When I drag and drop (import) a sound file of 24 bit into audacity, it converts it into 32 bit even though I have it preferred to be set as 24 bit. what is happening here and what can I do to fix this problem?
I’m not sure where those default settings apply and where they don’t…
But, there are very good reasons why audio editors generally use floating-point for internal-temporary storage.
Conversion from 24-bit integer to 32-bit floating-point (and back) is a lossless process so there’s really no downside other than larger temporary files.
I think it’s a bug, though fortunately a harmless one.
Audacity works internally in 32-bit float format, so generally it is better to work in 32-bit float format so as to reduce the number of format conversions.
I have logged this on the bug tracking system, but I would recommend that you change the default sample format to 32-bit float.
Assuming we are talking about WAV files, this is what currently happens
Quality setting File Format Imports as
16 16 16
16 24 32
16 32 32
24 16 24
24 24 32
24 32 32
32 16 32
32 24 32
32 32 32
I thought that there were some large 24-bit numbers that did not have exact 32-bit float equivalents: https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/exporting-to-24bit/17115/8
Gale
Strictly speaking, that is correct, but for signals below 0 dB the error is insignificant (we’re talking about precision that is hundreds of times better than “CD quality” even in the worst case).