I didn't disagree with you that it's probably tough for new users. But it's a huge value-add for people who have finished the tree. That's why I suggest an optional on/off toggle in the settings for it, which makes both of us happy.

I agree and, respectfully, I don't see much value for it with trees I've finished. There are plenty of times that the spoken sentences are harder for me to understand than when I'm speaking with a rl natural speaker, so seeing the sentence confirms for me that I heard it properly. I don't feel it helps me to get it wrong due to problem with Duolingo's audio. That's not a ding against Duo—I'm sure they're doing their best. I just recognize that Duo audio has imperfections that I am able to recognize quickly with the sentence there and pronounce it properly anyway.

For example there is one sentence where "vegetariano" is clearly said incorrectly and I thought it was a different word (yes I reported it). I was able to say it correctly because I saw the word it was supposed to be—and that it what I am supposed to be learning, how to pronounce the words I'm reading not just only rely on the audio to tell me how to say them.

I wouldn't mind them developing a toggle on/off for everyone to have a choice however, until they do, I'd really like for them to switch it back to the way it was.