exported files bigger than original

[Lsegall]

I changed a wma file to mp3 so that I could use Audacity to edit it. The wma file was 7025 kb. The edited mp3 file is 42914 kb. I thought mp3 was supposed to be a smaller file! How do I get this file to be smaller?

[kozikowski]

Audacity doesn't actually edit compressed files. It converts them to a very high quality uncompressed form, edits them, and then recompresses them to another, different file. Each compression step can make a file any size you want -- including bigger. MP3 export quality in Audacity 1.2 is set in the Preferences > File Formats. Restart Audacity after you change this number.

You should try and stay away from doing production in compressed formats like Windows Media and MP3. Each compression step adds sound damage and it gets worse as you go. I bet your edited show sounds significantly bubbly and honky compared to the original. That's the compression damage adding up.

There are editors which will directly edit an MP3 file without increasing the damage. You can't do complex editing, but it may be enough. Also, I believe Audacity 1.3.12 with all the packages added to it might be able to edit Windows Media directly.

http://audacityteam.org/download/

Koz