Converting audio formats

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AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
Mrs RM has spent some time ripping a bunch of CDs to go onto her iPod. Unfortunately she selected WMA as she's not aware of the ball-ache that becomes when switching between PC and Mac.

Google isn't much help, and the apps I've discovered are useless. Though one did come packaged with links to various 'specialist' websites which were interesting...

So I was wondering if anyone knew of a hidden gem that would sort this out as quickly and painlessly as possible? I suspect not, but thought the CC collective might be able to help out.
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
http://www.zamzar.com/

It's internet based though and might be a ball ache if there's lots of files.
 
OP
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AndyRM

AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
Thanks, that looks like it could be an option depending on how many have been ripped.

A friend has suggested something called CDex which also looks like a possibility. Someone should tell these guys to invest in a bit of SEO as none came up on any of the many forums I trawled.
 

albion

Guru
Location
South Tyneside
I think with the iTUnes and Google Music Match things, it checks your CD, and if it finds a match it adds them to you online mp3/aac catalogue which you can then download at your leisure.

They thus only convert the CD on your PC to upload when they fail to find a match. (check the Google free 60 day trial?)
 
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AndyRM

AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
Will it work if you Right click in the track in the iTunes library and click convert to MP3. Or copy as MP3

New mo3 then shows in the recently added library.

Tried that, and I'm sure it used to work but no longer. I had used iTunes for converting stuff in the past and purposefully kept and old version because it worked well. Apparently someone has been using my Mac and updated it... iMovie has changed too, totally buggering the interface but that's a rant for a different day.

@albion - Google Music looks good, I shall investigate. Recently tried out their streaming music service and it could handle all the random obscure stuff I chucked at it, which was impressive. As for the music I'm looking to sort, it's mostly what I'd describe as 'twee clutter' which seems to have been recorded by someone with a hearing issue. On their first job. Using knackered equipment. So quality shouldn't be an issue.

One of the albums is an early Regina Spektor one, which sounds like a piano/singing lesson. Unlistenable gubbins which should be as lo-fi as possible!
 

Svendo

Guru
Location
Walsden
I thought that too, and was left disappointed by the free options I found, VLC being the worst despite being my go-to for this sort of stuff in the past.

ETA - unless 'Any' is a specific one you rate?
It is a specific converter. There's a companion 'any audio converter' program that I use to convert mp4 video files with just audio to mp3s for my mp3 player. It's light on the spam ware and so on when I downloaded it and it's a much much easier interface than VLC for producing mp3s. You can also add a load to do and let it churn away.
 
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