Interestingly all the mp3 files were previously created by Vegas from sound files, I just rendered them out as *.mp3 and they exported and played back in Vegas without issue, so perhaps with this new install of Windows I've missed a codec or some plugin hasn't been configured, but seeing as Vegas made them, it can import them can't it, I shouldn't need to re-convert, although with this problem I'm tempted to avoid using mp3s in future and just relying on wav files etc, if I find a solution I'll return to let you know, cheers

The mp3 files which Vegas created and which were easily played back are now inoperable in Vegas but play in all other utilities, there is nothing special about these mp3 files which Vegas created and after a good time looking at settings and some cursory research on-line it seems I simply cannot import them, they do actually import, but it's all high-pitched garbage, there is a fault with this and I should not be boxing with Vegas to get this simply functionality working correctly straight out of the box, I'm going to try installing some codecs from external sites/sources

Format                      : MPEG Audio
File size                   : 1.89 MiB
Duration                    : 1 min 58 s
Overall bit rate mode       : Variable
Overall bit rate            : 134 kb/s
Genre                       : Other

Audio
Format                      : MPEG Audio
Format version              : Version 1
Format profile              : Layer 3
Duration                    : 1 min 58 s
Bit rate mode               : Variable
Bit rate                    : 134 kb/s
Channel(s)                  : 2 channels
Sampling rate               : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                  : 41.667 FPS (1152 SPF)
Compression mode            : Lossy
Stream size                 : 1.89 MiB (100%)

typical mp3 file, nothing special, if Vegas made them, it can read them back in... if it cannot, it's broken... so I really need this functionality, I'm going to now have to find a converter to re-jig these audio files Vegas has made for me into something it can handle, it's set me back quite a way I can tell you, I didn't expect this from such software, I've tried a codec pack no deal, so I'm gonna try another editor, if any random editor I'll now pick from the web imports your mp3s then we need to talk... and this needs to be fixed, surely it can't be this bad.

I could spend the rest of my life looking at links to on-line mp3 converters... when I paid for this software, it rendered out some mp3s which it now refuses to read, brilliant Vegas, just brilliant, set me back hours days trying to fight with this, utterly destroys my creative zeal... anyhow, right your software isn't working right, I tried something called Chimp or some such on-line, read the mp3s of course... hand on this isn't 1999 all over again, is it? I just have to check... really disappointed, so don't render out audio as mp3s from Vegas... you'll end up in an audio-cul-de-sac pretty damn fast on that score, right I need now a program that will convert all these mp3s into whatever... has windows got anything built in I wonder? hmmm anyway I doubt this will be fixed, so in short... vegas... mp3s... avoid.

@Tony-Smith Something appears to have changed on your system? Have you installed any codec packs?

Please upload one of your problem mp3 files to a cloud service such as Google Drive. Others can then download it and try on their VP20 Build 411 to see if they have the same problem.

@Tony-Smith Something appears to have changed on your system? Have you installed any codec packs?

Please upload one of your problem mp3 files to a cloud service such as Google Drive. Others can then download it and try on their VP20 Build 411 to see if they have the same problem.

I did install the K-Lite codec pack to no avail, plus I installed a Mpeg-2 video extension from the MS store, again no dice, the audio becomes just an intense selection of noise/beeps as if it's data like a dial-up modem, MP4 files with audio import just fine.

https://mega.nz/file/aVEBmQwQ#40sNdN9o8ZEkjWA3NKsd3RwutZusG4Euj5Itq8xJOQc

Simple mp3 above does not play in Vegas, plays in everything else though.