I can see the average person going into Radio Shack, ordering a cable that looks like it fits and wondering why it doesn't. The only visible difference between the mono and stereo are the description and the stereo plug having two black bands instead of one black band for the mono, I used to get them confused when I was younger until I caught onto the two-band difference.
* The black (or other color) bands on the connector separate the channels. Three electrical areas: left signal, right signal and ground. If the plug isn't all the way in, only two of those will be connected and you'll get sound out of one speaker.
http://www.designnotes.com/Merchant2...0001/CA006.JPG
