It is likely to be a playback problem. Your clip has you speaking centre - more to the right - more to the left - centre again. Is that what you intended? I don't think there is anything wrong with the recording - the centre really is centre.

Was the posted clip the file as received on the Macbook?

What exactly do you mean when you say you "split the channels"?

Where are you plugging the headphones in: Macbook, iPhone or both?

Does what you hear on the phones correspond with what you hear on the Macbook speakers?

After I recorded the file in Quicktime I played it back and heard the right side is louder than the left..

So I wanted to check what the individual channels sound like.. this is what I did in Audition (that's the file from above)
This is what I also mean by splitting channels.

I plugged in the headphones in the Macbook.. with the headphones it actually sounds even.
Just with the speakers the left side sounds weak.

On the phone it's different but still sounds a bit weird.

McCloud94, post: 462985, member: 51801 wrote: .. with the headphones it actually sounds even. Just with the speakers the left side sounds weak.

I think this points to an amplifier/connector/speaker problem on your Macbook rather than a recording problem.

Boswell, post: 462986, member: 29034 wrote: I think this points to an amplifier/connector/speaker problem on your Macbook rather than a recording problem.

I tested it now with 2 other notebooks... same thing.

Also, I never had any sound issues on my notebook.

So this makes me think it's something about the way the file is recorded.. does bitrate and depth play any role in this?

Think about it: the screenshot you posted shows the L and R channel with roughly equal amplitude when the sound is in the centre. The sound clip corresponds with the screenshot. There is no visible or audible out-of-balance in the recording.

You state you hear imbalance when you listen to the Macbook speakers or when you plug your headphones into the iPhone. You should diagnose the problem by elimination. Try going to a completely different internet-connected computer with speakers, bring up this page and play your posted sound clip. Try the computer's speakers, check for the sound being central, and then plug your phones into the computer instead of the speakers. Listen again.

I've checked your internet clip and there's no out-of-phase cancellation going on. When I play the clip on speakers, it sounds correct. I don't have access to any headphones where I am at the moment.

I just did a null test and it nulls out pretty completely except for some room sound, which is exactly what I'd expect for a stereo mic recorded in a room. There was no other problem with the file that I could hear or measure.

ok, thank you guys. Seems that is indeed just a playback issue on my side.. which I am really happy about actually.

Really appreciate your time.