Combine audio tracks in Audacity of different formats

[quadrplax]

I have two audio files

1. MP2 (.mp3)
2. PCM (.wav)

I am trying to merge the 2 tracks together, but when I have both of them in Audacity at once, practically every menu item is grayed out, sadly, including export. How do you combine audio files of different formats? Or do I have to convert it first?

[videobruger]

In Audacity use the arrow down on the left of one of the track and select Create Stero - if that's what you're trying to accomplish.

[gadgetguy]

I was unable to duplicate your problem. I opened an .mp3 file, imported a.wav file, and was able to export and combine channels. What version of Audacity are you using? (I'm using 1.3.13) And what are the steps you are taking?

[Cornucopia]

Could be because MP2 is not the same as MP3 (though you are assuming it is). They are in the same family, and GOOD apps that support MP3 OUGHT to be able to support MP2 as well, but it doesn't mean they actually do. Couldn't tell you if Audacity falls under that category or not.

BTW, from a purely tech standpoint, LPCM does not necessarily equal WAV, either. One is a container, one is a stream type. It's just that both are commonly used together. Yes, that's nitpicky, but little nitpicky things like that are the things that can screw up apps to where you're going, "huh?!".

What's the harm in decoding/converting the compressed file first? A few minutes of extra time? A few hundred MB? In the time it took to ask this question and get an answer it could have been done.

Scott

[quadrplax]

Nevermind, it works now for some reason. Not sure what I did before...