SoundConverter for Mac20120123.0

Excellent utility right through macOS10.14. But, macOS10.15 Catalina appears to have broken it.

No support. Not responding. Very few options. No file splitting.

Does not copy the cover artwork and other metadata. Therefore worthless.

Where's the update for us that already paid? Obviously another developer that hopes to rake in the software fee twice... BUYER BEWARE!

I've used this in the past, it works very well. Now I have switched to Amerisoft Video Converter, which does video as well. But SoundConverter will convert some pretty obscure file types.

Price is $19 not $14 as the MU site says. Tried to convert AIFF-C (from an iPhone recording -- the single most popular field recording device in the history of humanity) to an mp3 -- the most common portable audio format... you get the point. Doesn't work -- complains that it cannot complete. On may files, takes you to a troubleshooting site that is ineffective. When you purchase, the page they attempt to have paypal open after your transaction completes does not exist on their server. It's just a crappy product, stay away!

The copytag app is always crashing when I convert Flac to mp3... Mac OSX 10.5 Intel

If you, developer, please fix the "Audio Alerts" Preference so it stays unchecked through relaunch; I contacted you about this numerous times and you have not fixed it. I'm getting tired of changing this preference everytime I launch SC. I would like it to stay unchecked. (Snow leopard)

I am doing voice recordings to Garageband and need a way to convert the resulting AAC (m4a) files to 8000Hz, 16-bit, PCM (signed), mono. Simple stuff: Just recording voice for phone system greetings. So I downloaded every WAV converter I could find and gave each one the task of converting the file. Given GEOPROF's authoritative review, I almost didn't bother with SoundConverter, and I did try all of his suggested alternatives. Of all the apps I tried, SoundConverter was the easiest one to configure and use -- once I figured out that signed=PCM. Just drop the file on the window and it instantly spits out the cleanest sounding and SMALLEST file of any of the apps I tested. I can't speak to high-end recordings of music and such, but for my needs SoundConverter was the only tool that got the job done well.

It's always worked for me without issues, though it's a pity to have to buy it for each computer. 14$ for main plus laptop would be much better.

Switch

I offer these bits of wisdom about SoundConverter to those considering it for their audio conversion needs. 1) Unless you're one of those super-happy PBS children's show characters, I guarantee that you will hate this craplication and its developer before you're even able to really use it. 2) Considering that XLD, Max and xACT are all free and vastly superior to SoundConverter in every way, at $14 it is terrifically OVERPRICED. And as you'll soon see, even as freeware it would still be overpriced. 3) SoundConverter RARELY WORKS, whether licensed or unlicensed. Thinking that it would be smart to have an application capable of converting FROM and TO so many different audio formats (because in my business, time really is money), nearly a year ago I bought a license for SoundConverter Pro, which all by itself was a miserable experience. The license is tied to only one machine's ethernet address, so if you buy a new Mac you'll also have to buy a new SoundConverter license! However, I doubt that anyone ever does - I mean who would fork out another $14 after it failed to convert almost everything they ever threw at it? Nevertheless, its developer has expended unbelievable time and effort making SoundConverter difficult to pirate. But the irony is that the pirates had a contest last year to "krack" it, and though several hackers broke his security, it's not offered on any of the "warez" sites because NOBODY WANTS IT - even for FREE!! 4) The developer, Steve Dekorte, magnanimously offers SoundConverter as his freeware gift to the world, just as long as the world doesn't try to use it on audio files larger than 500k. So, not only is SoundConverter ridiculously overpriced crapware that rarely works, that's outshined by at least three different freeware apps, and that will make you hate it, its developer and yourself for buying it, it's HOBBLED crapware to boot!

This is the only developer I have ever complained about. Never have I ever received such abominable support from any developer, company, or human. About the software. … It did work for my needs, until it did not. Then I cam across the developer, as I was needing support. It is my feeling, opinion, suggestion, that you spend your money on a real program, developer, piece of software, that will in the end, save you money, but most importantly, that you spend your money on someone that will help you when you need it. … I do not think this software is worth the heartache.

Paid for the license and never received it. Multiple emails sent to developer and never heard back. Don't waste your money. Look elsewhere.

