AAC or MP3??

Hey!
I recently converted all the songs in my library using the 'Convert Selection to MP3' option in iTunes. I was just wondering whether AAC audio is better as i think it uses less space? Am I right? If so, how do you caonvert the files back to AAC?
Thanks

AAC will produce slightly smaller files at the same bit rate but MP3 is a more compatible format if you want to use the files on other devices or make MP3 CDs for an in-car player. Also converting again from one lossy format to another will affect the sound quality. it's always preferable to re-rip from the original uncompressed format rather than converting from one lossy format to another.
You could also make two copies in MP3 and AAC of something you are familiar with and have a listen for yourself. People will have different preferences so it's always best to go by your ears: How to convert a song to a different format
Have a look at these articles, you'll get an extensive comparison of the various formats:
Record Store Review - Quality of AAC v MP3 Part 1
Record Store Review - Quality of AAC v MP3 Part 2

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How to convert lossless audio files in itunes to AAC or mp3 in itunes 10

i noticed some files won't upload to my kids older ipod shuffle (2nd). they are the larger less or uncompressed file types.
i've got itunes 10 and there is no way to convert the files to AAC or mp3 that i can see. these are files in my library. i would like to create a playlist for his ipod in AAC: from library to playlist

This explains how to covert song files. It works in iTunes 10. You set the import preference to the file type you want and the Advanced menu > Create XXX Version will change to match.
iTunes: How to convert a song to a different file format, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1550

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I'm about half way through ripping disks that never made it into my itunes library and overwriting (I guess) aac files with mp3 files for disks that were already ripped.
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Have a look at this article, you'll get an extensive comparison of the AAC and MP3 formats and bit rates benchmarked against CD format: Planet of Sound - Quality of AAC audio and MP3

Published with audio files, AAC Okay, MP3 'No Go'

Hello all.
I've put a couple of music, excerpts on my iWeb website; I discovered something after I published, one audio file is AAC and it loads properly on Safari on all my 3 macs (iMac at home, Office G5 via office intranet and MacBook in office with cable modem), but the audio file with MP3 has just the 'QuickTime' logo on it, you can't even play the music.
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iWeb writes page code to use the QuickTime browser plug-in so it wouldn't matter what audio format was used (as long as QuickTime supports it).
The trouble is a "Fast Start" problem with your .mp3 files.
Most exports from iTunes uses the newer .m4v or .m4a file extension and they should fast start (play as the file continues to download). You should consider exporting your .mp3 files to AAC (using the same settings currently used in them).
Your page visitors would need to have QuickTime installed no matter what format you used so trying to "help" them by using .mp3 files is lost in the iWeb page coding.
You'll also realize a file size savings on most of your AAC conversions versus using MPEG-1 Layer 3 format. These smaller file sizes help speed up your download.

Format for inporting...AAC or MP3?

Dear all,
I'm trying to reduce the size of my iTunes Library but without losing quality of sound mostly since I have been upgrading all my songs to iTune Plus.
Could you please let me know if it's better to import songs from CD via AAP or MP3 both on the sound quality as well as from the file size?
Thank you
Regards

Have a look at this article, you'll get an extensive comparison of the AAC and MP3 formats and bit rates benchmarked against CD format: Planet of Sound - Quality of AAC audio and MP3
Of the two formats AAC is less widely used than MP3 at present. If you have a non Apple music player or a newer in-car CD player that you want to make MP3 CDs for then MP3 would be the most compatible of the two formats.

Can't convert aac to mp3 in window

I tried to convert aac file to mp3 in window, but the create mp3 version in create new version is shaded ie cannot not be selected, why?
I tunes version 11.0.4

Hi,
You need to change import preferences. Go to preference > import settings and change from AAC to mp3.
Jim

I am trying to convert AAC to mp3. When highlight and right click it only offers to make copies in AAC. HELP!

I am trying to convert AAC to mp3. When highlight and right click it only offers to make copies in AAC. HELP!

