Audio Channel Selection not corresponding with Master Levels

[Mike Kujbida]

The audio output of Vegas is either stereo or 5.1 surround so, even if you have a mono track, it’ll still come out in one of those two modes.

[Naiche Lujan]

I never knew that. Why does that seem so odd?

How do you explain the difference I hear when playing back the audio on the timeline. There is a marked difference when I switch between, Right Only, Left Only, Combined, Swap, Both.

And why have the option of Left Only when it’s not going to give you Left Only?

So, is the only workaround to export the audio to another editor and resample it, and then bring it back in as a monotrack, so that I can get the same on either speaker?

[Mike Kujbida]

[Naiche Lujan] “Why does that seem so odd?”

What’s odd about it?

[Naiche Lujan] “How do you explain the difference I hear when playing back the audio on the timeline. There is a marked difference when I switch between, Right Only, Left Only, Combined, Swap, Both.”

I don’t know about you but I’d expect to hear a difference.
Your original post said this was two mic interview footage so I assume one channel for the interviewer and one channel for the interviewee.
If this is the case, switching modes should reveal a difference.

I do a lot of dual-channel recording and don’t have the issues you are.
Mine are often stage plays with ch. 1 being a feed from the audio board and ch. 2 being on on-camera shotgun.
I’ve also done interviews with a lav on one channel and a boom on the other.
I hear a definite difference by switching to any of the modes you mentioned.

[Naiche Lujan] “And why have the option of Left Only when it’s not going to give you Left Only?”

It does. When I do the stage plays I mentioned above, I definitely have 2 separate and distinct channels of audio.
My guess is that there is some bleed from one mic to the other (especially if they’re close to each other) and, even though you’ve selected left only, you’re still hearing person 2 on person 1’s mic.

[Naiche Lujan]

It’s not bleed. Yes, one mic for interviewer and the other for interviewee.

When I choose Lefy Only, and I export to file, and playback the file, one speaker is definitely louder than the other, giving it an unbalanced feel. This is while one person is talking. Strangely, both the interviewer and interviewee are stronger on the same speaker, the right one, which is doubly strange because I chose Left Only for interviewee, and Right Only for Interviewer.

It is possible that something in my setup is wrong.

So let me ask the theoretical question, when I choose Left Only, SHOULD I hear that left channel on both speakers at equal volume level, or only on the left speaker while the right speaker is quiet?

In my opinion, whatever I hear from the timeline when I hit play should be what I hear when I export to file. That makes sense to me but it’s not exactly what I’m getting.

[Mike Kujbida]

[Naiche Lujan] “When I choose Lefy Only, and I export to file, and playback the file, one speaker is definitely louder than the other, giving it an unbalanced feel.”

That’s very understandable.

[Naiche Lujan] “So let me ask the theoretical question, when I choose Left Only, SHOULD I hear that left channel on both speakers at equal volume level, or only on the left speaker while the right speaker is quiet?”

You should hear only the left channel on both speakers at equal volume level.

[Naiche Lujan] “In my opinion, whatever I hear from the timeline when I hit play should be what I hear when I export to file.”

That’s what I’d expect as well.

[Naiche Lujan] “It is possible that something in my setup is wrong.”

The way I usually do dual-channel recordings is to make a second copy of the source audio and then do “Channels – left (or right)” to both.
Make sure that the volume controls in the Track header areas are identical (defaults to ‘0’).
Check and make sure the volume controls on the Master are identical.
I make sure the lock control (at the bottom of this window) is enabled.
Go into the controls for your sound card as well as the Windows Volume Control panel and make sure that the balance controls are set to the middle.
That’s all I can come up with for now.

[Naiche Lujan]

Thanks Mike.

I think the problem is with the source or more likely the dub. Good to know how the software works.

I’ll redub the footage and make sure it’s got the correct audio settings.

[Mike Kujbida]

You’re welcome Naiche.
I hope you get it sorted out.