When "saving as" an MP3 at a lower quality, Wavepad editor then reloads the audio file at that lower quality as a source for future edits...

[Newbie7]

...rather than use its internal high-quality WAV file as an ongoing source.

Why is that?

Scenario:

I load in an MP3 that's recorded at 128 kbps. I need to make two versions of this file.

I delete a short passage, and use "save as" to save it at 32 kbps.

After creating the new file, Wavepad then reloads the MP3 into the editor at 32 kbps.

So now, any other versions of this audio that I produce during this session will have been degraded to 32 kbps, even if I subsequently "save as" at a higher rate.

I thought Wavepad stores the sound internally in high-quality WAV files, according to the helps:
"WavePad uses 32 bits internally for optimal audio quality."

I suppose I could do the edits, then use the "duplicate" feature to make a copy of the audio, then, using the copy, "save as" at 32 kbps, then discard the low-quality copy that's in the editor (due to the reload), and then resume work using the original 128 kbps file.

I'm curious why Wavepad does this...  I would've thought it would continually use the internal high quality WAV files for the source, regardless of how many times and at how many different rates I use the "Save As" option, rather than using a continually-degrading audio based on a string of "save as" versions.

I'm using the free version of WavePad.

[Gekker]

Yes, WavePad will reload the file you saved using "Save File As...", this might happen because not in all cases you save a lower-quality version of what you already have, and sometimes you create a new version of the audio file to work on that version.

If you're not going to use the file you just created, simply remove it from WavePad and then reload the original audio file to keep working on that version.

NCH Software formally takes suggestions and feedback at http://www.nch.com.au/suggestions/

[Newbie7]

Thank you, Gekker.

I suppose one advantage with the current arrangement (auto-reload of the "save as" file, rather than continuing to use WavePad's internal copy of the (usually) higher-quality source file)  is that you hear exactly the same quality as the recipient of the "save as" file will hear -- avoiding an unpleasant surprise later on.