Converting m4a to mp3 - Can I upconvert?

[Rodeojones]

I have several m4a files at 128 kbps that I want to convert to mp3. Can I upconvert the m4a's to 320 kbps mp3 or do I have to stay at 128 kbps?

Thanks

[xoas]

Re: Converting m4a to mp3 - Can I upconvert?

You can convert to any bitrate you want to. You need to know that a higher bitrate will not provide you with a better quality file than the original (your converted 320 kbs mp3 file in this case will sound no better than the 128 kbs m4a file it came from and less good than if you had ripped the same track directly to 320 kbs mp3; in fact it will sound almost the same as if you had converted it to mp3 at 128 to 156 kbs).

The simple rules are:
1) it is better to rip directly (or to convert from a lossless format) when converting to a lossy codec (such as mp3 or m4a);
2) a file that exists in a lossy format is always its own best copy (you can never improve on it, at best you can create a lossless copy with a much larger file size);
3) if circumstances force you to convert from one lossy format to another, go for the bitrate in the new format (in your case mp3) that is most similar in quality to to the bitrate of the track in its existing format (in your case m4a). Since your existing m4a is at 128 kbs. I suspect that your ideal bitrate for an mp3 conversion will be between 128 and no more than 156 kbs. Anything larger will be wasting file space.

You can try the conversion at a few different bitrates and see what works best.

Best wishes,
Bill

[Rodeojones]

Re: Converting m4a to mp3 - Can I upconvert?

Exactly what I needed!!

Thanks Bill