[ SOLVED ] How to know a Stereo Track?

[sadicus]

What are some other ways (besides the obvious track view) to determine if an Audio File is Stereo?
Sometimes just looking at the file it's difficult to tell if there is actually a difference between L/R besides volume.
In this example, The track was recorded "stereo" but probably only needed to be mono. Just looking at the wave file in track view, the squiggle lines (amplitude) "look" the same.

1) is a stereo file considered to be stereo if the only difference is volume between Left / Right?
 

Edited January 25, 2023 by sadicus

[David Baay]

Solo the track, bypass all FX and switch the Master or other downstream bus to mono interleave.  If the only thing that changes is the L/R balance with no tonal change or narrowing of a stereo image, it's a "dual-mono" track.

[reginaldStjohn]

A stereo file is partly determined by how many channels it has. If it has 2 channels then it could be a stereo file. I think what you are asking is how to know if the two channel file contains stereo information or if it only holds mono (dual mono) information.

One way to tell is use as stereo meter and it has information other then on the straight up and down then it contains stereo information. Another way is to use a mid - side decoder tool and if the side doesn't have any sound then it is a dual mono waveform

Edited January 25, 2023 by reginaldStjohn

[sadicus]

@David Baay Thanks!  for the That worked, i was looking for the word "dual-mono"
@reginaldStjohnThanks!  for the clarification