5 Best Audio Converters for Windows/Mac

#1. TalkHelper Audio Converter (Recommended)

TalkHelper is the best audio converter program if you are looking for an all-around experience when exporting audio formats. Unlike other video converters that are just limited to audio-to-audio conversion, this software allows you to convert both video and audio files. For instance, you get to process formats like MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WMV, MP3, AC3, FLAC, OGG, AAC, M4A, AU-Lossless, and more. Also, you get to convert single files and even entire folders into audio without limitations in file size or the number of files.

Even better, this audio converter accommodates novice users by presenting preset profiles that help one convert audio files into a preferred quality level without tinkering with a ton of settings.

Key Features:

• It boasts the batch processing option that is very helpful when you need to convert multiple audio/video files without taking too much time and effort.
• It employs top-notch algorithms that guarantee fast audio conversion tasks while keeping the output quality tip-top.
• It allows you to override the default audio quality levels and boost to your preferred one. Keep in mind that this will increase the file size significantly.
• It allows you to tweak the output audio files by adjusting the bitrate, sample rate, and channels.
• It offers options to notify you after each successful conversion or when all files are converted.

Supported Platforms: Windows

Best for: A comprehensive video/audio to audio converter that will deliver compressed audio output without compromising quality.

#2. Freemake Audio Converter

Freemake Audio Converter is a user-friendly software that helps you extract audio from videos or transform audio files into other audio formats. What makes this audio converter outstanding is that it sews in a trimming tool that helps you export audio from just the sections you need. Also, it features a merging tool that comes in handy when you need to join multiple audio/video files and export them into a single audio file.

In case the files you want to convert are hosted online, this free download program has a built-in downloader to help you grab the files and convert them into preferred audio formats without installing extra software.

Key Features:

• It has wide audio format support including MP3, AAC, M4A, WMA, OGG, FLAC, WAV, AMR, ADTS, AIFF, MP2, APE, DTS, M4R, AC3, VOC, and more.
• It allows you to export audio files for iTunes.
• It offers ready-to-use conversion profiles, especially for anyone who needs to avoid adjusting settings.
• It supports batch audio conversion capabilities to help you save time and effort.
• It allows you to tweak various audio parameters like bitrate, channels, and sample rate.

Supported Platforms: Windows

Best for: A free audio converter to help you convert online and offline audio/video files into any of the 50+ supported audio output formats.

#3. MediaHuman Audio Converter

MediaHuman Audio Converter is the perfect candidate if you are looking for simplicity. Besides audio conversion, this open-source software allows you to split audio files and convert videos into audio as well. You get to adjust the usual parameters (channels, sample rate), but with a special function to choose between CBR or VBR for the bitrate. Some of the audio formats it supports include WAV, MP3, FLAC, M4R, ALAC, AIFF, AC3, WMA, and AAC.

iTunes enthusiasts will love this audio converter as it allows them to import and convert iTunes playlists without the need to add the files individually. In addition, you can also export audio conversions for Music.app.

Key Features:

• It is capable of searching for music cover art automatically from Discogs, Last.fm, and Google Images.
• It allows you to convert audio files and directly add them to a playlist for iTunes.
• You can opt-in to have the original folder structure retained and this is helpful when you need to organize music by parameters like the Album/Artist.
• It allows you to perform batch audio conversion and saves you time and effort.
• It supports lossless audio formats like Apple Lossless for use on most Apple devices.

Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux

Best for: A simple and straightforward audio converter that is pretty fast in extracting audio from other audio and video formats.

#4. Switch Audio Converter

Switch Audio Converter is a craft by NCH Software that is super fast and overly efficient when it comes to audio conversion. This converter supports almost any audio format you can imagine including the likes of WAV, MP3, WMA, M4A, OGG, MIDI, FLAC, AMR, AAC, AU, AIFF, RAW, DVF, VOX, DSS, and 75+ other formats. Besides conversion, you also get to compress the sound files in moments and get to save on hard disk space.

Even better, it is among the few apps that support audio extraction from DVD and video files. During the conversion process, you get the chance of adding audio effects like noise reduction, audio equalizing, volume amplification, and more to enhance the output audio file. The built-in dynamic range compression comes in handy to limit the volume range of audio files.

Key Features:

• It supports access to an online database that helps you add music information when you are converting music files.
• It allows you to import and convert playlists that are saved in either M3U or PLS format.
• It allows you to convert multiple file formats all at once with a bonus of the much-coveted batch processing feature.
• It preserves music tags for supported formats (MP3, WAV, WMA, FLAC, and OGG) during audio conversion.
• It supports a command-line plugin that allows for the automation of audio conversion and compression tasks.

Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android and Kindle

Best for: A universal audio converter that allows you to convert and compress audio files hassle-free.

#5. Fre:ac

Fre:ac is a free audio converter and CD ripper that supports most of the popular formats like MP3, M4A/AAC, FLAC, WMA, Opus, Ogg Vorbis, Speex, Monkey’s Audio (APE), WavPack, WAV, and more. This free download and open-source program solely converts audio files and is capable of combining multiple input audio files into a single output file; individual tracks can be accessed afterward using a program that supports chapters.

As a comprehensive CD ripper, this software supports the CDDB/GNUdb online CD database where it automatically queries for music/song information and writes it to ID3v2 or other information tags. Still, you can specify your own tags manually when necessary.

Key Features:

• It allows you to convert entire music libraries while retaining the folder and filename structure.
• It supports Highpass and Lowpass filters when converting between audio formats.
• It verifies lossless source formats like FLAC and alerts you in case of any problems with the file before you can start converting. Verification of output files can also be done.
• It supports gapless encoding and decoding that ensures that MP3s and other files start and stop at exactly the right sample. In turn, this results in perfect quality.
• It boasts a MEH (Multi Encoder Hub) component that helps you convert any audio file to multiple output formats simultaneously.

Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Best for: A free and open-source audio converter that also doubles as an avid CD ripper.

Conclusion

In this article, we have outlined the best audio converter tools that are free and diverse in being fast, secure, easy to use, and support all the popular audio file formats. We have identified audio converters that allow for batch processing, audio/video splitting/merging, customizable presets, video to audio conversion, CD ripping, and more. Based on the kind of features you are after; you should be able to settle on one software to help you kick the ball out of the park.