HOW TO: MP3-->WMA by MRCloner

You can make your MP3's even smaller by converting them to WMA. Without losing quality!

STEP1: Download

You can convert MP3 to WMA by using Windows Media Encoder. It's a free program! And you can download it

here

Install the program after it's finished downloading. And start it.



Choose for the first option.



Than choose the third option to convert a file to WMA.



Than search your file which you want to convert by using "Browse" or in dutch "Bladeren".


Now you can choose between all kinds of profiles. Such as: Audio near CD-quality (Stereo, 64kbps) or Audio for CD-quality transparency (128kbps stereo).
How higher the number how bigger the file, but also the better quality.

When you click next you can give the file some extra info.
Click next. And after that click Finish to start converting.



You've succesfully converted MP3 to WMA! Congrats.

My file was first: 4.1 mb now it's 3.3 mb. It saves you 1 MB! And i've got about 400 songs. So...

4.1 - 3.3 = 0.8
400 x 0.8 = 320 mb
so, you have GIGANTIC 320 mb more HDD-space - great... uh, i forgot - for this you had to spend some time to convert this track, you don't know what's happend to your (mp3-)Tags, you switch from one crappy audio format (mp3) to another (not much better) one (wma) - you surely reduced the bitrate from 160 (mp3) to wma (128 ?)...

let's calculate another one: 160 GB hdd = around 85 EUR --> 0,35 GB (the space you won) = 0,18 EUR ... is that worth the time and work???

i'd prefer a guide: "how to trash all your crappy mp3 music and re-rip it in GOOD quality" ... using Ogg Vorbis with -q 6 setting, giving you full transparence in sound with an average bitrate of 192 kbps...

I find mp3 quality is acceptable (not perfect) above 192 kbps, but ideally I use a high bitrate VBR setting.

and besides the point .mp3 are more compatible with cdplayers/mp3 players in general...

I'm not really a big wma person, don't want to use Micro$oft if I don't need to.

Amen!!

Ok, Ok, i'ts just a way of saving space. I don't say you MUST use it. But you can. But i think the quality loss is acceptable.
But here is another one (not again ) You can also use MusicMatch to convert MP3 to MP3pro. Was your MP3 about 3mb. Now it should be around 1.4mb. But the only problem is that i can only be played (as far as i now) by using MusicMatch. So that's why i choose for WMA. So i hope you all understand now why i choose for WMA.

Btw. I was wrong about the file size . First it was 4.9 now it's 3.3. So 4.9-3.3=1.6

Maybe when I need some HDD space, but my 120 GB is just waiting to be filled!

right, it's already compatible enough - now they should start supporting (better) alternatives - such as my beloved Ogg Vorbis!
and some devices already do support it

I've never heard of that Ogg Vorbis. Can you tell me something about it?

When I start to see .ogg players rather than .mp3 players, I may switch. That is unless I feel like trying out .ogg andfind I like it better!

Btw. I for now keep it by VERY EASY guides. Cause my english isn't that good for making very complicated senteses. So, sorry for the DIE HARDS.. :P

The guide is actually very well written.

To be honest you cant just say "stop using mp3 its shit use ogg" because there are many factors that make mp3 the best format for the majority of users.
1) I know ogg is much better quality but im going to notice no difference on my pc speakers or ipod. If i want to play my music through a decent system i will use the original cd.

2) Quality isn't the most important factor for many people. Size often is. If i've got an ipod shuffle or similar device am i going to want to put a couple of (unnoticably) higher quality songs on? or am i going to want to put loads of mp3s or aacs on which (through normal headphones) sound exactly the same as lossless? to be honest 128 mp3 is fine for portable music player

really, neither format is better, it just has different uses
its like saying air is better than water
(by the way i encode at 192 constant mp3 lame because thats what ive got my encoder set at and its perfect quality for my pc speakers)

sorry to moan
and i think the guide was well written even though i personally see little need for wma

Thanks

the only reason for the success of mp3 is that it was the "first of its kind" - it also needed years to get hardware support - and now you cannot stop it any more... nevertheless, even just viewed technically: there are many many more different and also better "newer" codecs out there, but the problem is that the "average joe" says:and i can say that the quality of sound is very important for me; and I DO hear differences between MP3 @ 192 and OGG @ q6 (also 192). there are several things that make .ogg better; also objectively viewed; but i don't speak english good enough to name them all here, and i want to go to bed now...

Never mind...

I've one reason to use wma. I've a SmartPhone c500 that can read both wma and mp3 files.
It only have 64mb so I passed all mp3 to wma to save same space

forget to tell...good review.

It's usually said that there is no such thing as a free lunch - or a "lossless" conversion between lossy formats.

A lossy audio encoding, generally throws away parts of the original that are considered to be inaudible or below the particular quality threshold, and usually adds a few encoding artifacts.

If you repeat that procedure, the next encoder is looking for things to throw away, and is also trying to accurately encode any defects created by the first encoder.

Of course, MP3 IS one of the poorer formats, especially if encoding for smaller size - like zip, it's main advantage is compatibility.