Output + Figure 2: A polarity switching box. Input DPDT Switch other for each production. My general feeling is that MIS imaging will be more successful for most productions. Coordinating Middle/Side and - - Stereo at the Mixer Inputs . + , , + + L Send R Aux. Return MIXER N----Figure 3: A Middle/Side system wired from an auxiliary send. 16 WIN T E R I 9 9 9 T'Z>&T Other solutions allow controlling MIS from the mixer's input side. One solution is to send the side signal to one of the mixer's auxiliary sends rather than to the side masters. Create a cable which returns the auxiliary send back into both sides of the stereo auxiliary return (or other input channels), but with the two sides of the return with their polarities reversed (see fig. 3). Achannel send/insert may also be used to provide the send. Each side then may be sent to one of the side speaker positions. Again, remember that these techniques only work \vith balanced outputs. An additional technique described in Thomas' TD&T article is to create a cable between the balanced output of a two-channel source device and mixer input which achieves the same goal (see fig. 4). The left channel can then either be used for stereo-left or MIS-middle. The right channel uses a V-cord to connect to two mixer inputs, one with reverse polarity. Hopefully these ideas do not sound too complex. They are fairly easy to accomplish in the equipment, but somewhat harder to impress upon our habit-prone minds. Stereo playback through two speakers is deeply ingrained, but by using the techniques described in this article much can be accomplished using relatively simple equipment. Surprisingly effective results can be achieved \vith simple stereo mixers even when using standard stereo recordings.