Topic: 4 channel mono vs. 2 stereo pairs

[dennisrtyler]

i keep hearing that you are "supposed" to run 4 mono channels instead of 2 stereo pairs when recording 4 channel. is there any factual reasoning behind this or is it just personal preference/old wives' tale?

[NOLAfishwater]

SD does not support 2 x stereo wav files. The R-44 did. I always found it easier to deal with 2 x stereo.

[habit]

 

[dennisrtyler]

i knew their was a simple answer and it had nothing to do with one being better than the other. sd users dont record in 2 x stereo because they can't, simple as that.

[yug du nord]

i don't understand the difference between 4 mono channels and 2 stereo pairs.....  what am i missing??

[dennisrtyler]

i don't understand the difference between 4 mono channels and 2 stereo pairs.....  what am i missing??

if you record in 4 mono, you end up with 4 seperate tracks(L,L,R,R). if you record in 2 stereo pairs, you end up with 2 tracks(source1, source2). obviously if you record in 4 mono you can combine each L/R to create the stereo pairs and vice versa, if you record in 2 stereo pairs, you can split them up into 4 mono tracks.

[dean]

i don't understand the difference between 4 mono channels and 2 stereo pairs.....  what am i missing??

if you record in 4 mono, you end up with 4 seperate tracks(L,L,R,R). if you record in 2 stereo pairs, you end up with 2 tracks(source1, source2). obviously if you record in 4 mono you can combine each L/R to create the stereo pairs and vice versa, if you record in 2 stereo pairs, you can split them up into 4 mono tracks.

And this is exactly why I don't understand why it would matter one way or another.  Anyone?  Other than the 2G limit, but since I run an R4 I've got no worries there...

[bgreen]

I run mono to avoid splits and because I use a lot of channels and do a lot of panning other than complete left and right. There really is no different other than the size and the panning though. If you do mono, you will have to pan them when you do post. You can split the stereo pair to two mono files as well in post if you'd rather, it's just a few less steps for me.

[stevetoney]

Didn't I read that some people have HDD Slow errors on their R4's when running 4 x mono, but it's not an issue when running 2 x stereo.  Still not sure why that would matter, but I do seem to remember reading this.

[Gutbucket]

if you record in 4 mono, you end up with 4 seperate files tracks (L,L,R,R). if you record in 2 stereo pairs, you end up with 2 files (one stereo file with tracks 1 & 2, and a second stereo file with tracks 3 & 4) tracks(source1, source2). obviously if you record in 4 mono you can combine each L/R file to create stereo files pairs and vice versa, if you record in 2 stereo files pairs, you can split them up into 4 mono tracks.

^^
Edited to clarify terms that may be confusing.

I use an R-44 and record 4 channels to two stereo files for most things simply because they are already stereo pairs (two different pairs of mics, or mics plus stereo SBD) and it makes it simple to play each pair back without an editor.  Simplifies file management too, since two pairs = two files and the related channels stay linked to each other.

I do record to four mono files when using the Tetramic because it requires all 4 channels to work.  Stereo files would just confuse things in that case.  I could record to one 4-channel file (another option on the R-44) but that format is not as recognized by editing software and would mean four times as many 2gb filesplits as writing mono files or twice as as many as writing stereo files.

[OFOTD]

I could record to one 4-channel file (another option on the R-44) but that format is not as recognized by editing software and would mean four times as many 2gb filesplits as writing mono files or twice as as many as writing stereo files.

Last I remember SoundForge 9 worked with the 4x1 files without problems.   I think  it was Wavelab 5 that had troubles with the format.

[Gutbucket]

Thanks, that's good to know.  I'm using Samplitude but haven't tried opening a 4x1 file, so I don't know if Samp is compatible or not.   I don't see any need to use a single 4-channel file for recording, but it could be a convenient format for storing/playing the Tetramic's ambisonic B-format files after convertion.  Haven't gone that far yet.  Does Flac support multi-channel files?  If not then that would make the decision for me.

[OFOTD]

Well saving a 4x1 file takes a step or two out of your workflow but also may add those saving steps back depending on auto splits.

FWIW, I record to four mono files.   Helps me manage each piece of my recording without (for the most part) track splits. 

In the end and as mentioned before saving 4x1 or 4x2 or 4x4 is all related to how each individuals workflow works.   No right way or wrong way.

Yes I do believe FLAC supports multitrack files now.

[mountaintaper]

I record onto a 4 channel file, it's just easier for ME to store 1 file per set instead of 4.  Too man instances of me losing a file when i've done the 4 mono files.

[kirk97132]

I always preferred having the mono channels and then panning them the way I wanted to in post.  For me it took the step of separating the stereo file out of the workflow(if I needed/wanted to do that).  It also allowed me to do an work(eq, level adjustment, etc) to a single file.  and if I wanted to do the same adjustments to both it was a much easier process.  I also found it to be faster to swap L & R by adjusting pan rather than using the process of swapping channels.  There are also times when I was recording a mono source on a channel IE: vocal on one track and guitar on another so there was no reason for stereo.