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What is the best for field recording, 1x stereo microphone or 2x mono microphones?

In most cases you have more control with a stereo microphone, but i think you can be more creative with a pair of mono microphones because you can make i wider stereo image if you put some distance between them, or put them close together to make a more compact stereo image, or in different positions to make a more experimental sound.

For me, field-recording is often about "being there" - grabbing those moments you can't plan for. So I go for a single stereo mic and compact, highly portable equipment. And remember your head can only be in one place at a time, so separating a pair of mics too far might give "interesting" but unrealistic effects.

acclivity
...your head can only be in one place at a time...

...and that's why decapitated people hate baskets
Serious, I think there are places, moments and moods for spatially separated and single-point mics. Single-points are easier to place, use, and protect from wind. Very handy. But two-mic setups are definitely more fun, even if made of two capsules hanging at each side of a rock

D

DJ SPACEBEAR
What is the best for field recording, 1x stereo microphone or 2x mono microphones?

In general small membrane omni microphone have best flat characteristics e.g. they don't add anything to the sound you try to capture. The DPA 4060 are excellent, small, not expensive and very easy to wear onto your own head (just stick them near your own ears).
(Keep in mind to always ask for a matched pair)
Omnis are less sensitive to wind and handling noise too.

F

I prefer single-point mics myself, but that is mainly a function of what I like to record. There is absolutely no easy, portable method for recording with 2 mics in the field (Compared to recording 2 channels with a single-point mic, that is). With an MS single-point mic, you still have the option of recording a proper single-channel sample, so using 2 mics doesn't offer any advantage there, imo. IF the goal is to record stereo program, then it is most natural (As has been mentioned) to have a solution that places both capsules near each other.

The only time I like to have seperate mics is if I am recording 2 sources directly that I want to be able to mix later (i.e. musical / performance program). And if I am in those situations, I will likely want to record more than 2 channels and not be as mobile, so I will likely have 3 or more mics.

So a single point mic seems more conducive to to being mobile and capturing sound "as you hear it", and multiple mics is more about capturing a performance that will be engineered later. Trying to engineer 2 widely spaced mics into a stereo recording is totally fine and maybe fun for some (I messed with it in my early recording days), but the best result for that type of recording are always (imo) going to be captured with the standard M/S, Blumlein, X/Y, etc mic configurations.

DJ SPACEBEAR
What is the best for field recording, 1x stereo microphone or 2x mono microphones?

In most cases you have more control with a stereo microphone, but i think you can be more creative with a pair of mono microphones because you can make i wider stereo image if you put some distance between them, or put them close together to make a more compact stereo image, or in different positions to make a more experimental sound.

I use both. My favourite single point stereo mic is the Rode NT4, fits nicely in a blimp and is easy to carry around...

http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=44480

I also use a pair of AT3032 omni mics as a spaced pair or baffled as I did here...

http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=57668

Overall the NT4 is much more convenient. If I had to choose, I would go single point stereo. But that would be sad

digifish

As many have indicated you should have the ability for both methods in order to have a high degree of flexibility. I prefer single-point stereo myself, but this is due to the nature of the stuff I like to record. In the studio everything is individually (and closely) mic'd of course, so that's a different thing. We do often use a R0DE NT4 for an ambiance mic as well. Sometimes that is my favourite mic to listen to when the project is done.

I am a sound recordist for film and TV with 11 yrs exp - Always record dialogue MONO and atmos STEREO if poss not all atmos will be fine for stereo but most is never record dialogue in stereo!