Non-Destructive MP3 Trimming/Saving

[barton986]

Hi,
I'd just like to know if it is possible to load an mp3 file into Goldwave, trim one or more portions of the file and re-save without any re-encoding of the mp3 file?
A forum search gave me a "no go" answer to this, but the post was 3-4 years old so I wanted to make sure this was current info.
Thanks,
Jon

[mathyou9]

I don't believe GoldWave can do what you're wanting. You might try mp3DirectCut; it can trim MP3s without having to re-encode. I've used it a couple times when the only editing I've needed is to trim or change volume.

Otherwise, if you do it in GoldWave, you'll have to save to a lossless format if you don't want to introduce more artifacts to the audio.

[DewDude420]

Goldwave doesn't work on the raw MP3 data...instead the audio is decoded to PCM before Goldwave can work on it. This doesn't allow you to do a "lossless" trimming of mp3 since you'd have to take that mp3'd data and recompress it to mp3.

[PegHorse]

The features of MP3DirectCut should be integrated in Goldwave, also this features of modifying the files without loosing qualities should be great if it can support all formats, not only MP3.
See i'm working often with FLAC... I'll be very happy to have such features to all formats not only MP3.

[JackH]

Your idea isn't a bad one, though I have no idea how difficult it would be to implement.

Since you mention flac... remember, it is lossless, so you can re-encode without any loss in quality, unlike mp3.

[PegHorse]

True Jack, but unfortunately i have also MP3/WMA to manage.
I tried MP3 Direct Cut but this is a strange software, i don't know how it works, i found a way to grow up the volume but its not easy.

[DewDude420]

mp3cut doesnt work that well. it would be a pita to integrate. from a professional standpoint...its not needed. chris has more things to do than try to get something like that integrated. speaking as a pro...i wouldnt use it. i either have original wavs or i dont edit. mp3 is not a viable format for archiving..any and all of my prpjects get a wav backup....also...you cannot do sample level editing of mp3...you just cant. you can only split an mp3 file on a frame boundry...which does not correspond to anything remotely close to a sample

[PegHorse]

So i better use Goldwave and Save it ?
Or do u have better suggestion ?

[GoldWave Inc.]

Making an editor that works with files directly in their encoded format would be very difficult and very limited (and possibly very slow). Just displaying the waveform requires decoding the audio anyway.

Always start, save and work in lossless formats such as Wave, FLAC, or lossless WMA. Save in MP3 format only when finished, but keep the original lossless file when possible. That will minimize quality loss.

If you start and finish with an MP3 file and need to do precise editing or use non-trivial effects, then re-encoding is unavoidable, and so is a loss of quality.

Chris