Audacity 3.3.0 is a step backwards

It now takes several more clicks to set the record bitrate for a project. And because the current bitrate is hidden, I often forget to reset it to the correct value.

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Well two more clicks.

But you have my sympathies, I too don’t like to see it hidden like this,

Peter.

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Why are you changing the bitrate away from the correct value in the first place?

I can’t answer for jarome, but if I import two files into a new project and the first file has a sample rate of 8kHz, and the second file has a sample rate of 48 kHz, what is “the correct value”?

Different sources have different bitrates. No point in using 96 when the source is 44.1.

sources as in audio files or as in microphone inputs?

Capturing streams. Old things are 44.1; new 48, 96, or higher.

something else that i noticed - no matter what bitrate i choose (which took me a while to find) the end mp3 file is twice as big as it was under the previous version. i am happy that i was able to download the last version and chuck 3.3.0 in the trash. why do the software editors have to change things so much??? it’s frustrating.

Why am i changing the bitrate?
A) to save hard drive space;
B) because the radio station that i send files to asked for 44100 instead of 48000…

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And what is worse, I have to click 2 menus to see the current bit rate before recording, since I usually do not remember the last setting.

i saved myself some grief by downgrading back to v3.2.5. will use that for as long as i can! Hopefully the software writers will come out with another upgrade that doesn’t change the location of the things that we are used to using!

if you want to go back to a previous version, go here:
Older versions of Audacity (Mac) | Uptodown.

there’s a whole bunch of versions to choose from! v3.2.5 is at the top of the right hand column.

If you want to go back to a previous version, it would be safest to get it from the official Audacity repository, which is here: Releases · audacity/audacity · GitHub

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Steve, Thank you so much; i truly appreciate it!

Your question is beside the point.

People can (and will) have various reasons to change the bitrate/samplerate. As others asked, what is the correct value? Who desides that and in which situation?

The real question is, why would valuable information - that has basically always been visible - suddenly have to be hidden from view? To me this is one of those “don’t fix what isn’t broken” situations.

Peace.

And even worse, Audacity resets itself to the default values after each recording is completed, so one must reset the bitrate it it is not the default. This takes 5 clicks versus 2 in the old Audacity.

@R0nald The point of the question was to figure out the use case for jarome, which I now know.

@jarome would it help you if Audacity detected the sample rate for each device dependent on the Windows settings?

No, since it is recording from my software streamer.

Is there a logical or technical solution to this topic…???
I didn’t like it either after upgrade 3.3.1 but now that I have got used to it I think it is not too bad.
The problem to me is that the software changes are made but a detailed “how it works” or its “logical use” is not in the manual or even given on this forum.
Everyone just guesses…so I will too…
If your settings are mixed up use Reset Configuration will bring you back to basic setup settings.
Default rate will be 44100 and project rate will be 44100 and new project will open at that

If I open a file already saved at say 22050, the file will open at 22050 and will play at 22050 showing Actual rate 22050 at bottom of screen
It will export the track at the project rate 22050.
If I change the project rate to say 48000 it will show Playing Actual Rate 48000 bottom of screen, track will still show the imported rate on the track 22050 and the Track itself will be Re-Sampled to 48000. It will now play at 48000 and show 48000 Actual rate at bottom of screen. ( It might be better if the track would show the re-sampled rate of the track 48000 instead of the imported 22050. )

If I close Audacity and open again it will open at same 44100 default rate and sets the project rate to this default rate. So If I want it to open new at a different rate after every recording set the Default Rate to say 48000 and Audacity will open with Default and Project at 48000 every time.

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