Convert Music files between MP3, WMA, and WAV Easily and Quickly

Contributor Icon Contributed by AlexTheBeast Date Icon April 7, 2005  
Tag Icon Tagged: Windows

This little piece of software converts music between formats quickly and easily.


Napster only allows you to download WMA files. iPODs only support this or that. Trying to get your music onto your device can drive somebody crazy!

I have been trying several of the conversion programs, and I finally found one I like. Acoustica converts between file formats very well. It ignored where the file came from and just blindly converts it. It uses LAME and converts much faster than realtime.

It works by adding several options to your right-click menu. Select your files, right click, select your conversion options and go!

I had two little hang-outs with the program. The default normalize settings inserted some distortion in a few files… so I turned it down. Also, when I registered it, it gave me errors until I opened the main program through the icon on the desktop. The program wanted me to agree to the EULA or whatever… and now it works like a dream.

The trial version allows you to try several files. So see if you like it…

Acoustica file conversion software trial

drm protected content will not convert.

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Viewing 33 Comments

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    It no longer works.
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    works fine for me THIS IS SWEET
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    This worked great up until today (April 17, 2005), but no longer works, even with old files that it previously worked with that I bought from MusicMatch. Looks like Media Player updated codex or something - dunno. Too bad, it worked well fast and accurately when it worked.
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    Not sure whats happening but one of my computers that I installed acoustica on last night april 17th at 3am works still but the other computer i installed it on today april 18th does not work it gives me errors for all songs any idea why this happens?
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    I'm betting the one that doesn't work had Napster installed on it.
    VirginDigital still works where Napster was not installed.
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    No both of my computers have napster installed. I'll try uninstalling on the one that doesn't work and see what happens.
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    ok so I've tried to install it on a completely diff computer that was brand spanking new and the same thing it comes up with this message (noticed option to read error message)

    U2All That You Can't Leave BehindU2 - Wild Honey.wma' may have anti-copy Digital Rights Management (DRM) system embedded in it and, thus, cannot be converted. Alternatively, it could be a corrupted file. (You just gotta laugh...PS: This silly dialog just might be eligible for the backspace of PC Magazine!)

    but what I don't understand is my first computer is still coverting perfectly and all the others won't so what could have been changed in the 4 hours inbetween installing on the first computer from the second. I have the firewall blocking the converting program but not WM player and not napster. So what could have been updated? I installed coverting program with same exe file from 1st computer. I'd like to know this because the computer that still works I have not shut off and I wonder if doing so it might stop working afterwords?
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    I've been running it all day and it's working for me with a few exceptions. I have received the same error others have seen on 2 files. All the files I'm converting were downloaded prior to Friday, maybe that has something to do with it.
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    well thats a point worth exploring (all of my mp3s were downloaded before a week ago or so, except one album downloaded a day ago(I'll try that one when my computer is done rendering something)) but I tried to transfer some WMAs that were downloaded on the computer that works over to the 2 other computers one with napster installed and one without and same error code about being protected
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    Mobsoft NapCD program claims it can convert napster files over to mp3.
    theres no free trial that I can find so I was wondering if anyone had tried this program before? thanks
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    Just wanted to add all of this is done for educational purposes and all music converted will be erased when done testing
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    no I tried a wma from weeks ago and no dice
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    well converting program crashed so had to restart computer and it still works fine
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    ok so when i restarted my computer I blocked all traffic in my firewall as soon as the computer came on now when I am loading the songs to be converted IE opens with a link of http://sms.napster.com/renew/download.html and of course the fire wall stopped it but what I dont understand is I told the firewall that the converter was not allowed to talk. How is this getting through anyways?
    This must be an update of some sort to stop the conversions. So my fix for this is make IE the default browser so the firewall is now told to Block the IE so when the converting program launches the default browser it will be blocked and then I use firefox for normal browsing.
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    Ok I believe (not postive because I have not tried it again, but its working for me right now) that I know how to make the acoustica program work. There are key things that have to be right for this to work, lets cover these before getting started.

    1. you have to already have napster songs on your computer that were downloaded prior to april 16th or 17th (it was around then they updated)

    2. you can not have played any of those songs since april 16th or 17th (or you were not connected AT ALL (firewall must be at block all or internet not plugged in at all when playing them)(not positve about this step either, only because I have not tried to play anything since I've gotten it to work)

    3. you have not installed acoustica yet.

    4. you need version 2.5 b17 (the trial version from web site has since been updated to 2.5 b20, I'm sure this version will not work,but have not tested it.)