Pulled this out and downloaded the latest update after ages to attempt a simple conversion: AIF to AAC FAILED! Endless progress bar. I can't recall the last time i tried it and it actually correctly made a conversion of any kind.

Tried to convert simple wav files to mp3 and aac. And ... .. well ... it doesn't work correct. Very low bitrates and the AAC files have strange hearable artifacts. I do not like the interface but that's more of a personal thing but it should be user friendly and its not. This needs a 100% overhaul to be any good.

Sorry to disagree but I have had this product for years and it has always worked. I have always had prompt reply from the developer. Respectfully suggest you bring all your OS up to date, repair permissions & run diskwarrior and then install afresh. It may be that it will then work.

GOT RIPPED OFF!!! The product does not work and the developer refuses to respond. His website (dekorte.com) states that he will help if you send him the file log of the failed conversion. He simply ignores people. THIS PRODUCT IS A SCAM.

Looks like a handy app to have but completely put off by the restrictive licensing. If you plan to upgrade your Mac you have to buy this app again. Meanwhile others who steal the app don't suffer this inconvenience. Some software developers need to get a clue about piracy and how to offer incentives to buy their apps. Browny points for licensing to the individual rather than machine (so can be installed on multiple machines).

Money hungry crap!

2 Things turned me off this software. 1 - Machine specific licensing sucks, I go through machines like some people go through shoes. I'm not paying for a new license for each machine upgrade I do. 2 - The software is too unpredictable. Works on some file types and does nothing with the other half. WTH is with the constant unknown updates and the crazy dates instead of some version number?

Bought SC due of his easy to use drag&convert GUI. xAct and Max have much more fine-tuning possibilities but for a quick job SC is great - so I thought. Unfortunately I did tested only some mp3 files befor paying. After more accurate tests with conversions my I have a clear recommendation: DO NOT BUY THIS SOFTWARE!!!!! Most of the option are completly useless. ANY Format => OGG files with 112 Kbps no matter which conversion rate is chosen. Apple Lossless => AAC default 110 kbps VBR. With any other sampling rate SC stops immediatly without error message AIFF or FLAC or WAV or WavPack => ACC default gets 131 Kbps VBR - lower sampling rates works, higher than 147 Kbps not. 320 Kbps gets also 131 AIFF => MP4 default 125 VBR - higher no possible AIFF or FLAC or WAV or => M4A ACC default makes files with 137, with other sampling rates e.g. 112 or 192 no files at all Apple Lossles to MP3 VBR no works, CBR only with defaul bit rate of 128 Conclusion: If you like to lose money then throw it out of the window. That brings more fun. I promise!

My previous comment about this application has been deleted. Why is that and who did it? This app. is one of the jokes of the internet. I download every supposed new version just for the laugh it gives me to open it up and give it a simple aifc or aiff file to convert to wave or mp3. Of course, it doesn't work. I get my laugh and trash the app. That's the way you've got to view SoundConverter.....it's a joke!

I might get this if 3 things changed: 1. It actually did something correctly once. 2. There wasn't a mysterious undocumented update every 5 minutes. 3. If it used a real version number instead of dates that keeps changing format. .

Well & again ! I use this App now about 3 Years on 3 Different Computers. First put the APP in the Application Folder. Not in a other Folder or Location because it won't work. Well i do always Conversation from AIFF to AC3. I can do it also with Compressor but it takes to much time to make the Settings for 1000 Files. That's why i bought this App. There is no App on the Market with can do simple via Drag&Drop Batch conversation from AIFF or WAV to AC3 for DVD Authoring. Also if you use the Compressor from Apple you have to make your own Settings with Dialog Normalisation set @ -31 and not -27 Like Appe did. Well i have never had some Issues with this Software...but well i only use a few of the supported Conversation Methodes and all are working fine for me. P.S. MP3 is CRAP !!!!!!!!! 5 Stars for a really cheap App that works !!!!

Why can't the developer of this app use normal a version numbering scheme like everybody else, and not the date ??? This is beyond me ...

