Usually a mono source arriving on one channel, or a TS plug in a socket expecting TRS. Check the cable type first, then whether the software is recording and monitoring in mono.
The three usual causes
A mono track panned hard to one side. A TS cable where TRS is expected. A recording input assigned to one channel of a stereo track.
Where to look first
In the software, at the track’s input assignment and pan position. That is the cause more often than any hardware.
The cable check
Count the rings. One ring is mono; anything that has to carry stereo needs two.
Check your own manual before you plug anything in. Voltage, polarity and current draw differ from model to model, and the manufacturer’s figures take precedence over anything written here. A supply of the wrong polarity can damage a pedal in seconds, phantom power is safe for most microphones but not for every one, and the required voltage is printed next to the socket or stated in the manual — not inferred from a connector that happens to fit.
The questions players ask
Is my microphone faulty?
Almost certainly not. A single microphone is a mono source, and if the software is not routing it to both channels you hear it on one side only.
What about headphones?
A TS plug in a stereo headphone socket produces sound in one ear. Two rings on the plug, not one, for headphones.
Last reviewed 2026-08-19