clay said --> I couldn't find anything on changing the interleave setting. Where is that?
the easiest way for me is in the console view, as long as the strip is NOT a 'narrow strip' -- it's the button right above the [M] or 'mute' button {or the same when I click the "I" shortcut key to open the 'Inspector' and then I highlight the "Track" view tab}
if it's set to 'Mono' (the track itself, not the clip in it) will show only one circle with an arrowhead under it, and if in 'Stereo' it shows 2 squished circles (like a weird sideways eight) with an arrowhead under it, OR when I pause the cursor over any button is how I find out what things are (unless I finally got 'em stuck in my brain lol) i.e. that's how I got the titles "Interleave = Mono" & "Interleave = Stereo" just cause I still have the "Show Tooltips" checked in the 'Edit > Preferences > Customization > Display'