Unleash Audio Customization: Map Any Channel on Windows with VLC or Foobar2000

For a media player on Windows with the ability to assign any audio channel to your own selection, including assigning middle right and left channels to rear right and left channels, you can consider using VLC Media Player. VLC offers extensive audio customization options through its audio filters and channel remapping features. Here’s how you can set it up:

Using VLC Media Player

1. Install VLC Media Player:
   • Download and install VLC Media Player from the official website: VLC Media Player.
2. Open VLC and Load Your Media:
   • Launch VLC and open the media file you want to play.
3. Access the Audio Settings:
   • Go to Tools > Preferences (or press Ctrl + P).
4. Enable Advanced Preferences:
   • At the bottom left of the preferences window, select All to show all settings.
5. Navigate to the Audio Filters:
   • In the left pane, expand the Audio section, then go to Filters.
6. Enable Channel Remapping:
   • Check the box for Remap under Audio Filters.
7. Configure Channel Remapping:
   • In the same Audio section, find Remap and click on it.
   • Here, you can map the input channels to different output channels. For example, to map the middle right and left channels to the rear right and left channels, you might set something like:
     • Middle Left (Input Channel) -> Rear Left (Output Channel)
     • Middle Right (Input Channel) -> Rear Right (Output Channel)
   • You can use the channel identifiers provided in the remapping options to set this up correctly.
8. Save and Apply the Settings:
   • Save your changes and close the preferences window.
9. Restart VLC:
   • Close and restart VLC Media Player to apply the new audio channel mapping settings.

Alternative: Foobar2000 with Channel Mixer Plugin

Another option is to use Foobar2000 with the Channel Mixer plugin. Foobar2000 is a highly customizable audio player that supports extensive audio channel customization.

1. Install Foobar2000:
   • Download and install Foobar2000 from the official website: Foobar2000.
2. Install Channel Mixer Plugin:
   • Download the Channel Mixer plugin from the Foobar2000 components page: Channel Mixer Plugin.
   • Install the plugin by following the instructions on the Foobar2000 website.
3. Configure Channel Mixer:
   • Open Foobar2000 and go to File > Preferences.
   • Under Playback, find the DSP Manager and add the Channel Mixer to the active DSP list.
   • Configure the Channel Mixer settings to map the desired input channels to the desired output channels.

Both VLC and Foobar2000 with the Channel Mixer plugin offer robust solutions for audio channel customization. Choose the one that best fits your needs and setup preferences.