Audacity Forum

... it won't let me. I need to convert these files to MP3. I select import audio and it comes up with a message that says Audacity attempted to use FFmpeg to import an audio file but the libraries were not found. Then it comes up with another message that says Audacity did not recognize the file ...

Open Finder, then use the Go menu and choose "Go to Folder". In that dialogue, type:
Click "Go".

In the window that opens, delete the "libs" folder. You will need the administrator password to do this.

Gale

I've been searching for awhile and no one seemed to be interested in uninstalling ffmpeg on mac. I downloaded the .dmg file from the download link that audacity gave me (I believe it's lame.buanzo.org). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

... wish and there was no Default Sample Format, all data always being stored at 32-bit float, Audacity (libsndfile) would still have to upconvert if FFmpeg handed off 16-bit data. That's not quite how my "wish" works. In my dream Audacity, data formats are not converted unless/until necessary. ...

As an alternative to figuring our the correct Raw Data settings, you can try installing FFmpeg from http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#ffdown . File > Import > Audio... then choose "FFmpeg-compatible files" in the "Files ...

but would not conversion delay imports of those files that FFmpeg imported below 32-bit float depth? That depends on when Audacity converts. "We" know that the sample format displayed in the track info panel is not necessarily the actual format ...

It certainly seems to be a bug in the application that it crashes so frequently. If it was me I would use FFmpeg and not Raw Import - FFmpeg is just quicker and you don't have to delete the clicks at the start of each track. You could add a rule in Extended Import Preferences ...

but would not conversion delay imports of those files that FFmpeg imported below 32-bit float depth? That depends on when Audacity converts. "We" know that the sample format displayed in the track info panel is not necessarily the actual format ...

... having Default Sample Format should still be an option. I think he was worried about potentially unpredictable results I can see that if we asked FFmpeg to handle the conversion to the default sample format, there could be difficulties, but we could let FFmpeg do its thing and then use libsndfile ...

Install FFmpeg from http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#ffdown . Then use File > Open... or File > Import > Audio... . Choose "FFmpeg-compatible files" in "Files of type:" ...