Audacity recording but not in stereo

TimArends · Post by **TimArends** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:41 pm

I am trying to digitize my vinyl with Audacity. Everything seems to be working except I'm not getting stereo! I have a cord going from the stereo headphone jack to the Mac’s built in mic port. The LP itself is stereo. I tested the output jack on the phonograph with headphones and it is clearly outputting in stereo. BUT, in Audacity only one input bar is activating. In playback of the Audacity file, both output bars show exactly the same output, indicating it is not stereo. Furthermore, I have tried using the two “out to tape” jacks on the back of the phonograph (rather than the headphones jack) and connecting it to the Mac with a different set of cables and it still does not record in stereo. I tried it with two different macs with built-in mic ports and still no stereo, suggesting that it is not a hardware problem with this particular Mac. The only thing I can think of is that I have something set wrong either on my Mac or with Audacity. Any help? I am attaching images of my setup to clarify.

Post by **kozikowski** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:00 pm

Audacity wakes up from first birthday in mono. Change in Audacity Preferences and restart.

<<<the Mac’s built in mic port.>>>

Probably not unless you have a reeeeeeally old Mac. All the newer Macs have Line-In, not Mic-In. Which is fine because that's really what you need.

Koz

TimArends · Post by **TimArends** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:46 am

Thanks, i think I see what you are referring to...in the Audio I/O tab of preferences, there is a popup next to "Channels." It originally said 1 (Mono) and I changed it to 2 (Stereo). Now during playback, instead of the two green playback bars activating at exactly the same level (indicating no stereo), only the top green bar (L) activates. During recording, only the top red bar activates as before. Unfortunately, this still means the recordings are not in stereo. During playback, sound outputs out of only the left of the Mac's built-in speakers.

Post by **steve** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:20 am

That plug that you are holding in the bottom picture looks like a mono jack plug. You need a stereo lead with a stereo jack plug.

Post by **kozikowski** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:59 am

Good catch.

You need one of the connectors in the top illustration.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audioconnecto ... ctors.html

Koz

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Audacity recording but not in stereo

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