    If all these factors work out for you, and I know it wont for a lot of you but some it will and for those of you it will you will be happy.

    Ok this will be the procedure to install this stuff

    First you will need to go into IE tools, internet options, programs and make sure the IE box at the bottom stating IE should be default is checked. If you are using another browser you will need to change its pref to Not the default browser. After checking them close all browsers and then open all browsers back up and answer the question yes make IE Default and always peform this check.
    Next turn on IE then go into your firewall and make it so IE is BLOCKED from the Internet completely.(you will now use a diffrent browser to browse)
    Next for the moment turn your firewall to block all.
    Next you can install 2.5 b17 acoustica.
    After the install run acoustica, choose options (just to get the program to open and then tell your firewall ((can not be windows XP built in firewall)) not to allow acoustica to talk. (you might want to take a couple options off as well, I didnt like the beep when finished and so on)
    Now don't forget the key thing up top, you can not open napster.
    I understand this is sort of a crappy way to do it because only songs downloaded before april 16th 17th will work (not positve of this but I believe they have included a fix since then and its not in the songs themselves but in the update file that downloads in the backround)
    but those of you who have lots of songs from before can turn all of those.

    acoustica only seems to be able to handle around 1500 songs on a batch conversion at a time and instead of selecting multiple files at a time to then right click "convert to mp3" try putting all of the artist begining with the letter A in a folder and then right clicking the single folder and "convert to mp3". This is because of a flaw in the program, it will open hundreds of programs in your task manger trying to convert all songs at once. Now my machine is a 3.2 3g ram and raided drives so your 1500 song count a job should be adjusted accordingly to your computer.

    For those of you wondering why all the IE crap was done, Acoustica even though you told the firewall not to allow it to talk, somehow still gets around that and opens the default browser (in the backround if firewall is not told NO IE ALLOWED) and updates its self and it will stop working.

    Well I think I have covered everything, If any questions post and I will reply.
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    Oh ya almost forgot I would also suggest having a copy of Peergaurdian 1.14
    (or what ever the build is now, but not peergaurdian 2 its still beta) running in the backround when converting (I always have it running). This is because I've notices Microsoft trackers trying to connect a few times during the process and this will stop it for you.
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    There is still a way to convert napster files, and its not playing them and recording them in real time. I'm almost hesitant to give it out (its around but not as well known) because every new way gets stopped once it gets popular. I will say it involves converting music to WMA, they match but will not have locks, with an older, very popular jukebox program. Ive done 6 songs from .1 album. Good Luck :twisted:
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    <ul id="quote"><h6>Eddie wrote:</h6>There is still a way to convert napster files, and its not playing them and recording them in real time. I'm almost hesitant to give it out (its around but not as well known) because every new way gets stopped once it gets popular. I will say it involves converting music to WMA, they match but will not have locks, with an older, very popular jukebox program. Ive done 6 songs from .1 album. Good Luck :twisted:</ul>

    Wow, that was conspicuous. I don't think I know what your saying.

    Just kidding...

    [edit] if you buy the songs from Napster, burn it to a CD, and delete the songs from your computer. Rip the CD to your computer... bam! There it is. no locks, but you have to rename and retitle your songs. (not that it matters much to me, I don't buy much anyway).

    [edit 2] I don't have much time to add stuff right now, but I use DB Power Amp, which rocks. See it here: http://www.dbpoweramp.com . Enjoy.

    Tekk27x
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    Tekk27x or Eddie could you tell me what codec you downloaded or you wouldnt still have it by chance? The website says that it will not covert wma at least the ones we like anyways so i wondered if you had the origanal codec file to install with the progam? and what version of it do you have(the program)? Thanks
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    <ul id="quote"><h6>guest wrote:</h6>Tekk27x or Eddie could you tell me what codec you downloaded or you wouldnt still have it by chance? The website says that it will not covert wma at least the ones we like anyways so i wondered if you had the origanal codec file to install with the progam? and what version of it do you have(the program)? Thanks</ul>

    If it's a protected DRM Windows Media file, it's encrypted, not in a different codec. If it is not a protected DRM file, then you can install the codec from off the website.

    Anything else?
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    thanks for the quick reply, I thought the codec might have something to do with it. I tried version 10 and 11 and neither will work both coming up with errors. Have you tried this method, and does it work for you? And When you say

    "If it is not a protected DRM file, then you can install the codec from off the website. "

    if it would happen to be one, would you want to download something else? What and where if ya know. thanks
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    sorry i just figured out why i'm an idiot and answered my own question thanks for your help