# Audacity records mono, but I set it to stereo



## headcrab (Jul 16, 2010)

I was trying to record something on my computer a few days ago with Audacity. I ran the signal into the line-in port, and set Audacity to record to two channels, since what I was recording was stereo. It seemed to work just fine, except the final recording sounded like it was mono, mostly because it was. I fed only the left channel into the recording computer, and both the left and right level meters showed signal. I did the same with just the right channel, and again both meters showed signal. Why did Audacity not record in stereo like I told it to? My sound card is a SoundBlaster PCI 128 CT4700.


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## DuckJordan (Jul 16, 2010)

how exactly did you have it run into the computer, If you used the front, or rear 3.5 mm port on either you will get "stereo" signal from them but you really could only put one input on each. The only way to truely record stereo live is to have two feads going in to two inputs and have the inputs routed to the correct channels.


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## Chris15 (Jul 16, 2010)

Have you assigned the tracks to Left Channel and Right Channel respectively and then merged them to a stereo track?


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## headcrab (Jul 16, 2010)

I ran the signal from my DJ mixer into the line in port on the PCI sound card from the mixer's two RCA outputs. The cable has each RCA plug connected to the ring or tip of the 3.5mm plug, so I know the input is stereo. My sound card only terminates at the back, since it's a relatively old PCI card. The front ports on my computer are for the onboard AC'97 sound chipset, which I don't use. Is the line in port on the CT4700 actually stereo, or might it mix down to mono before the DSP?


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## DuckJordan (Jul 16, 2010)

It should be stereo, I would think its recording stereo, is there nothing on one track of the audacity file or is both sides filled?


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## bishopthomas (Jul 16, 2010)

So, you're using RCA jacks... Unplug the red one. Does one side disappear on the Audacity meter? Plug it back in and pull the white one. Did the other side disappear?


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## headcrab (Jul 16, 2010)

Like I said, I disconnected one and then the other RCA plug, and in each case, both the left and right signal meters showed exactly the same level of signal. When I record the input, the same signal appears on both the left and right tracks. So yes, both tracks carry information. 
Could the problem be that I am playing music from and recording to the same computer at the same time?


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## DuckJordan (Jul 16, 2010)

so now what you want to check is in your preferences that you are recording from the mic input and not "what you hear", If its set to mic, i would bet the cable you have is making it a mono signal or your sound card is only a mono signal mic input. Most consumer grade soundcards are not going to have stereo mic inputs as most microphones for consumers are mono.


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## bishopthomas (Jul 16, 2010)

Those were my thoughts too, but it seems that this card has both a mic input (mono) and a stereo line in. Maybe I'm wrong. I only found pictures and no manual online.


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## headcrab (Jul 16, 2010)

Yes, this card has a line input which I am fairly sure is stereo, and a mic input which I know is mono. I am using the line input.


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## 00AVD (Jul 16, 2010)

A sound card line input is always stereo. It sounds like you have it plugged in correctly, so I'd check the mixer panel (double click volume icon on task bar) and make sure there's no "mono" check box ticked.

Ignore the advise on needing two (separate) input connections for stereo.


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## DuckJordan (Jul 16, 2010)

headcrab said:


> Yes, this card has a line input which I am fairly sure is stereo, and a mic input which I know is mono. I am using the line input.


 
I was thinking it was a different card. since it does have a line input it is most likely your cable or a setting on your computer.


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## WooferHound (Jul 16, 2010)

I have had the same result from audacity, I am outputting a stereo signal but it's recording in Mono. I feel like the problem is in Audacity .


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## Studio (Jul 17, 2010)

WooferHound said:


> I have had the same result from audacity, I am outputting a stereo signal but it's recording in Mono. I feel like the problem is in Audacity .


 
In the recording preferences is it set to record 2chanels(Stereo), and is the proper card selected and recognized (drivers??)


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## headcrab (Jul 19, 2010)

It is set to 2 channels(Stereo) and I have loaded all necessary drivers. Device Manager shows all devices as being functional. If it is Audacity, what other (freeware) programs can I use to record stuff in stereo?


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## Chris15 (Jul 19, 2010)

Ok, so let's look at this like the computer problem it is, not an audio problem...
Version number of Audacity? OS? Is the sound card behaving properly in other applications?


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