"Stealing kiddies," huh? Most of the people that "bought" this complained outright about how poor it is. If you can't steal it, then how can they complain about functions that don't work properly? If there was ever a review that looked like the developer in disguise, it's the review two below mine. Baka! Now I'll add my comments, because though I didn't "steal" this, somebody at the University paid for it to use on their iBook, and asked what they were doing wrong. (I tried this over 2 years ago and avoided it like the plague, it was so bad). I quickly found that the program was still "flaky" like another poster said. Heck, for a large amount of it's conversions, it doesn't even have bitrate selections for those that REQUIRE it. One test I tried in the few things while "bug-testing" this, was to convert a 48K 160kbs MP3 (bgm music for a DVD project) to AC3. It converted it, but it was awful, sounding worse than a 16kbps mp3. Many things it couldn't even accomplish, that it should have. And for the "steal" audience, it never once came up with the "full version" comment, like I remember the trial version doing, all those years ago. Needless to say, I told him to use the DVD Studio Pro package in the Media Lab, where one of the programs will do all the conversions he needed -- and he didn't have to "steal" that package either, since it was on a school license! As for the other reviewer that wrote about temporary files, I believe those are there as scratchpad files, as a mid-point format from one type to another, or the data-stream before a header or set of tags is attached... and someone pointed out before, that this was an artifact of the console commands that were used in the construction of this program. Were those "STOLEN" by the developer?

Well, I don't know if I should belong with the "steaking kiddies", as the speaker below stated. But I'm turning to another tool. There has to be one that is actually working out there. This is starting to bug me off, as SoundConverter is just too flaky. I hate to say that, but it's true. I don't know how many times I've got error messages popping up when trying to make simple aiff/aif/wav to mp3 conversions and such... And today, it managed to convert my aif files to mp3 allright... except for one, very time consuming and annoying thing; it converted the files to about 4/5 of the total length of the originals... These things and many more glitches makes this app seriously disappointing. Which is a real pity, since I think SoundConverter's interface is nice and simple to use. And why does it toss in a lot of funny temp files next to my original files, while converting? For what I remember, temp files with the extensions of .sf/.ogg/.au, etc. use to pop up when converting (although they disappear after completion, so I guess that's no problem). I hate to complain, and I even apologize for that, if it feels unfair. But I believe that straight criticism can sometimes helps pushing things further.

i use Soundconverter now 2 Years and i change'd my Computer Too but the first thing i did was buy a license for this great Tool. Ey 10 $ is really nothing compared to a new Mac and to that what this great tool can do. I often use it to batch convert more than 1000 Files and i didn't find a Tool for a price like this witch could do the Job !!!! Well i need .wav or. aiff to .ac3 conversation with fixed frames !!!! Can someone tell me a App that can handle more than 1000 files and convert than without a glitch ???? also on Intel Mac ??? NOW So you damn kiddies shut up ... and whats great : you can not steal this software !!!! you can only buy it... thats why there here this strange comments !!! ...all steaking kiddies :-(

I bought this a year ago. It was very buggy and often quit during use. I upgraded my motherboard and it no longer worked, said i had to register. When i emailed the guy for help he said you can only install it on one computer, so that if you replace your motherbaord (which is the same to him as buying a new computer) you have to purchase a new version.

The application takes 56.4 MB of harddrive space. Which is quite a bit.

The update function doesn't work at all. In the 'About SoundConverter' window, it says it is the 2006 09 17 Release, whereas in fact, it is the 061017 release... And when I choose to 'Check for updates...', it says that this release is from 20060917 and that there is a new version released on 20061017... I just downloaded that version and installed it. This problem have been existent for a long while now, and It's not the first time that I report about it.

Have program unresponsive since purchase. Most cases won't even start on intel mac. Have completely given up on it but I have found MAX more suitable for my taste, less troublesome. Still, at least give the app. a try...maybe it's just me.

No doubt, the worst piece of software I have buy ever. The only conversion I have made succesfully has been from .mp3 to .aiff, conversion that iTunes does faster and better. $10 to the trash.

I will not go for software that needs to be licenced separetely for each computer (and paid for... obviously.. no matter whether it's $10 or $1000.. I own it, I do as I please with it !!!!!!!!). I paid once and wanted to use it on my laptop now and need to re-purchase it !! I THINK NOT ! ONE WORD: MAX (WORKS FINE, IS LESS CUTE... SO WHAT). On top of that this does not recognize AIFF files generated from Ableton Live ! I inquired, never got a response. You want me to pay each licence, you answer quickly, simple as that LOL

I updated to the latest version (060707), but when I did a check for update in that updated app version, it said: "Application release 20060627 is up to date." and in the About menu, it says: "RELEASE 2006 06 27" Shouldn't it say 2006 07 07? Is it updated or is it not?

