VLC Mac/iOS audio downmix multichannel to stereo

[llanskroh]

Hi,

Is there a way to downmix all n audio channels of a video file to make them audible over two channels stereo output? No matter how I setup the (advanced) audio settings in VLC 3.0.10 on macOS 10.15.5, it always simply drops all other channels after 1 (left) and 2 (right). The VLC 3.2.9 app on iOS 13.5 does the same, haven't tried on Windows or Android.

[dfuhrmann]

VLC usually does not drop audio channels, but downmixes known surround channel inputs.

[llanskroh]

VLC usually does not drop audio channels, but downmixes known surround channel inputs.

Hi, thx for your reply. Unfortunately in my case it does not play all audio channels mixed over a stereo output. I'm playing an mkv file with 7 audio channels, but I only hear the left and right channel. As mentioned before, I have tried all audio settings in VLC. Playing the same file in IINA does downmix all channels correctly.

Edit: sorry, I've narrowed it down: it's this particular file that I'm playing, that only lets me hear the L and R channel. When I play another 7 channel file, I do hear all audio channels...

[cmagnuson]

VLC usually does not drop audio channels, but downmixes known surround channel inputs.

This is not true on my end. Both VLC and IINA do not downmix 5.1 audio into stereo. I'm trying to watch the Formula 1 race weekend at Silverstone and all I hear is ambient audio. Supposedly the commentary is on the center channel, but I hear nothing. Where can I access downmix settings for VLC?

[fkuehne]

There are no user exposed settings for this. However, logs would be useful for us to debug. Please open "Messages" from the "Window" menu before starting playback and post the output after a couple of seconds of playback here. Thank you.