Strange mono/stereo issue

[u/Overboredem]

I’m an experienced Logic Pro user, but I’m currently facing a very strange issue.

I’m having some kind of phase/sync problem regarding stereo/mono. I use an Apollo x16.

There might be a fault with the Apollo; I’m starting to suspect that. I’ve tried every tip I could find regarding stereo/mono settings in both the UAD software and Logic.

It concerns stereo/mono behavior. For instance, when I record in mono and then play it back, the sound only comes out of one speaker. When I switch to stereo, I hear standard mono.

If I create a standard stereo track, it plays back in mono; selecting stereo plugins makes no difference. However, if I send the track to a bus, it becomes stereo (both audio and midi instrument channels).

I wanted to see if anyone else has encountered a similar problem. I got some troubleshooting tips from ChatGPT, but they involved rather complex steps that would take time to check, so I thought I’d ask here first to see if anyone has managed to solve a similar issue.

It’s probably worth mentioning that I have three different MIDI controllers plus a Stream Deck controller within Logic. I don’t know if potential MIDI conflicts could somehow affect the audio settings.

Yes I have tried different cables. I strongly suspect som digital error.

The issue appears in both speakers and headphones directly plugged in to the Apolllo

[u/Necessary-Lobster-91]

Check the stereo/mono icon on the track. If it’s set to stereo and you record a mono signal you will only hear sound from one side. Click it to mono and the sound will come from both speakers.

[u/Squozen_EU]

You should simplify to troubleshoot. Disconnect everything, even the interface. Test with the Mac’s microphone. If that works, connect the audio interface and retest. Keep adding things until you find what is triggering this.

[u/mikedensem]

Is the track in mono or surround?

[u/bnjmmy533]

Just a word about using Chat GPT for things like this. I asked it how to edit arpeggiator patterns in Serum 2. It gave a very long summation about how this might be better done in the DAW, concluding by saying Serum 2 doesn’t have an arpeggiator. IT ABSOLUTELY DOES. Great for writing emails or coding. I don’t trust it for research.

[u/SpaceEchoGecko]

I’m having the same issue within the Logic pedalboard. Sometimes, when I create a new guitar track and add a mono-to-stereo effect like the stereo tremolo, the effect will still be in mono. Even if I change the mono O to stereo OO. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.

Has anyone else experienced this?

[u/CumulativeDrek2]

For instance, when I record in mono and then play it back, the sound only comes out of one speaker. When I switch to stereo, I hear standard mono.

Where is the output of the mono channel assigned? If its assigned to Output 1 for example, then for most audio interfaces it will only come out of the left speaker. It needs to be assigned to Output 1 & 2 if you want it to come out of both speakers.

If I create a standard stereo track, it plays back in mono; selecting stereo plugins makes no difference.

A mono audio region on a stereo track will normally play through both channels. This is basically 'dual mono' playback. Stereo plugins will still work in stereo, for example if you apply a stereo reverb to the sound it should sound stereo, but for something like EQ or compression, since the two channels are identical, the result will still be dual mono.