MP3 Converter

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on October 22, 2012

We like simple tools for simple jobs, preferably freeware, too. Such as MP3 Converter: it's a simple, free tool for converting your MP3s to the format you need to play them on your smartphone, portable player, or tablet. It converts files among the music formats most people need most often, such as ACC, WMA, OGG, and WAV. A built-in Windows Media Player lets you listen to files before you convert them and after, so it's easy to compare sound quality differences (though not always easy to hear them). MP3 Converter is compatible with Windows 8.

MP3 Converter's user interface is very simple: just a dialog with a file entry field, embedded media player, and a few buttons and check boxes. We clicked Browse and selected an MP3 from our library. We merely had to check the output format we wanted (WAV, OGG, M4A, WMA, and ACC) and press Convert to do the job. MP3 Converter claims to use the highest quality codecs, but you have no way of checking or changing them, or anything else in the way of settings or options. MP3 Converter quickly processed our file and started playing it in the built-in Windows Media Player, with very good sound quality, too; though of course your sound card and speakers or headphones will have a bigger impact on the quality of the sound you hear than the format of your MP3s, converted or not. Nevertheless, we heard nothing to suggest the program wasn't doing a fine job of converting our files. When we were satisfied with the sound, we clicked Save and saved our file to the directory of our choice. We also converted WAV files to MP3s, WMAs, and Apple-compatible AACs, in both directions, with success.

Music lovers have many options when it comes to converting their MP3s, including both freeware and premium tools. MP3 Converter definitely sticks to the easy-to-use end of the spectrum. If you need a lot of custom settings like bit rate and tag editing, MP3 Converter isn't for you. If you just want to convert some tunes to playable formats: it's got that. Browse, click, save, load, and play -- what more do you really need?