No Audio Output, Mic Only Sending Signal to Left Channel via M-Audio 2x2

[Morazan]

Hello, its been a few years since I've done any home recording, so I'm definitely not up to speed on some aspects of setup. I'm running Audition CC on a Win 10 64-bit system, and am using an M-Audio M-Track 2x2. I've just plugged in a mic (SM58), and the signal is only registering on the left channel. Additionally, I'm unable to get any sound output through my computer speakers/earbuds (still waiting on my monitors to arrive in the mail). When I check on my Windows output devices, the M-Track shows up as the default device (when plugged in), but it's unable to play a test tone. Thanks in advance for any help.

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

Morazan  wrote

... and am using an M-Audio M-Track 2x2. I've just plugged in a mic (SM58), and the signal is only registering on the left channel.

What can I tell you? That's what's supposed to happen!

If you plug a single mic into a single socket, it will record only on a single channel of a stereo pair.

As for your playback issue, we don't really have enough information. For a start, if you try to play tone, does the transport move at all? If it does, the chances are you have no more than a routing issue. If the transport doesn't move, the you don't have your M-track connected to Audition's output - somehow. However you look at it, more detail would be helpful as to exactly what you're doing and what you've tried.

[Bob_Howes]

To expand a bit on what Steve said...

First, he's correct that a single mic plugged into a stereo interface will only record a mono signal.  However, the trick is that when recording in Multitrack, you specify the recording track for that mic to be Mono.  This will mean the sound comes out of both sides--and you have the flexibility to pan it wherever in the sound field you want it.  In order to select the type of track (in Multitrack) click on the the input menu (marked by a right facing arrow) in the information panel at the left end of each track.  This will give a menu where you select mono or stereo and once you've selected, allows you to choose which channel of the M Audio you want to record.

As an aside, I strongly recommend recording in Multitrack not Waveform.  Multitrack allows you to record directly to you disk without the need to save at the end, allows the routing flexibility I mentioned above and also lets you set an automatic backup to protect you from disk problems etc.

On the monitoring, are you plugging your earbuds into the M Audio or into your computer?  If you've installed the proper M Audio ASIO drivers (which i highly recommend) these bypass your computer's internal audio system (to lower latency and increase reliability) so you have to plug into your M Audio to hear anything.  However, if you're not using M Audio's drivers you can set your input and output to be different devices in the Edit/Preferences/Audio Hardware menu.  Note though that I don't recommend this--and an adaptor to convert from an earbud mini connector to a quarter inch stereo jack is probably under a dollar at lots of different shops.

[Morazan]

No, no, you're both right: I was just being dim, it having been a decade or so since I last messed with home recording. Obviously a mic/instrument needs to be recorded on a mono channel. Got the playback issues sorted as well: it's like not running for a few years then trying to run a few miles; it just takes a bit of effort to get up to speed. Thank you both for your help!