SOS. I have been trying to create a preset for the ACX requirements in Audacity and i can not figure out how to do it.
I have searched the forums and attempted to use the suggestions but nothing is landing. 
Could someone give me step by step instructions to set up the preset??? I would be forever grateful.
TIA
oh ya im on Audacity 2.3.1 and Windows 10
Jen 
You mean a Macro? I think somebody already did, or got really close.
https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/difficulty-creating-a-macro/52134/1
Koz
I’m remembering this now. There was a problem telling the Equalizer which curve to use (Low rolloff…). It would forget its curve and do it in such a way that the curve load command failed—or something like that. If you were doing ACX by hand, you could easily work around it, but the Macro would just fall over. I think that was one or two Audacity versions ago, so we’re hoping 2.3.2 works OK.
Post back.
Koz
Hi,
I use the attached ACX Master macro with Audacity 2.3.2 on Linux Mint.
It uses the values specified in the Audiobook Mastering Suite thread (the Low Frequency Rolloff for Speech filter length is 5007 by slider adjustment).
I added a Select All at the start because I process complete segments but that can be removed if you prefer.
NOTE: Be careful of using the Macros dialog Edit… button. This seems to cause a bugreport generation and you don’t actually need that button to insert or remove new entries.
ATB,
Neil
ACX Master.txt (259 Bytes)
That should do it. Filter Length is not critical. Anything around 5000 should work. The original design had that setting at a stiffer 9000 in order to minimize interference from wall power problems in the US (60Hz). That turned out to not be necessary for most use.
There should be a comment line with time, date, name and revision. Without that, if two people submit different code, there would be no way to sort which is which. That seems to be nit-picking with five lines of code, but if you happen to hit an insanely popular product or solution, it will suddenly flash all over and spawn variations and copies.
Koz
That and there’s the thing about leaving spaces.
ACX-Master.txt
Koz
Hi Koz,
All valid points. Thank you.
The macro was entirely generated within the GUI without any file edits or rename. The adding of some placeholder text for the desired details and substitution of dashes for spaces in the generated filename could be done as part of the macro creation process.
I expect that people will want to tweak the macro to suit their needs or, if it’s viewed to be of sufficient utility, perhaps it could be included in future releases.
ATB,
Neil
I expect that people will want to tweak the macro to suit their needs
Many people who post here just got their microphone out of the plastic wrap. Programming might be beyond them. I’ve never programmed a thing, so any code works for me. Is there a process for importing a straight .TXT file?
It’s possible the Macro Editor may be where some of the earlier problems popped up.
if it’s viewed to be of sufficient utility, perhaps it could be included in future releases.
It’s possible, but further advances need to be made. I don’t think all the Audacity tools are native yet, so anyone who ran the Macro without doing anything else would be faced with a missing tool message instead of a mastered chapter. I need to investigate more. All this is hours old. I need to play Real Life for a while.
Koz
Audacity 2.3.2 and the upcoming 2.3.3 do not have RMS Normalize native, so wide distribution of the Macro, though valuable, will have to wait until it is.
Koz
And what to my wondering eyes should appear…
https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/audiobook-mastering-in-development-and-test/54081/1
Koz
His code is not ready for prime time yet. It’s his first project and the code creates some significant sound damage, but he’s close.
Koz
Hi Koz,
I took a look at that. I would question whether a plugin is required to replace a macro of 4 lines length. It also obscures the ability to change parameters, which could be convenient from an end-user perspecitive.
Regarding your comment about versioning and filenames with spaces, the “Fade ends” and “MP3 Conversion” macros shipped with Audacity don’t conform to those requirements. Are you perhaps confusing Macros with Plugins in this respect?
ATB,
Neil
I would question whether a plugin is required to replace a macro of 4 lines length
Except his code is stand-alone with Audacity 2.3.2 and the upcoming 2.3.3 and the Macro isn’t. We pay attention to changes that may generate even more forum traffic and questions than we already have.
“How come your Macro…?”
I’m not making that up. Everybody with a pulse is trying to read for audiobooks and a false step anywhere causes instant problems.
It also obscures the ability to change parameters, which could be convenient from an end-user perspecitive.
You can change parameters right after ACX changes requirements. We’re not programming a generic tool. Those are a nightmare. This job has one very specific goal.
Are you perhaps confusing Macros with Plugins in this respect?
I’m confusing two programs with the same name and the same job but different code and I can’t tell which is later. The very instant you offer code of any sort to the public you should conform to minimum identity requirements. I don’t mean posting a full software header like he did. Date and Release # is good. Maybe add developer’s name.
Please note neither product is ready for Rel 1.0. His creates distortion and yours won’t run stand-alone. We are paying attention to both.
Koz
It also obscures the ability to change parameters
A word about that. Audiobook Mastering Suite is absolute and not relational like many other Audacity tools. RMS Normalize was a game changer. I don’t care where your RMS is now, when I get done it will be in the middle of the ACX submission requirement. Full Stop. There are no fuzzy options.
Success depends on Audacity’s ability to “overload” without damaging sound. This is where the 32 bit-floating format comes in. It doesn’t matter where the performance sound peaks go after RMS Normalize because the following tool, Soft Limiter, will gently reduce them to -3.5dB or below, thus matching the ACX Peak requirement. Yes, I know the requirement is -3dB, I also know the conversion to MP3 has errors and nobody can hear 0.5dB.
You put the Low Rolloff for Speech filter (which is actually relational) ahead of the whole operation so none of the tools is fooled by wind noise, thunder, rumble or low pitched trash caused by bad USB microphones.
That’s what those three tools are doing behind the curtain.
Koz