I typically listen to music with only my left headphone at work, so I can hear what’s going on around me. It bugs me when I listen to music that has important parts split across left vs right audio channels. I found this trick with the linux pulseaudio system to make a new audio output device that is a mono-only output, so it mixes left and right together. Only tested on Ubuntu 14.04, so some things may be different with more recent Ubuntu versions.
1. Use pacmd list-sinks | grep name: to find the name of the output you want to use. Mine was alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo (strip away the < and >).
2. Use that string in this command: pacmd load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=mono master=alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo channels=2 channel_map=mono,mono
3. Use the GUI sound settings to select the new “Remapped Built-in Audio Analog Stereo”.
It doesn’t sound 100% as good as listening to the stereo music via both headphones, but it’s pretty good.
Very helpful! Thanks
“It doesn’t sound 100% as good as listening to the stereo music via both headphones, but it’s pretty good.”
If you put louder the original output volume, and then you switch to the remapped interface, it will sound better! ;)
Moreover, adding line
“load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=mono master=alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo channels=2 channel_map=mono,mono” in the file /etc/pulse/default.pa , it’s possible to add permanently the remapped interface (to make it available even after reboot).
How do you enter /etc/pulse/default.pa and then enter the rest of the commands. I have tried and he says he does not recognize it.
You may have to create that `/etc/pulse/default.pa` file and add the contents from Adriano’s post into the new file. You will probably need to use `sudo` or otherwise obtain root privilege to write to files under `/etc/`.
1-Is there a graphic tool?
2-Also I prefere combined mono sound be played only in one side
Hi Mahdi, thanks for the comment.
1. I don’t know if there is a graphical tool for configuring this type of audio configuration. I certainly wish there was a graphical way to do that!
2. There may be a way to configure the filter options such that the output is only in one side, but I do now know very much about the filter options. Good luck!
-mbeckler
Thanks for this. I’m deaf in one ear so this just made my day :D
Hey thanks as well, I was wanting it named mono and found another example that sets the name to Mono.
sink_properties=”device.description=’Mono'”
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PulseAudio/Examples#Remap_stereo_to_mono