Is it just me or playing with one speaker feels better than playing with two

Birdy

Inspired
When playing through studio monitors, with a mono sound, playing through 1 speaker feels much better to me than playing through 2, even though it's complete mono and the exact same sound.

I'm posting this just to see if I'm the weirdo, or if other people feel the same.
 
I assume that by saying "one speaker" you are talking about real speakers and not cab blocks.

I suppose you are facing a speaker positioning issue. If you are listening the exact same sound coming from two different speakers, there may be some phase cancellation if your head is not placed at the exact same distance between the two speakers.
 
I assume that by saying "one speaker" you are talking about real speakers and not cab blocks.

I suppose you are facing a speaker positioning issue. If you are listening the exact same sound coming from two different speakers, there may be some phase cancellation if your head is not placed at the exact same distance between the two speakers.
Yeah I'm talking about real speakers.
And I'm sitting in the sweet spot in my studio, dead center between the speakers.
 
Most people are used to playing just one amp, thus a mono source

Stereo sounds reallly cool, but it’s a bit of a different sensation
 
Most people are used to playing just one amp, thus a mono source

Stereo sounds reallly cool, but it’s a bit of a different sensation
Yea that's where I got the idea to play with just one speaker, and after I tried that I found out that it feels better to me.
But just to remind, I'm talking about a mono source, not stereo/2 amps.
Mono source through 2 speakers vs 1 speakers.
 
I'm using a pair of powered studio monitors (on output 1), and then a Matrix amp into a XiTone cab (on output 2) in summed L+R. Awesome! Backing tracks only come out of the studio monitors, so I can balance the volume levels with the two volume knobs on the Axe.

Usually, I set it up so that the main sound from the guitar comes from the XiTone, and then the studio monitors have just enough guitar output to give it a more rounded feel. It works really well. The XiTone cab is physically off to one side and significantly in front of the studio monitors.
 
I'm using a pair of powered studio monitors (on output 1), and then a Matrix amp into a XiTone cab (on output 2) in summed L+R. Awesome! Backing tracks only come out of the studio monitors, so I can balance the volume levels with the two volume knobs on the Axe.

Usually, I set it up so that the main sound from the guitar comes from the XiTone, and then the studio monitors have just enough guitar output to give it a more rounded feel. It works really well. The XiTone cab is physically off to one side and significantly in front of the studio monitors.
Do you feel like I do when you try to play only through the studio monitors?
 
For me its the opposite. I really enjoy it when i have a chance to use multiple stage monitors pointed at me. Even if they are mono, it sounds much better to me.
 
I like two ClR better than one. Things like rotary, reverb etc sound “better” in stereo


Lately I’ve been using one clr as a “dry” and then having my studio monitors playing the wet signal from a parallel delay or reverb. Sounds massive as it’s essentiall a wet/dry/wet rig, and in a smaller room it’s essentially being wrapped in glorious FAS guitar tone
 
I like two ClR better than one. Things like rotary, reverb etc sound “better” in stereo


Lately I’ve been using one clr as a “dry” and then having my studio monitors playing the wet signal from a parallel delay or reverb. Sounds massive as it’s essentiall a wet/dry/wet rig, and in a smaller room it’s essentially being wrapped in glorious FAS guitar tone
Yeah obviously reverbs and effects sounds better in stereo, but I'm talking about just dry guitar tone.
 
If you are running a mono signal to two different speakers, you are probably experiencing comb filtering. You can read about it online.
 
I find this to be the case for me even with real amps on stage. I have always preferred the feel, even the perception of tone from one 4x12 cab than multiple. Even though I know multiples move more air, I feel my tone has less impact. Like multiple cabs spreads out the sound too much whereas the one cab is more concentrated. This of course is only opinion with no scientific knowledge behind it.

Now granted I’ve never stood infront of a wall of Marshall stacks so I can’t judge that sensation.
 
If you are running a mono signal to two different speakers, you are probably experiencing comb filtering. You can read about it online.
I'm playing in a studio, centered between a pair of studio monitors.
Can it still be comb filtering?
 
Do you feel like I do when you try to play only through the studio monitors?

No, I'm fine, I'm running everything in stereo. The biggest potential issue is summing to mono for the XiTone. So far, the only place I've noticed anything odd is using the 2940 (or whatever it's called) delay, because is does some sort of cancelling thing when you sum L+R. So I don't use it.
 
Just read about that, might be it, even though I'm in a dead room with bass traps as well.
It's gotta be very subtle since I can't actually hear a difference, just feel it.

Where do the speakers sit?

Are they mounted flush to the wall, are they on the meter bridge of the desk, are they on a table? Or are they on speaker stands (close or far from a wall)?

And what do you mean by a “dead“ room? That could mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

I would be truly surprised if your room is really dead e.g. an anechoic chamber.
 
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