Hello jepperdee,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
For more information, take a look at:
iTunes: How to convert a song to a different file format
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1550
To convert a song's file format
Open iTunes Preferences.
Windows: Choose Edit > Preferences.
Mac: Choose iTunes > Preferences.
Click the General button, then click the Importing Settings… button in the lower section of the window.
From the Import Using pop-up menu, choose the encoding format that you want to convert the song to, then click OK to save the settings.
Select one or more songs in your library, then from the File > Create New Version menu, choose one of the following (the menu item changes to show what's selected in your Importing preferences):
Create MP3 version
Create AAC version
Create AIFF version
Create WAV version
Create Apple Lossless version
Have a nice day,
Mario

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Steps used:
From iTunes:
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Drop the songs you wished to use into the playlist folder
Go to the iTunes main menu,
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select 'Advanced'
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Have you tried other formats, besides AIFF?
You can only burn purchased music to an
b Audio CD
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M

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madking wrote:
iTunes automatically turns both AAC and MP3 into a different file type when burning on a Cd,
Clarification... when burning an AUDIO CD. You can burn data and MP3 CDs in iTunes as well.
madking wrote:
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andreafromspringfield gardens wrote:
And what does "in the Enterprise" mean?
In a school / business / corporate environment. Used for a large deployement of iPads.
http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/enterprise/

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http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1808

How to convert AAC to MP3 in iTunes

I sent a friend of mine a song in the AAC format; I had thought that format was universally acceptable. Unfortunately, my friend said that she couldn't open the file. I then thought of converting the file to the MP3 format, because I know she can read that. This gets to my question: How do you do it? When I highlighted the song and clicked on Advanced, the only option was to convert to AAC. That's when I decided to come here. Is there a way to convert AAC to MP3 with iTunes? Also, how widespread is the acceptance of AAC?
iMac DV (Special Edition) Mac OS X (10.3.9)

You got the process correct, it
is just that iTunes only offers you the option to
convert to whatever your preferences are currently
set to for importing.
So go to preferences, importing, set it to MP3. then
go to your song and you can now use the "Convert
to..." option which should show MP3. Once done, go
back to preferences and switch back to AAC if that is
what you normally want to use.
Patrick
That was fast. Anyway, it worked. Thanks for your help. Now, all I have to do is to work-out what combination of factors I should use to obtain the smallest possible MP3 file while maintaining decent quality. It's an individual decision. What would be okay for me, might be intolerable to others, but I want to keep all sound files less than 1 MB. Make that, "all sound files that I send". I hope that doesn't mean that I will have to keep duplicate files. We'll just have to see. Anyway, thanks again.
iMac DV (Special Edition) Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Convert aac to mp3 in itunes

hi i have itunes 10.6.3 and am trying to convert songs from aac to mp3. i select the song go to advance and select convert/create mp3 version the computer works away then nothing happens, no new file and old file still aac. any ideas? thanks Paula

You got the process correct, it
is just that iTunes only offers you the option to
convert to whatever your preferences are currently
set to for importing.
So go to preferences, importing, set it to MP3. then
go to your song and you can now use the "Convert
to..." option which should show MP3. Once done, go
back to preferences and switch back to AAC if that is
what you normally want to use.
Patrick
That was fast. Anyway, it worked. Thanks for your help. Now, all I have to do is to work-out what combination of factors I should use to obtain the smallest possible MP3 file while maintaining decent quality. It's an individual decision. What would be okay for me, might be intolerable to others, but I want to keep all sound files less than 1 MB. Make that, "all sound files that I send". I hope that doesn't mean that I will have to keep duplicate files. We'll just have to see. Anyway, thanks again.
iMac DV (Special Edition) Mac OS X (10.3.9)

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Anyone else run into this? Not quite sure what to kick, or if kicking is in fact helpful. Suppose I can go old school and burn an actual audio CD.
Note: Bluetooth connection mandatory in all future cars.

Hi,
You need to change import preferences. Go to preference > import settings and change from AAC to mp3.
Jim

AAC or MP3??

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