exported wav files are smaller then originals

[mr.peeters]

hi,

i have audacity 1.3.12-beta installed on ubuntu 10.04 LTS.

here's my problem: if i edit wav files, and after editing export them as new wav files, the new ones are considerably smaller then the original ones.
i did the test and opened a wav file of 15.7MB, then exported it without changing anything, the result is a new wav file of only 10.4MB.
i suppose the new file, since it's smaller, has lost some of the original's quality.

can anybody tell me how come and how i could prevent this quality loss?

thanks!
mr.p

[Gale Andrews]

i have audacity 1.3.12-beta installed on ubuntu 10.04 LTS.

here's my problem: if i edit wav files, and after editing export them as new wav files, the new ones are considerably smaller then the original ones.
i did the test and opened a wav file of 15.7MB, then exported it without changing anything, the result is a new wav file of only 10.4MB.
i suppose the new file, since it's smaller, has lost some of the original's quality.
can anybody tell me how come and how i could prevent this quality loss?

Export to the same sample rate and sample format as the original WAV. Choose the sample rate of the export in "project rate " bottom left of the Audacity screen. Choose sample format in the Export File window when you export (choose "Other uncompressed files" and click "Options" if the original WAV was 24- or 32-bit so as to export at that sample format). Note Audacity does not show you the sample format of the file in the Track Panel, only the resolution the file was imported at.

At a guess, the WAV is 24-bit, but you exported as the default 16-bit WAV.


Gale