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Stereo vs. Mono
#282738 - 04/16/12 09:02 AM
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When it comes to emulators for old school game consoles such as NES, SNES, and Genesis...
Which audio option would be best to enable, Stereo or Mono?
I was always under the impression, when I was younger, that Stereo was the best one. Everyone would always choose the default Stereo setting in the game's option screen. They always said that it sounds better than Mono. Personally, I never heard the difference. But I'd like to hear your opinions on which is best so I can set my NES/SNES/Genesis emulators' audio option accordingly.
I was always under the impression that Mono was better for hearing a character talk (his/her voice) and Stereo was better when it came to the game's music/soundtrack. Is this true?
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The best option for SNES and Genesis would be stereo, since that's their best hookup method, and games were designed with this in mind. Final Fantasy 6 will put sound effects on the left or right depending on your position on the screen for example.
For NES however, it should always be mono since a real NES didn't have stereo output. Emulators have a stereo option and I believe there was a stereo mod, but it's not true stereo, it's just separating the square wave and triangle wave(+others) sounds to the left and right. Seems pointless to me.
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| R. Belmont |
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: Reznor007]
#282851 - 04/16/12 08:55 PM
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Exactly right. SNES/Genesis games (and everything later) want to be stereo, and should be played that way. For NES the real hardware was mono and the various fake stereo methods aren't terribly satisfying so keep it mono.
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: R. Belmont]
#282903 - 04/17/12 03:29 AM
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was the mono split in the NES?
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: jumpmaniac81]
#282905 - 04/17/12 03:31 AM
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> was the mono split in the NES?
Unless you have a y-splitter and did it yourself, no.
Two composite plugs on the US Released NES, one for video, one for audio. As for other countries and pirate consoles, I can't say what the heck they did.
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: Reznor007]
#282920 - 04/17/12 04:27 AM
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Ok. Thanks for the answer guys.
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: Tafoid]
#282930 - 04/17/12 04:51 AM
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> > was the mono split in the NES?
>
> Unless you have a y-splitter and did it yourself, no.
> Two composite plugs on the US Released NES, one for video, one for audio. As for
> other countries and pirate consoles, I can't say what the heck they did.
Any reasonably modern TV will send a mono signal in the left channel to both speakers.
My "front-loader" NES came from the factory with the audio/video label upside down. When I hooked it up again after decades in storage, I thought it was toast until I looked at the color of the actual plugs and realized I had them backwards. Do you suppose this adds anything to the value? 
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| Bekki Doll |
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Quote:
When it comes to emulators for old school game consoles such as NES, SNES, and Genesis...
Which audio option would be best to enable, Stereo or Mono?
The simple answer within the context of emulation is what the cart+console supports as output and sticking with that.
Getting complicated: NES is monaural, SNES and Genesis is stereo. For the latter two, for an authentic experience, see if you can select either monaural or stereo within that specific game.
Or, if you really want to, get a stereo-to-mono converter adapter. I figure that's it's easier to have everything working as authentically as possible. Why not do an analog fix as if you were playing a SNES/Genesis on a television with monaural audio? Yes, it can be coded digitally via the emulator. I just go with the former just for Oldskool's sake.
An interesting console, albeit handheld, would be the GameBoy. It has a monaural external speaker. Yet it does have true stereo sound via the headphone jack.
Anyway, strive for accuracy to remain faithful to how the consoles+games work within their environments. Though I don't think that's going to stop someone from creating a NES emulator that simulates DD 5.1 by tracking certain object collisions within some games and positioning the audio accordingly for the lulz. :-)
--Bekki
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Combating functional illiteracy with latex-clad drama since the '80s, because old video games rule!
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: Bekki Doll]
#283166 - 04/19/12 03:18 AM
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So your suggesting that I set my Game Boy/Game Boy Color/Game Boy Advance emulator "Visual Boy Advance-M" to Stereo? Because you said the real hardware is capable of Stereo through headphones. So, since both Stereo and Mono would be authentic for that emulator, I might as well set it to Stereo.
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How do YOU PEOPLE feel about the "Simulate Surround Sound" option that some emulators have? Do you recommend enabling it?
(I have Dell A425 2.1 PC Speakers w/ Subwoofer)
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| redk9258 |
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I hate simulated stereo. Remember when TV first went stereo and the broadcasters thought they needed to simulate stereo? It sounded terrible.
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| R. Belmont |
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> How do YOU PEOPLE feel about the "Simulate Surround Sound" option that some emulators
> have? Do you recommend enabling it?
I don't personally like it, but if you do feel free to enable it. Emulation can be a deeply personal experience, and you shouldn't feel the need to run everything past us :-)
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: R. Belmont]
#283265 - 04/20/12 06:21 AM
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Quote:
I don't personally like it, but if you do feel free to enable it. Emulation can be a deeply personal experience, and you shouldn't feel the need to run everything past us :-)
I know. But I like to hear other peoples' opinions and suggestions before making a decision about things of that nature.
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| Bekki Doll |
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Quote:
So, since both Stereo and Mono would be authentic for that emulator, I might as well set it to Stereo.
Wouldn't hurt. Though I don't know of many people who actually rigged up amplified speakers to a real GameBoy just for that stereo sound without wearing headphones.
Though, now that I think about it, I have a pair of speakers and my GameBoy Advance SP... :-) It's like the Beatles' 09/09/2009 remasters: Both are available in mono and stereo with their own quirks. Fortunately with an emulator you won't have to buy both box sets. Unless you're a diehard Beatles fan and need to complete your collection.
Not my best analogy. It'll have to do.
If the hardware is there then use it if you want. ;-)
--Bekki
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| Bekki Doll |
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A cynical yet secular shiny retrogamer, thread ressurector and fan of the word "gay".
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: redk9258]
#283283 - 04/20/12 08:53 AM
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Quote:
Remember when TV first went stereo and the broadcasters thought they needed to simulate stereo? It sounded terrible.
I know that Johnstown, PA broadcaster WJAC (NBC) used to simulcast the stereo audio via FM. So if someone had their television rigged up with their FM receiver/amplifier and speaker system all set up they would get true stereo. It wasn't perfect but it worked. :-)
I also knew of people on the job who'd listen to the NBC daytime soaps while working that way via their portable radio receiver+headphones.
There used to be radios that would be able t tune into actual television broadcasts and let you listen to the audio only. Sadly, those receivers are obsolete.
--Bekki
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Re: Stereo vs. Mono
[Re: Bekki Doll]
#283285 - 04/20/12 10:43 AM
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Quote:
A cynical yet shiny retrogamer, thread ressurector and fan of the word "gay".
If you don't mind me asking... why are you a fan of the word "gay"?
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