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Author Topic: Converting File mono  (Read 1216 times)

aliciaviola

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Converting File mono
« on: July 05, 2022, 01:20:45 am »

There is a big (and pretty dangerous bug - if one chooses the option to replace the original file):
Converting stereo files to one channel mono (for instance if the original two channel mono file has a faulty balance) produces files with no content.
In this case I wanted to convert two channel mono mp3 files to one channel mono FLAC files. I choose The DSP setting one channel (as you can see in the appended file).
The result were Flac files with no content and only a few hundred kb in size whereas the mp3 files were much bigger.
With older MC versions I didn't have that problem, it's only with the last builds (MC 29.0.66 Silicon, MacBook Pro 16", 2021 macOS Monterey 12.4)
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JimH

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2022, 06:55:44 am »

Two channel mono?

You should never convert MP3 to any lossless format. 
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blgentry

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2022, 10:07:35 am »

There is no file attached, so we can't see what you were trying to show us.

I'm also a bit unclear on what your desired results are.  I've never heard of "2 channel mono".  Can you describe what your input files have and why you want to convert them?  I'm wondering if MC is the correct tool for this job.

Brian.
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aliciaviola

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2022, 11:18:21 am »

Sorry, forgot the pictures.
One/ two channel mono means that there is one track or two tracks. Both are mono, but the one track file needs less space and there is no problem with the balance.
And it can be very useful to make a lossless file from a lossy one if you you want to edit the file (change balance, volume, remove clicks......) and to avoid further loss of sound quality when re-converting to a lossy format.
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blgentry

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2022, 01:28:03 pm »

I'm not sure what that output format > channels > one channel  should actually do.  I don't think it's intended for what you are trying to do.

If you have a channel imbalance, then presumably you either want to select one channel, or you want to add the two channels together.  I don't know what the above does.  To do channel mixing, you would use a a Parametric EQ action for working with channels.

I think MC is probably the wrong tool for this unless you have tons of them to do.  Audacity might be a better choice.  It does it's work losslessly and you can see the inputs and outputs as a graphical representation so you can verify what you are doing.  Audacity can save back to MP3 if you'd like.  If you have a "channel imbalance" where (for example) the left is louder than the right, Audiacity makes it pretty easy to copy one channel to another so they become identical.

I question why you want to 'save space' though.  There's no reason to these days.  MP3s are already tiny.  Even FLACs are so small that there's no reason to try to make them smaller.  Hard drives are extremely inexpensive.

I still don't quite get what "two channel mono" is supposed to be.  I guess you probably mean a stereo track which has identical signals in the left and right tracks.  This to me is simply stereo that was sourced from something mono.  Two channel mono isn't a term I've ever heard and I've been doing audio in one form or another for about 40 years.  Jeez that makes me sound old.   lol.

Take care,
Brian.
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aliciaviola

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2022, 03:54:11 pm »

This to me is simply stereo that was sourced from something mono.
Probably just that. But with two channels. What I mean is a conversion to one channel only.
I am working with WaveLab and that easily can adjust channels or make a one channel mono file.
But I thought that MC can do that, also, and in fact did until some builds ago.
Frank
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blgentry

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2022, 06:04:40 pm »

Your point is well taken.  It used to work and now it does not.  Hopefully someone on staff can help you out.

Take care,
Brian.
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Matt

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2022, 10:11:01 am »

I just converted one of the tracks from Adele's new album to mono.  It worked fine.

I used APE as the format, but that shouldn't matter.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

aliciaviola

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2022, 12:10:01 pm »

Ok, I tried again but the result was the same as before.
Something wrong with the settings?
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aliciaviola

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2022, 05:17:54 pm »

Good news! This seems to have been fixed with the last build.
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aliciaviola

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Re: Converting File mono
« Reply #10 on: September 06, 2022, 09:09:17 am »

It hasn't been fixed. Same as before. I am using other tools now.
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