I use WaveLab Elements 9 - windows 10 - all updates.
I have a problem.
I have a MP3 file of 301 MB
I would like to edit it, but WaveLab claims that the file is too big, and will not open it for editing. Files must not be over 2 GB
It is not even close, so what can I do?
MP3s have to be expanded into WAV format before they can be edited by WaveLab - this could easily take it over the 2GB limit. The limit should really be 4GB, but many programs don’t handle over 2GB, so WaveLab plays safe.
You could divide the MP3 into parts before attempting to open it in WaveLab, using Mp3DirectCut or some similar program.
Bear in mind that if you decode an MP3 file and then re-encode it after editing you will lose a certain amount of quality. If the editing you wish to do is no more than dividing into parts, and the accuracy of the divisions is not important, then Mp3DirectCut may do all you need anyway.
Paul
I’m assuming the 64-bit version of Wavelab would not have this limitation and would have access to greater amounts of memory… I can try it this evening when I get to the studio.
As a bonus, Mp3DirectCut does not decode the mp3. So if you use it to cut, there will be no loss to the original audio.
The mp3directcut method sounds really good if it works well enough. There’s one other factor in Wavelab 9 and that’s that MP3 is now decoded to 32 bit float, so the decoded WAV files are twice as big as they were in Wavelab 8 and earlier, where it was all 16 bit fixed point. That and the 2gb limitation in Wavelab Elements I think. You might be able to do it in Wavelab 8 Elements but maybe not even there starting at 300mb MP3.
These long MP3 files, are they mostly recordings from portable recorders?
I think PG was talking about increasing the 2gb limit in Elements, or some other solution, like option or fixed decode to 16 or 24 bit in Elements.
The 2gb limit will be removed in elements 9.0.30
That’s great! Looking forward to the update
As I don’t see a patch notes anywhere, is this included on 9.035 ?
Yes Elements supports files > 2 GB now. But you’re right, it doesn’t seem to be in the Version History (unless I’m missing it.)
A 301MB MP3 file? Depending on the bitrate, that could turn out to be a 3-5GB WAV file. I’m assuming the original issue has been dealt with, but wow, that’s a big file!
I have an mp3 from a friend, a continuous (legal) recording of several DJs of a long night and this expands to an over 12 GB Wave file in size. This is not so unusual.