The Audacity Team has announced the release of Audacity v1.3.8 (Beta) for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux/Unix. It contains a number of significant improvements, plus some bug fixes.

Highlights include:

• VST Effects now display in GUI mode by default.
• Updated Nyquist implementation.
• Improvements to Equalization, Noise Removal, Truncate Silence, Click Track and effects chains.
• Improved Plot Spectrum analysis and new preferences for Spectrograms.
• Record more than 16 channels (hardware/drivers permitting).
• New "Mixer Board" view with per-track VU meters.
• AMR NB export support via the optional FFmpeg library.
• 32-bit float data over 0 dB handled without clipping.
• Draft Manual/Quick Help included in Windows and Mac installers.
• Faster waveform drawing and better response in multi-track projects.
• Various bug fixes, stability and accessibility improvements.

In Detail

New Features:

• Effects and Analysis:
  • VST Effects now display GUI by default.
  • Faster Equalization and Noise Removal; improved Truncate Silence and Click Track.
  • Chains applied to files now clear temporary data after processing each file.
  • Updated Nyquist implementation with support for SAL syntax and improved memory management.
  • Plot Spectrum now analyzes up to 237.8 seconds of audio, with separate windows for each project and improved display; new preferences for Spectrograms.
  • Contrast Analysis tool now modeless for easier use.
• Interface:
  • Draft Manual/Quick Help included in Windows and Mac installers.
  • New "Mixer Board" view with per-track VU meters.
  • Mute, solo, gain, pan and track height saved in projects.
  • More compact Preferences window with easier-to-use Keyboard tab and new toolbars shortcuts.
  • New Screenshot Tools and improved screen reader support.
• Other:
  • Record more than 16 channels (hardware/drivers permitting).
  • Improved support for non-mmap ALSA devices such as PulseAudio.
  • 32-bit float data over 0 dB now handled without clipping.
  • "Stop" option when importing preserves already imported data.
  • AMR NB export now supported if the optional FFmpeg library is installed.
  • Faster waveform drawing and better response in multi-track projects.

Bug fixes for:

• Export Multiple: failed if empty label encountered; files silenced if overwriting imported WAV files without copying them in.
• Metadata Editor hidden if it was on a now unavailable second monitor.
• Misaligned audio after "Split New" or Noise Removal effect.
• Incorrect label movement and paste with linked audio and label tracks.
• Equalization, Cut Preview and Advanced Mixing Options dialogue.
• (Linux) Mixer Toolbar should now adjust levels and select input sources properly.
• "Audio cache" preference caused crashes - data is now only cached in memory if available RAM is above a level defined in preferences.
• Various other crashes.