When I was 9 years old (now 23) I contracted a virus (I forget the name of the virus) which ultimately resulted in the auditory nerve on my right side being severed. So basically permanent nerve damage in one ear.

Basically this affects me everywhere from not being able to hear people at a club, to listening to half the music when using headphones, and of course directional audio cues in gaming.

Is there a program or setting that would allow me to force mono audio when using headphones?

Using external speakers is easily solved by placing both right and left speakers on the left side of my desk. Headphones are bit more difficult though.

Thanks in advance <3

Shikyo

Finland33997 Posts

October 01 2011 18:06 GMT

At least in VLC player you can just force it to be mono very easily o.O I'm not sure about games though.

Icarox

Sweden78 Posts

October 01 2011 18:14 GMT

This happened to my brother as well when he was younger. He sometimes uses a hearing apparatus that collects audio from the faulty ear and broadcasts it in the healthy one.

There are audio programs that exists for boosting audio, I would've looked into something like that for finding a PC broadcasting audio in mono.

If you find anything of use, tell us about it here. I'd love to get something to my brother så he can start using headphones and such! :D

PhothreeniX

Canada161 Posts

October 01 2011 18:23 GMT

On October 02 2011 03:14 Icarox wrote:
This happened to my brother as well when he was younger. He sometimes uses a hearing apparatus that collects audio from the faulty ear and broadcasts it in the healthy one.

There are audio programs that exists for boosting audio, I would've looked into something like that for finding a PC broadcasting audio in mono.

If you find anything of use, tell us about it here. I'd love to get something to my brother så he can start using headphones and such! :D

I remember hearing about that hearing apparatus (o.O) from my doctor a short time after it happened. I was not to struck on it though as it would have just messed with my already poor sense of direction when it comes to sound.

On the plus side its great when driving because I can't hear the passenger bitching at me :D

I shall keep you updated if I find a solution.

If anyone has any comments or suggestions Icarox and myself would appreciate it very much <3

Found something
http://www.scansound.com/1-Bud.htm
Website colors hurt my eyes but the product is very intriguing and affordable.

LightTemplar

Ireland481 Posts

October 01 2011 20:05 GMT

It depends on your hardware (soundcard) setup but i just forced all audio through one channel using control panel -> sound -> balance all in one side

Icarox

Sweden78 Posts

October 01 2011 20:08 GMT

Nice, I think I'll buy on of those single head phone to my brother as a birthday present.
And that tip will be forwarded as well, LightTemplar!

Shikyo

Finland33997 Posts

October 01 2011 20:43 GMT

Actually at least in my realtek HD audio manager(very generic) there's speakers and there's audio volume with a slider where you can choose the balance between left and right side. So like now I slid the slider entirely to the left, tested an MP3, music only comes out of the left side. So yeah.

Hogancz

Czech Republic2 Posts

October 01 2011 20:44 GMT

Try program called Virtual Audio Cable. After install you have to start Audio Repeater (KS) and redirect virtual cable to your speakers/headphones. In channel config set Mono or you can even set output to just one speaker with custom channel config. Then set sound output in games/programs to that virtual cable.
I used this program for some time to remove subwoofer from TeamSpeak output.

Goldfish300

United Kingdom40 Posts

October 01 2011 21:01 GMT

I suffered a similar fate at a similar age, resulting in the vibration sensing hairs in my right ear being destroyed by an infection. Oddly enough I use head phones for anything pc related.
I am curious as to why you want to use mono. To most people that sounds like a silly question, but even with one functional ear you can still use directional sfx, its just harder as sometimes the sound comes directly from the right and isn't always heard in the left ear.

Rannasha

Netherlands2398 Posts

October 01 2011 23:24 GMT

#10

On October 02 2011 06:01 Goldfish300 wrote:
I suffered a similar fate at a similar age, resulting in the vibration sensing hairs in my right ear being destroyed by an infection. Oddly enough I use head phones for anything pc related.
I am curious as to why you want to use mono. To most people that sounds like a silly question, but even with one functional ear you can still use directional sfx, its just harder as sometimes the sound comes directly from the right and isn't always heard in the left ear.

There's plenty of music that loses part of its content if you listen to a stereo version with just one side. In those cases it's better to just downmix it to a mono channel.

FinBenton

Finland870 Posts

October 01 2011 23:38 GMT

#11

I think you can jsut solder couple resistors and make a 3.5mm-3.5mm adapter that drives stereo source to mono for heaphones or anything plugged in.

Goldfish300

United Kingdom40 Posts

October 02 2011 14:54 GMT

#12

On October 02 2011 08:24 Rannasha wrote:

Show nested quote +

There's plenty of music that loses part of its content if you listen to a stereo version with just one side. In those cases it's better to just downmix it to a mono channel.

I know this and did some tests a while ago listening to music though one side then again with the headset turned around. Didn't really notice any difference so I didn't really think anything of it.