Stereo Delay question

[NARPLDR]

Another question regarding stereo. This time regarding delays.

If I’m using a basic dotted eighth delay in a stereo amp and cab rig, should I set the spread (width)/ echo pan for my delays to a hard pan? Or should it be centered? Does it even matter?

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Another question regarding stereo. This time regarding delays.

If I’m using a basic dotted eighth delay in a stereo amp and cab rig, should I set the spread (width)/ echo pan for my delays to a hard pan? Or should it be centered? Does it even matter?

It depends on where you're directing the output and what your goal is.

Are you sending the output to FOH and the engineer wants a mono signal? Then don't pan them.

Are you recording and need a split, or sending to a stereo FOH? Then pan them.

Panning, then getting the signal summed to mono can cause phasing issues, so you need to think ahead and be aware of what can happen. The manual and the Wiki talk about this.

 

[NARPLDR]

It depends on where you're directing the output and what your goal is.

Are you sending the output to FOH, and the engineer wants a mono signal? Then don't pan them.

Are you recording and need a split, or sending to a stereo FOH? Then pan them.

Panning, then getting the signal summed to mono can cause phasing issues, so you need to think ahead and be aware of what can happen. The manual and the Wiki talk about this.

Maybe I’ve missed it but I’ve searched the wiki and manual regarding delay spread (width) for the past few days. YouTube and google searches too. If you've got a link to the subject matter, that’d be appreciated.

That said, yes I’m running stereo to FOH. FOH has me stereo in the house. No mono summing in the signal chain. The delay is dotted 8th and would be in both left and right amps. That’s why I was curious whether I should keep 100% stereo width or keep it centered at 0%. I can't seem to find pros and cons, if any, to either option.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mono_and_stereo will help. Searching the Wiki for stereo is sure to turn up some stuff too.

 

[JoKeR III]

If you're wanting to remain true stereo using a Stereo Delay with a basic dotted 8th, you'll want to set both the Ratio and Spread to 100%. If you have the Spread at 0 (centered) and mute either amp/cab, the repeats will sound centered. With the Spread at 100% and the Left Amp/Cab muted, you'll only hear the repeats in the Right speaker and vice-versa.

 

[NARPLDR]

If you're wanting to remain true stereo using a Stereo Delay with a basic dotted 8th, you'll want to set both the Ratio and Spread to 100%. If you have the Spread at 0 (centered) and mute either amp/cab, the repeats will sound centered. With the Spread at 100% and the Left Amp/Cab muted, you'll only hear the repeats in the Right speaker and vice-versa.

This is what confuses me. I understand the centered and hard panned concept of it. But I’m still a bit confused.

Let’s say for example I choose to run my stereo rig in mono. Per fractal I’ll do half stereo in this case. But in this half stereo (mono) application I’m curious what the difference in the delay would be if I had it centered compared to 100% spread.



To simplify my questions…

1) If I’m running a stereo rig with a basic dotted 8th for both left and right channels should I center or hard pan? And what’s the difference?

You mention it’s best to have a full stereo spread in the delays. Got it

2) If I can’t run stereo and am required to run a half stereo rig will the delay spread matter? Should I still spread 100% or center it? What would be the difference in a half stereo set up?

3) Is setting the delay spread to 0% not recommended for a full stereo rig? I ask because sometimes I’d like to to have a ping pong delay a la Andy Timmons but I’d want both delay times to be heard on both left and right amp channels.

 

[Admin M@]

You need to be able to answer this question first before I think I can give you good advice:

Why specifically do you want your delay block to be stereo? Why not just use a mono delay for this application?

 

[macky7tyseven]

This is for Gigs:

Dont pan 100% because the audience on the left/right side of the venue will only hear half of the signal. I usually pan 60 to 70 % therefore.

 

[NARPLDR]

You need to be able to answer this question first before I think I can give you good advice:

Why specifically do you want your delay block to be stereo? Why not just use a mono delay for this application?

That’s the thing, I don’t know if it needs to be stereo or not.

I just got the FM9 so I’m slowly wrapping my head around stereo amps and cabs. So it’s not that I need stereo delay, I’m mostly asking to learn. In my current application I have stereo amps and cabs both hard panned. Now I’m onto the delay and I’m not sure if they should be hard panned or centered

I mentioned in a post above that sometimes I’ll run a half stereo rig. Will the stereo spread still matter? What’s the difference between a hard pan and center pan when using a half stereo application?

 

[DLC86]

I mentioned in a post above that sometimes I’ll run a half stereo rig. Will the stereo spread still matter? What’s the difference between a hard pan and center pan when using a half stereo application?

If by "half stereo" you mean that, for example, you plug into only the left output, then the difference is that with a hard pan you'll only hear what's hard panned to the left.

A solution for this might be to change the output mode to "Sum L+R", this way you'll get the mono sum of both channels on one jack, but be careful cuz some effects cause phase issues when summed to mono.

PS: check this wiki page: https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mono_and_stereo

 

[NARPLDR]

If by "half stereo" you mean that, for example, you plug into only the left output, then the difference is that with a hard pan you'll only hear what's hard panned to the left.

A solution for this might be to change the output mode to "Sum L+R", this way you'll get the mono sum of both channels on one jack, but be careful cuz some effects cause phase issues when summed to mono.

PS: check this wiki page: https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mono_and_stereo

Half stereo as defined by the manual. I tried summing to mono and I wasn't a huge fan. That's why I stick with half stereo.