It's pants don't touch it! And the developer is rude an arrogant!

I rather liked this until my Machines HD died and I Apple replaced it under warranty, but this software would not reinstall with the serial number. ... I exchanged some emails with the developer, but he would not re-issue the serial. I know $10 is not much, but I do expect better communication between a developer and this customer.

Crashy, slow and prone to the SBOD; once when converting SDII files to something else it actually converted them to about eight different formats first. WTF? The licesnse is inflexible. That $10 is good to run it on one PARTICULAR machine and no other machine, ever. Where, oh where, is SoundApp X? In the meantime, I'd shell out for SoundGrinder instead.

v060529 has the same problem as the previous version. When I try to convert an AIFF to WAV from the Desktop, I get 'Launch path inaccessible' and I can't get out of it and "OK" just results in re-display of the error message. The only way to escape is to force quit it. I don't know when this started and I had no trouble with the app in previous releases. I'm running 10.4.6 on a G4.

Just keeps crashing...seems to try to convert, but crashes before it does anything... Useless...

version 060414 crashes my intel mac - locks up the entire machine.

I used an older version of this about a year ago to convert some old System 7 files to use with Eudora. I downloaded this updater to convert w4a files to mp3. I had no problem at all converting these files. One m4a file had a problem with encoding. A window popped up to alert me that the file, as it was, could not be converted. I clicked on the "Trouble Shooting" button, followed the suggestion on the webpage, and the file was converted without a hitch. This is a very useful application for a great price. I haven't used SoX Wrap, but perhaps both would be useful utilities. OS X 10.4.2; G5 1.6 GHz

Oh yeah and thanks to the Anonymous poster that suggested SoX Wrap. It works great for sound conversion. Much appreciated!

I buy this thing off the guy, get a new G5 a month or two later and the app is rendered useless. Brilliant work.

I tried it and can't get it to work. It tells me there are "path errors" in finding the file, even when the sound file and the app are in the same folder. Maybe the paid version works, but the author only accepts PayPal which I won't use because of all the horror stories about hacked accounts.

I've had this 'app' two years runnin', & I can state unequivocally that the $10 I paid got me a ten-dollar icon. The ONLY things that it converts are as follows: my valuable time into a WASTE of time, a good mood into a cussing session, and my $10 into thin air. Market this product for what it is; a practical Mac Joke. Shame on you. Swordmaster62

I haven't actually used it, but from looking at the description, it sounds like it's a front end to sox, a free CLI based sounds conversion utility. You can get SoX Wrap for free and do most, if not all, of the same things, and if you're not afraid of the terminal, you can do even more.

This was a useful utility, until I upgraded my machine. Tying the license to one computer, without the ability to transfer it, is very frustrating. Why should I have to pay twice for the same application? I regret my purchase.

That's my experiece too with this app. It doesn't convert anything. Use Ffmpeg instead, or Audio Hijack Pro. Besides, this app has the most stupid licence.

A disaster. After paying the 10 USD fee, I could not do anything. This piece of ... does not convert anything to anything. No flac to mp3, non aiff to mp3, nothing to nothing. It gives a lot of message errors and then it crashes. What a stupid waste of money. If you write to the developer, do you think he answers? No way. Stay away from this thing.

Steve my brother I am using yesterday's download of your Sound Converter, which I paid for,on my Powerbook G4 on Mac OS 10.3.9. I cannot convert AIFF's to AAC withiut the troubleshooting box coming up after about 10 seconds of attempted conversion. What is the solution??? Julian Wasser Los Angeles images@socal.rr.com

Unnecessary nit picking. Year, month, and day is not cryptic enough to make the discerning of which version is newest difficult at all.

Highly underrated just because it uses available libraries. Does it's thing very nicely.

This software is decent, but you cant convert music files to ringtone files. There are many mp3 to midi converters for PC, so when this application has that feature to convert those files, i will buy it. Until then, they app isnt that useful.

