Here's the kicker. Before I restored my build back to factory settings, I actually DID have it set so that the rendered .wav file didn't start with a click track count, or silent count, but started right with the first note of the project.

So I've gone over it, back and forth trying it figure out where it is located. I tried every setting in the Metronome screen, and nothing works.

Before I found it the first time 2+ years ago, I would have to take each track into Audacity and cut off the front count in.

But you CAN remove the count in, whether it's audible or not so the wav file starts immediately. I just can't find it again and was hoping that someone here may remember how.