# downloadable .wav to .mp3 converters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761 "2002-05-02T00:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/1 "2002-05-02T00:49:46Z")
The one’s I’ve tried to download in the past were sub-par, sometimes making tracks skip or other small problems. Does anyone know of a good .wav to .mp3 converter? Thanks, Clay ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/2 "2002-05-02T02:22:23Z")
I recommend Audiograbber with the LAME mp3 codec. Always worked for me! ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/3 "2002-05-02T02:55:07Z")
[www.dbpoweramp.com](http://www.dbpoweramp.com). It’s the best I’ve seen and its free. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/4 "2002-05-02T03:06:24Z")
I heartily second **dbpoweramp**. An excellent package, and their audio player is very nice, too. I had quite a bit of fun designing skins for it. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/5 "2002-05-02T03:12:36Z")
I am not sure I understand. Why do you want to convert WAV to MP3? ---
**Author:** ![Stinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@Stinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stinky)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/6 "2002-05-02T03:23:46Z")
> [@](#): > > I am not sure I understand. Why do you want to convert WAV to MP3? File size, for use on portible MP3 players, back ups. I also use db power amp, very easy to use and will rip MP3’s at up to 320 kbps also has volume normalization ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/7 "2002-05-02T03:55:35Z")
While not necessarily the easiest to use, the BEST ripper + encoder combination for audio quality is [Exact Audio Copy](http://www.exactaudiocopy.de) combined with the [LAME MP3 Encoder](http://hot.ee/smpman/). EAC prevents annoying skips, pops, clicks, or beeps due to CD read errors. If you don’t want to rip from CD, but just encode WAVs, then you can use LAME by itself. LAME offers the BEST quality MP3s you can find, and it’s free, too. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/8 "2002-05-02T04:12:17Z")
\>\> File size, for use on portible MP3 players, back ups As I have explained in other threads, WAV and MP3 files are compressed using the same MP3 codec and the difference is that MP3 files are in streaming format which is unnecessary and adds a bit to the size. So, on the Issue of size WAV has a small advantage. This applies to backups too. I know nothing about portable MP3 players so I can’t say anything about them except that I’d be surprised if they didn’t also play WAVs. I use WAV for everything and I can’t think any good reason to switch to MP3. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/9 "2002-05-02T04:14:39Z")
Shoot, I forgot to mention IMHO DivX gives even better compression and I started using it some time ago but then I got tired because I was sending files around and many people didn’t have the codec installed. As more people are installing it I may switch back to DivX in the near future. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/10 "2002-05-02T04:20:13Z")
Streaming format is unneccessary? Hmm… I run an internet radio station and so I beg to differ. I use GoldWave to convert wav to mp3, to answer the OP ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/11 "2002-05-02T04:27:54Z")
**Opalcat** , come on, you know I’m talking about having discrete files. That’s why I asked the OP. If he tells me he is generating streaming data that’s one thing but Stinky said “File size, for use on portible MP3 players, back ups”, none of which are streaming. Obviously streaming format is necessary for streaming data but most people have MP3 files in their disks for which the streaming format is unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![heptapod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@heptapod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heptapod)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/12 "2002-05-02T06:29:47Z")
Get Flash 5.0, trial version because cracking software is wrong and illegal!!!11111111 Start a new .fla file. Import the .wav into the .fla file. Now make the .fla into a .swf Rename the file from file.swf to file.mp3 Instant mp3. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/13 "2002-05-02T06:43:06Z")
There’s always [iTunes,](http://www.apple.com/itunes/) and it’s free! Hey, don’t blame me if _you_ assume an operating system… ---
**Author:** ![Dieter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dieter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dieter)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/14 "2002-05-02T10:13:14Z")
I’ve had GREAT luck with [CDEX](http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/). It’s pretty much all I use these days on my windows machine. It uses the LAME encoder as well. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/15 "2002-05-02T16:18:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stinky \* > \*\* > > File size, for use on portible MP3 players, back ups. > > \*\* Bingo. Correct in both ways. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/16 "2002-05-02T16:21:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by heptapod \* > \*\*Get Flash 5.0, trial version because cracking software is wrong and illegal!!!11111111 > Start a new .fla file. > Import the .wav into the .fla file. > Now make the .fla into a .swf > Rename the file from file.swf to file.mp3 > Instant mp3. \*\* Wow, I gotta try this… Thanks heptapod. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/17 "2002-05-02T16:41:50Z")
Yet another vote for LAME. I use it as a command line utility along with a command line cd-ripper (cd2wav). Very high quality and I can batch file everything, which is very convenient for me. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/18 "2002-05-02T17:29:31Z")
Most rippers use the LAME codec. dbPowerAmp, mentioned above, certainly does. I always rip with LAME and variable, high-quality bitrate. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/19 "2002-05-02T20:42:01Z")
**sailor** : You are, apparently, confused. A .WAV file is normally UNCOMPRESSED audio data. For example, a .WAV file you rip off of a CD will be uncompressed 16-bit 44.1khz stereo PCM audio data, and thus have a very large file size. This is a bitrate of around 1376kbps. MP3 compression will produce a file with an extension of .MP3 to between 128kbps and 320kbps, depending on settings, with good audio quality. Now, it is possible to wrap a .MP3 file in a WAV header, to give it the extension .WAV and allow some programs to open it that cannot directly open .MP3s. HOWEVER, such a file will be larger than the original MP3, since some space is needed for the WAV header, and some programs will have trouble opening it. Also, the DivX codec is for video, NOT audio. There was something bundled in a very old version of the DivX Video codec called “DivX;-) Audio”, but this was simply an old version of Microsoft Windows Media Audio (Version 4, as I recall, but I may be wrong) renamed. You can get better sound quality by simply using Windows Media Audio v8 to produce .WMA files and sending these around. They are also pretty much universally compatible on all systems running Windows. However, WMA still doesn’t sound nearly as good as MP3, no matter what bitrate you give it. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/20 "2002-05-02T22:14:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*\>\> File size, for use on portible MP3 players, back ups > > As I have explained in other threads, WAV and MP3 files are compressed using the same MP3 codec and the difference is that MP3 files are in streaming format which is unnecessary and adds a bit to the size. So, on the Issue of size WAV has a small advantage. This applies to backups too. > > I know nothing about portable MP3 players so I can’t say anything about them except that I’d be surprised if they didn’t also play WAVs. > > I use WAV for everything and I can’t think any good reason to switch to MP3. \*\* Que? What **FDISK** said. WAV is usually uncompressed audio… a two minute song will run you 20 megs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761.md?page=2)