So I want to replace my MP3 file of my song with a new version.
I contact My distributer and say "OK" just send the file to use.
So I sent the MP3 to them. I get a massage back telling me I need to send a WAV file. HUH?
I ask them why?
They told me that when a MP3 file is uploaded to their sit it is "somehow" converted into a WAV file...
I always thought it was my imagination or paranoia that my song sounded a bit different depending on where I uploaded it to.
Now for me this is a red flag! I want to put out the best recording I can put out and a MP3 being converted to a WAV and then back into a MP3 seems a bit corrupted to me!
 
Anyone know what's up with this, why they do it and if it changes the quality of the file?
 
   

It would have been helpful if you told us which service your using as many of us here use the different services and would possibly have some insight how it is done. Each is different. 
 
Example, Sound Cloud you can upload in different formats and in the free version its a cap on storage size. 
So you can upload higher quality files but at the risk of them not streaming smoothly. I use 160 kbps as a happy medium.
 
Some sites convert your files no matter what you send them, I think it was Sound Click but don't quote me. 
And some pro sites seem to offer uploading Wave files and then they do the conversion for you and make the different versions available to downloaders. I think this is what your talking about. If so upload Wave files not MP3. 
 
 
 

Cactus Music
It would have been helpful if you told us which service your using as many of us here use the different services and would possibly have some insight how it is done. Each is different. 
 
Example, Sound Cloud you can upload in different formats and in the free version its a cap on storage size. 
So you can upload higher quality files but at the risk of them not streaming smoothly. I use 160 kbps as a happy medium.
 
Some sites convert your files no matter what you send them, I think it was Sound Click but don't quote me. 
And some pro sites seem to offer uploading Wave files and then they do the conversion for you and make the different versions available to downloaders. I think this is what your talking about. If so upload Wave files not MP3. 
 
 
 

Thank you for the insight. I'm using Reverb now but thinking about going to CD Baby. It just made no sense to me why to upload a 40mg WAV file or put out a higher quality MP3 file. Time to rethink this. :)
 

New question.
 
So would I just use the same mastered project file but export it as a WAV and not an MP3?

Some sites need the wave because they provide an option for users to obtain a high quality version.
Anyway, look at the details of membership on the site.  Something should mention the formats and the options you have as a publisher for what the user can obtain.  Most likely they want a wave in order to provide all the various formats.  So use your original, don't go from mp3 to wave in order for them to make an mp3.  That obviously will greatly increase the presence of unwanted artifacts from transcoding.  (multiple encoding passes).
 
Keith
 
 

Keith Albright [Cakewalk]
Some sites need the wave because they provide an option for users to obtain a high quality version.
Anyway, look at the details of membership on the site.  Something should mention the formats and the options you have as a publisher for what the user can obtain.  Most likely they want a wave in order to provide all the various formats.  So use your original, don't go from mp3 to wave in order for them to make an mp3.  That obviously will greatly increase the presence of unwanted artifacts from transcoding.  (multiple encoding passes).
 
Keith
 
 

Makes sense, but the upload size will be nutz. lol
So I just want to export a *.wav file from the master project? Thanks :) 

Sorry for being a bit of a spoonee today but there are a few *WAV file export options. which one would be the best.

In addition to providing full wave versions for download, the site may very well be trying to make an MP3 of even lower quality/smaller size available, and minimizing the artefacts introduced in the conversion. Working from a wave file, their MP3 encoder can manage the compression with less distortion. Trying to convert an MP3 to another MP3 with a different bit rate, or a variable bit rate can result in a less accurate representation than going from the full wave file to the desired MP3 format. The upload size is of little concern to them, since it is a one time transfer and you are paying for the bandwidth (which is negligible in any case).

slartabartfast
In addition to providing full wave versions for download, the site may very well be trying to make an MP3 of even lower quality/smaller size available, and minimizing the artefacts introduced in the conversion. Working from a wave file, their MP3 encoder can manage the compression with less distortion. Trying to convert an MP3 to another MP3 with a different bit rate, or a variable bit rate can result in a less accurate representation than going from the full wave file to the desired MP3 format. The upload size is of little concern to them, since it is a one time transfer and you are paying for the bandwidth (which is negligible in any case).

The final file will be going all over the place, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify.... it seems a bit odd that they don't tell you that you need to upload a WAV file to start with, so it put me on guard. yea, the band with in a non issues for me. that's good at least.  peace!