# I need a free MP3 utility **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834 "2008-07-09T15:02:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834/1 "2008-07-09T15:02:57Z")
I’m looking for a free MP3 utility which I can download (legally, of course). I want to be able to convert the bit rate of files (e.g. from 320 to 90) in order to reduce the file size. I’m presuming that a lower bitrate results in a smaller file size. I would also like to adjust the level, so that my files have the same volume level. I don’t need to do anything too fancy like DJ style mixing. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834/2 "2008-07-09T15:48:20Z")
[QUOTE=samarm] I’m looking for a free MP3 utility which I can download (legally, of course). I want to be able to convert the bit rate of files (e.g. from 320 to 90) in order to reduce the file size. I’m presuming that a lower bitrate results in a smaller file size. I would also like to adjust the level, so that my files have the same volume level. I don’t need to do anything too fancy like DJ style mixing. Any suggestions? [/QUOTE] [WavePad](http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/masters.html) is free and a great tool for its price, i.e. there is fancier stuff around, but to my knowledge, not for free. You’d better off starting with the original .wav files and then downsample, rather than using existing mp3s, which will make the end result \*really \* lossy. It doesn’t matter what software you use, start with the .wav and go from there. That means you have to rip the .wav from the CD. If you’ve bought MP3s, you’re kinda screwed. The small file size made them attractive during the napster/dial-up era, but today, downloading 4 or 40 meg isn’t an issue anymore ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834/3 "2008-07-09T18:40:48Z")
Thanks, this seems to fit my purpose. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834/4 "2008-07-09T18:51:17Z")
I haven’t tried WavePad, but I do like [dbPowerAmp](http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm)’s converter. I can’t remember now if it came with the .mp3 codec or if I had to hunt it up somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834/5 "2008-07-09T22:12:36Z")
Don’t ever convert below 128kps - that’s the lowest bitrate that cannot be detected by the human ear (or something like that). When you downconvert, you’re losing quality - quality that can never be restored by upconverting (i.e. from 128k to 320K) The only MP3s I have that are encoded below 128k are old-time radio programs - I usually encode those at 64k - the quality is marginal to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834/6 "2008-07-09T22:18:21Z")
Thanks for the advice. I’ll try converting to 128kps and see how that sounds. Is below 128kps realy that bad? I’ve got a couple of mp3s which are 90kps and they seem to sound OK, if not hi-fi quality. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-free-mp3-utility/455834/7 "2008-07-10T02:53:58Z")
You should look at a transcoding program called SUPER. You can find a review of it and other programs like it here: [http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-audio-video-format-conversion-program.htm](http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-audio-video-format-conversion-program.htm) These programs will convert the bitrate of your MP3’s as well as let you transcode from MP3 to other audio formats.