MP3 encoder comes up LAME

We’ve run into a perplexing problem with Audacity and the LAME MP3 encoder for Windows. LAME automatically sets the sample rate for MP3 files, which can end up wreaking havoc on our embedded Flash-based audio player. If the sample rate is anything other than 22,500 or 44,100, the resulting audio playback sounds like something from the “Chipmunks”. Now, the MP3 file can be download and played back fine in Windows Media Player or the like. The frustrating part is that there’s no way to manually set the sample rate in Audacity. Instead, one has to use a LAME’s clunky command line interface. I know Audacity is free, but given all the other rich features it includes, you think someone could come up with a graphical interface for adjusting the LAME encoder settings.