AC3 File: Audio only on left channel

[koberulz]

I've got an AC3 file, but there's only silence on the right, with all the sound being on the left. Is there any way to copy the sound from the left channel onto the right channel so it sounds decent when listening with headphones?

[zoobie]

I use audacity (free) for most audio work
make two L & R mono channels and shift one a few milliseconds
should give you simulated stereo

[koberulz]

How do I do that?

[Cornucopia]

Don't do that. Very likely it will sound WORSE!

Check your AC3 file with Audacity, (or other Audio editor that supports AC3), and see if VISUALLY it has only 1 track/channel. It could very well have 2 and your playback system has a short/open circuit on one channel.

If that's not true and you DO only have 1 channel with material (out of the 2 expected), I'd just copy the track so it'll sound in both ears and give you a phantom center. (This is AKA "Dual Mono")

If you were to do the delay trick, depending on the amount of delay, it'll progressively move AWAY from center toward the leading/earlier channel, until fusion is no longer possible because the delay is too long. Then, you'd get COMB FILTERING, giving you a hollow sound. If the delay were even greater, THEN you would have a minor spacious echo, but it would probably be annoying if having the same amplitude as the earlier channel (as that's not natural).

Guess what? - FAKE stereo sounds FAKE!

Scott

[koberulz]

Yeah, I opened it with audacity. Left channel is audio, right channel is silence, just as you'd expect. How do I copy the audio from one channel to another?

[Baldrick]

Save as mono ac3 file/mp3 file?

[koberulz]

I did try converting from stereo to mono within audacity, but because it averaged the two tracks, the volume halved.

[budwzr]

Post the file, and let us all try it.

[smartel]

i really like foobar2000 , try it; it's free

[AlanHK]

I did try converting from stereo to mono within audacity, but because it averaged the two tracks, the volume halved.

Don't convert to mono, split it:

Open the AC3.
You should see two waveforms, left and right, and presumably one will be flat (silent).
To the left of the wave, click the little triangle next to the name of the file
You should get a bunch of options.
Chose "Split stereo to mono".
Now you have two mono tracks.
Delete the silent one. (Click the little x button on its left.)

You can adjust the volume now if you want. (Effect/Amplify)
Now do File/export and choose the format and rate -- you have to reencode to AC3, or MP3 or whatever.

[koberulz]

Alright, that worked. Thanks.