I wanted to get a way to convert .mod music files and within a few days the author made it possible! Quick responce and a very huge selection of playing with different audio files. Kudos!

Concerning software build numbering of SoundConverter: Developers should not release software with cryptic build numbers. It really is better to stick to the widely understood x.x.x convention. If a piece of software isn't ready for a 1.0.1 designation, for example, then it probably isn't ready for public consumption and should be seeded longer among beta testers until it is ready. Or if it is ready for public consumption, just release it as 1.0.1, 1.0.2, etc.

What about .ape support?

My understanding of Sound Converter GPL updated My interest is always for the truth, so I'm happy to address issues as I learn more. Acording to one the authors of the GPL'd apps used by Sound Converter: "As far as I am aware, the Sound Converter binary does not contain any GPLed code. The Sound Converter binary is separate from the GPLed binaries like sndfile-convert, ffmpeg etc. "Richard Stallman himself has been involved in this issue and he saw no problem with GPL binaries being distributed together with closed source binaries and being used together as is the case here as long as the GPL was followed to the letter. My opinion of the way the GPL text written is different but my opinion is one of many and not necessarily the most important. However, I believe the public credit issue is still up for debate. As always, my post represents my opinion. Please check the facts for yourself and challenge me if your opinion is different.

Inclusion of GPL’d apps requires this software to be free. This software is a graphical user interface which brings together the functionality of a bunch of different open source apps, including flac, lame, libmad, mppdec, shntools, shorten, and sndfile-convert. All of which are released under the General Public License (GPL) who’s purpose is “to guarantee your freedom to share and change free software--to make sure the software is free for all its users.” GPL’d software is copyright and permission to use the software is granted if you meet certain obligations. You are granted permission to use it privately anyway you want. However, if you want to make and distribute software which uses GPL’d software, you must grant others the same right to your software that you were granted to use the GPL’d software—in other words, you must allow others to use it free. Part 2.b of the GPL states: “ You must cause any work that you distribute or publish [in this case, this would be Sound Converter], that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program [the GPL’d software used by Sound Converter] or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License.” Note that the hidden files that include the GPL notice for Sound Converter can only be viewed by Control clicking on the Sound Converter app and selecting “Show Package Contents.” (You won’t find that trick mentioned anywhere in any docs for Sound Converter.) Even then, the wrong license document is used. The document labeled “COPYING_GPL” is actually a copy of a different license called the LGPL! (Downloaded 7-15-04) The author of Sound Converter is, I think, showing a real sense of irony by tring to sell machine-tied licenses to an application which is a derivative work of Open Source software and bound by the GPL. But that’s just my opinion, so don’t take the word of an internet posting. Always check out the facts for yourself!

I can't get it to work on my sytem. For a few days I had an extensive message exchange with Steve Dekorte, to find a solution, but ne success. Now Mister Dekorte does not follow up on my messages. I'm stuck with a very promising app and 10$ down the drain.

So Steve, what's the diff between this 20040311 and 20040310 from yesterday? You kidding?

How about Midi?

I would like to see WMA suport, both ways. There is currently no Mac application for converting to a WMA file. With this capability, I can move completely to Mac without having to keep a PC around for this work required conversion.

20031023 version now works with the conversion which used to work at version 20030919. (See other comments by me.) This version feels faster and does not temporarily lock up Finder as the older versions did. Thanks!

See previous review. Since version 20030919 this application no longer does the conversion I want. As of this version, 20031021, the applicatioin reports that it cannot convert this format. It is an improvement to report this over an incorrect encoding (which was happening between 20030919 and now) but I really wish the developer would just fix it. We did have a discussion on this and he went silent after I sent him my examples. I am still using 20030919 with satisfaction, I might add. Note: MacUpdate reports this as versioin 20031022, it is not.

This thing never recognizes my snd files.. Other than that, everything works perfectly. For that, the 5 for Stability will have to come down to a 4.

I used to use SoundApp PPC under classic to translate to .wav. SoundConverter has replaced the old method for me. It is not particularly fast and it locks up Finder briefly while it starts the process but it works for me as advertised.

crash crash 10.2.6 could not use