# AAC to a VBR MP3

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aac-to-a-vbr-mp3/587492>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 1, 2011, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aac-to-a-vbr-mp3/587492 "2011-07-01T10:46:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aac-to-a-vbr-mp3/587492/1 "2011-07-01T10:46:52Z")

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Anyone know any conversion software that can go straight from AAC LC to a variable bit rate MP3? I can find some that handle fixed rate MP3s, and I can find a converter from fixed rate MP3s to variable, but not one that will do it in one step.

I want the highest quality conversion possible, but I don’t have enough disk space to use a lossless format in between.

And Google has not been that big a help. Maybe I’ll think of better search terms when I’m less tired, but I figured you guys might find it faster.

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**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aac-to-a-vbr-mp3/587492/2 "2011-07-01T10:56:43Z")

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have you looked at this one?

> **[AAC to MP3 Converter: How to Convert AAC2MP3 Free](https://www.audio-transcoder.com/how-to-convert-aac-files-to-mp3)**
>
> Learn how to easily convert AAC files to MP3, or split single AAC file into individual MP3 tracks using the information from the CUE file.

I haven’t tried it, but it might be worth a look.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aac-to-a-vbr-mp3/587492/3 "2011-07-01T11:44:00Z")

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Got a weird error message, and I don’t currently have time to troubleshoot.

Fortunately I stumbled onto some [command](http://www.rarewares.org/aac-decoders.php) [line](http://www.rarewares.org/mp3-lame-bundle.php) programs and chained them together. But I’d still like a GUI solution if anyone knows of one, so keep the suggestions coming.