Can I convert an Apple AAC song to MP3?

sc_marktsc_markt
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Anybody know if you can convert an Apple iTunes song to a MP3 format?

If anybody has done it, does the music quality change or can you not tell the difference?



The reason I want to do it is so I can load a bunch of Apple AAC songs onto 1 CD. (I'm assuming you cannot load a bunch of AAC formated songs onto a CD like you can if you burn MP3s).



Thanks to all who answer.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    danmacmandanmacman Posts: 773member
    If you are talking about DRM'd AAC files from the iTunes store, you'll have to burn them to a CD first and then rip them down as an mp3. As always, doing such a transcode will result in audible quality loss, whether you can discern it or not. There used to be a utility that stripped out the DRM from the iTunes store, but I've never used it nor do I know if it still exists.



    But if I am understaing what you have asked, just create a playlist, doesnt matter what the coding format is, and then click the burn disk icon in the upper right of iTunes. You can modify in the preferences whether you want a data or music cd as well.
  • Reply 2 of 5
    sc_marktsc_markt Posts: 1,402member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by DanMacMan

    If you are talking about DRM'd AAC files from the iTunes store, you'll have to burn them to a CD first and then rip them down as an mp3. As always, doing such a transcode will result in audible quality loss, whether you can discern it or not. There used to be a utility that stripped out the DRM from the iTunes store, but I've never used it nor do I know if it still exists.



    But if I am understaing what you have asked, just create a playlist, doesnt matter what the coding format is, and then click the burn disk icon in the upper right of iTunes. You can modify in the preferences whether you want a data or music cd as well.



    Thanks for the reply.



    What I want to do is burn about 40 of Apple's AAC songs onto 1 CD (Like you can with MP3's). When I click on the advanced tab in itunes when I have an Apple AAC song highlighted, it doesn't gray out so I think I can convert it to MP3. I'm worried that I might degrade the song quality however.



    I haven't tried your suggestion to burn a music CD and then rip the songs back to my computer as MP3's. To be honest, I would have thought that this was impossible due to the DRM.
  • Reply 3 of 5
    danmacmandanmacman Posts: 773member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sc_markt

    I haven't tried your suggestion to burn a music CD and then rip the songs back to my computer as MP3's. To be honest, I would have thought that this was impossible due to the DRM.



    Nope, this is a well known workaround.
  • Reply 4 of 5
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sc_markt

    TWhat I want to do is burn about 40 of Apple's AAC songs onto 1 CD (Like you can with MP3's).



    Do you want to be able to listen to them in an mp3-compatible CD player or just back them up? If you just want to back them up, you can do anything you like with them, including burn them to CD - select Data disc under advanced prefs -> burning. If you want to be able to listen to them in a CD player that can play MP3 discs, you won't be able to simply burn them from iTunes as such because of the DRM. It will tell you that it won't work if you try. But you could do what DanMacMan said and burn them to an audio CD and then re-rip them as mp3 and THEN burn them as an mp3 disc.
  • Reply 5 of 5
    sc_marktsc_markt Posts: 1,402member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    Do you want to be able to listen to them in an mp3-compatible CD player or just back them up? If you just want to back them up, you can do anything you like with them, including burn them to CD - select Data disc under advanced prefs -> burning. If you want to be able to listen to them in a CD player that can play MP3 discs, you won't be able to simply burn them from iTunes as such because of the DRM. It will tell you that it won't work if you try. But you could do what DanMacMan said and burn them to an audio CD and then re-rip them as mp3 and THEN burn them as an mp3 disc.



    Yes, I want to be able to listen to them in a mp3-compatible CD player.

    So, I'll try what you and DanMacman said: Burn a regular music CD with the AAC formated songs and then rip those songs from the CD into a MP3 format.



    Thanks BRussell.
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