Getting error message from ACX

[lytnin88]

I am attempting to upload an MP3 file to ACX. I get the following error messages:
“File is encoded below 192 kbps. Re-encode the original source audio of this file using bit rate of 192K or higher.”
and
“File is NOT encoded in Constant Bit Rate.”
Is there a way of fixing this in Audacity without having to re-record the file? Thanks

I am using WIndows 10 and Audacity 3.3.3

[kozikowski]

It is strongly recommended that you read a chapter, edit it, master it, save a perfect quality WAV Edit Master copy, and only then make the 192 Constant MP3 for submission to ACX.

MP3 gets its tiny, convenient sound files by rearranging musical tones in your voice (to make them smaller) and leaving some of them out. If you open an MP3, change it, and then make a new one, the new one will always be at a lower quality with more sound damage.

There are MP3 editors which claim to not increase sound damage, but they do it by not changing the compression format. The format is what you broke.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Back when I did it, ACX allowed me to submit a short voice sample to make sure I was doing everything right. My files were perfect, but I have voice problems. No voice career for me.

Last I checked, they don’t do that any more. They make you submit The Whole Book before they tell you that you messed up.

From the perfect quality WAV chapter, it’s a snap to export 192-Contant MP3.

You should be in Mono, and not stereo. Do you have two blue waves on the timeline? ACX recommends mono (one blue wave) for submissions, but they don’t absolutely insist on it. They do insist that once you start in stereo, you have to stay there for the whole book.

The Audacity MP3 Export has a Force Mono option (above), but I don’t trust it. It’s super easy to mess up the sound quality settings of your chapter with tools like that.

Koz