Jeff Evans

batsbrew
it actually works pretty well, jeff.

 
I am sure it does too.  At least what you are doing in mono is hearing everything panned centre and that is still good for getting everything to work well together.  It will also still show you if some stuff is treading on other stuff which is good of course. It will still help to separate things as well a little better.
 
But I guarantee if you had the single Avantone setup you will love it and in time you would agree it is better than what you are doing now.  Unless you actually make the purchase and set it up properly you simply will never know.

jeff,
i was doing single channel mono mixing using a yamaha ns 10 back in the late 80's,
and since then, have set up multiple speaker systems to a/b with, including 'horrortones'....
 
i've been there, and done that.
 
the system i have now, works just as well.
no need to run out and buy something else.....

Hey Bats a single NS10 would be pretty demanding! God they are horrible but good for checking mixes on I do agree. They have a poor bass response and very upper highs so in same ways NS10's do resemble a small mono speaker.  By the way these new Yamaha's with the white cones e.g. HS7's do not sound like NS10's either. They are seriously full range in comparison.  Although they do tend to push the mids and upper mids a little which is not a bad mix check in fact.  The HS7's don't go down that far either so they are good like that too. 
 
To Leadfoot listen to some of your previous mixes at a lowish volume on the single Auratone and hear the problems in some of your earlier mixes! 
 
I spend quite a bit of time on the small speaker.  But I do monitor on the main speakers at 85 dB SPL, 95 dB SPL and 105 dB SPL. (not for long!)  It is often quite revealing what you hear up at 105 for example.  If the bass is too loud then the room starts to rattle and if there is too much subby stuff in your kick it will rattle your teeth!  Also the reverbs really stand out up loud too. Don't get caught setting reverb levels on the small speaker, it lies a bit in that mode. 
 
It is interesting too that on the small speaker a snare level might just jump out a little too much.  So you pull it down 1 or 2 dB and get it sitting real nice.  But when you go back up on the mains the snare level does not seem to change much at all.  In fact it can sound the same as before.  But now you have satisfied two speakers at once.
 
Another thing the mono speaker is good for too is checking the level of sounds you have panned hard L or hard R.  In stereo they will always be heard.  But on the small speaker you might find they have disappeared a bit.  Just nudge them up a db or 2 and suddenly they are there in the mono speaker but not changed much in the mains.

Jeff Evans
...Mono means a single point source.  Something that two main speakers is not doing.  In fact even with two main speakers in mono you are still hearing a subtle form of stereo because the sound is arriving at both ears still slightly differently.  A single point source speaker eliminates this...

Leadfoot
...With the Audient iD22, I can switch from the regular monitors to the Mixcube at the touch of a button...

 
With the iD22 you can also toggle between stereo and single speaker mono for the main speakers by touching a single button. I find this very handy.

Kev999

Jeff Evans
...Mono means a single point source.  Something that two main speakers is not doing.  In fact even with two main speakers in mono you are still hearing a subtle form of stereo because the sound is arriving at both ears still slightly differently.  A single point source speaker eliminates this...

Leadfoot
...With the Audient iD22, I can switch from the regular monitors to the Mixcube at the touch of a button...

 
With the iD22 you can also toggle between stereo and single speaker mono for the main speakers by touching a single button. I find this very handy.

You are correct sir.:) But not the same as playing both channels through a single speaker. I was doing it that way before I got the Mixcube, and there is a difference.

Jeff Evans
 
To Leadfoot listen to some of your previous mixes at a lowish volume on the single Auratone and hear the problems in some of your earlier mixes! 
 

I've done some listening to my older mixes using the Mixcube, but I don't think I will anymore. It makes me want to remix everything!

Leadfoot

Kev999

Jeff Evans
......

Leadfoot
......

With the iD22 you can also toggle between stereo and single speaker mono for the main speakers by touching a single button. I find this very handy.

...But not the same as playing both channels through a single speaker...

 
I'm monitoring both channels through the right speaker only. There's an optional setting for mono playback to go to one speaker or both.

Kev999
I'm monitoring both channels through the right speaker only. There's an optional setting for mono playback to go to one speaker or both.

My humble apologies, Kev. I just tried it myself, and you're absolutely correct. I guess I didn't spend any time messing with it. I used it a few times, but just assumed that when I chose L or R, I was only hearing that channel. Guess I should have RTFM. :) That being said, the Mixcube still gives me a much different perspective than my Focals. I consider it to be the most important addition to my studio in the last couple years.

iD22 = $599.00
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/iD22?adpos=1o1&creative=54989476081&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&product_id=iD22&gclid=Cj0KEQjw6-PJBRCO_br1qoOB4LABEiQAEkqcVcNZ59J8Bup8DwFApqvDuGSfVT-qEXpse19p498rjXcaAusu8P8HAQ
 
or Presonus = $299.95
 
https://www.sweetwater.co...PoFAcgmrwU8aAl_58P8HAQ
 
Mixcube= $249.00
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&O=&Q=&ap=y&c3api=1876%2C%7Bcreative%7D%2C%7Bkeyword%7D&gclid=Cj0KEQjw6-PJBRCO_br1qoOB4LABEiQAEkqcVaQc0-w6Lsk6piAtLQebPjV1m7zK-70gFHMdo5PmdcIaAt4C8P8HAQ&is=REG&sku=867124 
 
 
https://www.sweetwater.co...nqEaI8q-KUMaAkbS8P8HAQ
 
Total = from $548.95 to $848.00
 
or my cheap solution:
Altec Lansing PC Speakers = $12.00
https://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-altec-lansing-computer-speakers
 
USB HUB = $6.49
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWF5U0M/ref=psdc_281413_t2_B003M0NURK
 
Total $18.49
 
The cheap solution for mono monitoring cannot compare in quality to the expensive one but it does give you a way to test your mixes without costing an arm and leg. Once you get to know how it all works, you can upgrade as needed. I am happy with the cheap solution for now.
 

Jeff Evans
Hey Bats a single NS10 would be pretty demanding! God they are horrible but good for checking mixes on I do agree. They have a poor bass response and very upper highs so in same ways NS10's do resemble a small mono speaker.  By the way these new Yamaha's with the white cones e.g. HS7's do not sound like NS10's either. They are seriously full range in comparison.  Although they do tend to push the mids and upper mids a little which is not a bad mix check in fact.  The HS7's don't go down that far either so they are good like that too. 
 
To Leadfoot listen to some of your previous mixes at a lowish volume on the single Auratone and hear the problems in some of your earlier mixes! 
 
I spend quite a bit of time on the small speaker.  But I do monitor on the main speakers at 85 dB SPL, 95 dB SPL and 105 dB SPL. (not for long!)  It is often quite revealing what you hear up at 105 for example.  If the bass is too loud then the room starts to rattle and if there is too much subby stuff in your kick it will rattle your teeth!  Also the reverbs really stand out up loud too. Don't get caught setting reverb levels on the small speaker, it lies a bit in that mode. 
 
It is interesting too that on the small speaker a snare level might just jump out a little too much.  So you pull it down 1 or 2 dB and get it sitting real nice.  But when you go back up on the mains the snare level does not seem to change much at all.  In fact it can sound the same as before.  But now you have satisfied two speakers at once.
 
Another thing the mono speaker is good for too is checking the level of sounds you have panned hard L or hard R.  In stereo they will always be heard.  But on the small speaker you might find they have disappeared a bit.  Just nudge them up a db or 2 and suddenly they are there in the mono speaker but not changed much in the mains.

Thanks Jeff for your informative comments as usual.