Mono or Monophonic refers to one sound or audio produced in a single channel. For example, a singer may sing through one microphone while playing the guitar. No matter the number of instruments or songs recorded, the fact that a single microphone was used makes the audio monophonic. The mono audio can be heard through headphones or multiple speakers by duplicating into other devices without any change. This kind of audio is used for various reasons in our day-to-day life. In this post, we discuss the mono audio applications.
Applications of Mono Audio
Mono audio is a huge part of several applications, intentionally duplicated for the user to hear from more than one channel. Some uses of mono audio include;
1. Public gatherings or talks
People gather in places for reasons like worshipping, listening to speakers, conferences, or political rallies. In each of these cases, the information passed must reach the audience in the same form. You don’t want a particular group of people to go home with news that differs from others. Since the audio uses a single channel, multiple speakers are set up in the space, and the mono audio is duplicated. The person talking is using one microphone but relayed through multiple speakers for everyone to hear.
2. Hearing aids
They are medical devices designed for people with hearing loss. They are directly inserted into the ear, and the receiver picks every sound and relays it to the user. In most cases, you will find such people having two aids for both ears, but few have one depending on the ear that has a problem. Imagine receiving one piece of information on one ear and something different on the other? This would be hectic as it may cause confusion and limit the ability to communicate. This is where the mono audio comes in. The person needs to receive the exact information at a time during communication. Since the aids are two, the audio is duplicated to serve the other ear.
3. Headphones
Headphones come in handy when listening to music, podcasts, a movie without bothering other people around you. If they were to use stereo audio streamed through multiple channels, one ear would hear one thing and the other something different. Have you ever wondered why the headphones have left and right sides? This is to ensure uniformity in the sound you receive.
For example, in a movie, several speakers are used for accommodating the different sounds. If a car is moving from the right side of the screen, the speaker picks up the sounds, and as it moves to the left, the speaker on the left does the same. Despite the movement, the sound you hear is the exact meaning mono audio is essential.
4. Radio talk shows
Some of these shows are heard in various world regions, but they were recorded in a single studio. The radio host talk through one microphone, meaning the audio is monophonic. It is duplicated to reach multiple people without altering the information.
Conclusion
Applications for monophonic audio are countless if you want the listeners to hear the same information without additional effects. It may have its drawbacks, but it’s applied in most cases for its beneficial use. It may be heard through a single or multiple speakers, but the message isn’t altered since the signal is the same.