I'm somewhat of an amateur when it comes to computer audio and have a question about converting compressed files. I currently have to use both ITunes and WMP because I have several gigs of WMAs (from when I first started ripping CDs to my PC) and several gigs of AACs as well.

The only options I know of are to convert all my WMAs to AACs or to delete my WMAs re-rip all my CDs as AACs. The latter is completely impractical in light of the amount of files I have, but I'm worried that I will lose sound quality with the former. AAC is apparently higher sound quality, but as far as I know, there's no way that converting from one compressed audio format to another can improve sound quality... the best I could hope for is to lose nothing.

I have a fairly nice sound card and speaker system so I really don't want to lose any sound quality. I'm just at a loss here... is there any way I can convert my WMAs to AACs without losing any quality? I'm assuming that ITunes' converter won't cut it, but maybe there's a third party program out there... I'm also open to converting to other file types so long as I can just get it all in one library (like I said, I'm pretty ignorant about all this).

Same question for MP3s, to save space (although everything I've read says sound quality takes a nosedive when you convert from MP3 to AAC...)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

There is no way to convert wma's to the mpeg-4 AAC format without quality loss. However, will this quality loss be perceivable by you? Only you can answer this. Try converting some wma's into the mpeg-4 AAC format with iTunes. If you can't hear a difference then go ahead and transcode all your wma's. If you can hear a difference, then re-rip all your CD's.

About the mp3's, you should just keep them as they are. You might save 1-2mb per song but I don't think it is really worth it for the quality loss that will happen. However, if you can't hear a difference between the mp3's and the transcoded mpeg-4 AAC's, then go ahead and transcode.

It all depends on your ears, no one can answer this question for you. You are going to have to decided whether you can hear a difference betwee the source files (wma, mp3) and the transcoded files (mpeg-e AAC). Converting with iTunes should be fine. You can try a program called dbpoweramp but it will probably reproduce the same results as iTunes.

In that case, is there any plugin for Itunes that'll allow me to play WMA files? I'm guessing not... so in that case, is there any media library/plugin for one that'll organize my files as good as ITunes does and play both AAC and WMA?

If you like the organization of iTunes, then no. There is a plug-in for windows media player to allow mpeg-4 AAC playback but I don't think WMP will organize your library to iTunes level. It may take some time but you would be better off re-ripping your CD's. I would do some listening tests, BLIND listening tests. Try to hear a difference between the source wma and the transcoded mpeg-4 AAC. If you can't hear a difference then go ahead and do it. You can download foobar and the ABX plug-in. Do some listening tests before you go looking for a crappy media player.

To convert from WMA to AAC or any other formats, you can consider my audio/video transcoder.

"There is a plug-in for windows media player to allow mpeg-4 AAC playback but I don't think WMP will organize your library to iTunes level."

I can certainly hear the quality loss when I convert to AAC, so I think that using the AAC plugin for WMP would be best. Where can I find it? I can always just use the ITunes folder organization tool, and then move the folders to MyMusic so that WMP can play them.

You just mean play the files or convert?

Just download K-Lite mega codec pack.

Go to link below and click on one of the places to download:
http://home.hccnet.nl/h.edskes/mirror.htm

You should be able to play pretty much anything in WMP after you download and install.


If you mean convert.....

The bad news is, unless you were doing to low of bitrate, your gonna have to Re-Rip.

If you are determined to try Re-Encoding with another program, try the one Optimus said up above. Yes he does develop it, but it is really handy/nice program for converting. If you don't have winamp installed, you will have to use mplayer to decode. The way you choose that is in the left panel under audio options.