Audacity 4 documentation · Primary-source explanation; examples are illustrative. Instructions are based on publisher guidance; a UK IPTV account was not tested on this platform.
Identify the relationship to preserve
The current Audacity Normalize documentation distinguishes one gain change for a stereo pair from independently adjusting its channels. Separate channel normalisation can be useful when an imbalance needs correction, but it can also change an intentional stereo image. Decide whether the quieter side is a recording fault or part of the material before treating matching channel peaks as the desired result.
Compare a passage with meaningful placement
For an original example, a permitted recording intentionally places one contributor further left and a quieter room sound further right. Make a working copy, note the independent channel option and compare a short passage with that option off and on. Listen to the relative placement and level, rather than inspecting only the tallest peaks. If preserving the original relationship is the goal, keep the pair linked for the gain adjustment and retain the starting settings.
Separate peak adjustment from centring
Normalize also offers DC offset correction, which concerns the waveform average relative to zero. That is a different question from left versus right level balance. Select only the operations the recording needs; the current manual also provides a separate Remove DC offset effect for centring alone. Check the final output for balance and headroom in its intended playback path. Equal peaks neither establish equal perceived loudness nor demonstrate that the original spatial relationship has been preserved.