;-)
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Really? Or maybe that's just an oversimplification? I don't remember hearing mono files so screwed up...Anyway, your reply was very informative, thanks

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #9 –
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It becomes "blight" or "whack" ;-)
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Really? Or maybe that's just an oversimplification?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=328634"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It's oversimplification, but that's the best you could do with the example I provided
 

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #10 –
I see, I won't  tinker with the source audio then. Thanks for all the kind explanations, everyone .

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #11 –
Why would dual-channel mono be worse than pure (single-channel) mono (when sending to a stereo speaker setup)?
"ONLY THOSE WHO ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE WILL ACHIEVE THE ABSURD"
        - Oceania Association of Autonomous Astronauts

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #12 –
I didn't say it would be worse. Though in this case (SVCD) it would be, because:
1. He would need to transcode mono MPEG into stereo MPEG, and even if he decoded mono MPEG into stereo LPCM there would be less bits left for video.
2. Mono gives more bits per channel than stereo (in this case pseudo-stereo/dual-mono).

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #13 –
I recently discovered a VST plugin called Wider Boy (demo version) that seems to be just what I need and downloaded a freeware program called Krystal Audio Engine to use it but have no idea how to. Can someone give me a hand?

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #14 –
You could probably plug that Wider Boy VST into any VST-capable audio editing suite, for example Steinberg WaveLab.

Mono to Stereo: what program and settings?

Reply #15 –
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