Stereo to Mono - center only not average

Instead of taking the two channels and averaging them out for mono, take the signal that is found in both channels only.

When you play a mono microgroove record with a stereo cartridge much of the noise and crackles are in one channel or another, not the centre, averaging out reduces the crackle, but if you could just select the middle of the sound field then a crackle in the left channel will be fully eliminated. More like playing with a mono cartridge.

I’m not sure I’m explaining this very well, sorry!

Use the "Isolate Center: " option in: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/vocal_reduction_and_isolation.html

Ooh, that look like it, and it seems to work!

I couldn’t seem to see the plug in with Audacity 2.1.2, but the update to the 2.2.2 and putting it in the correct place seemed to fix it.

Thanks

I’ve done a quick comparison,

Cheesy music, but here goes:

https://youtu.be/oqRgUDKXYEc

After running Isolate centre at 1.00 setting

https://youtu.be/oqRgUDKXYEc

There’s a slight reduction in the volume, and theres a slight rounding of the top end, but the crackles at the start have just vanished. Jobs a good 'un!

And sorry about the Song…

I’ve done a slightly better example and description on how to do it on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFeeYmg2uHo

Very impressed as how well this works to be honest, its a good crackle reduction for mono records.

It’s not perfect, but just what is in this crazy mixed up world?

That’s worked pretty well