Which software is best for formatting and converting audio files?

The best software for formatting and converting audio files includes Adobe Audition for its professional features, Audacity for a free, open-source option, and FFmpeg for powerful command-line conversions. If you need batch processing and a user-friendly interface, dBpoweramp is also a great choice.

For formatting and converting audio files, there are several highly reliable software options that cater to different needs, from quick format conversions to more advanced editing and batch processing. Here are some of the best:

1. Audacity

Best for: Free, basic conversions and editing.

Key Features: Audacity is an open-source audio editor that supports many formats (like WAV, MP3, FLAC, OGG). It’s great for basic format conversions, trimming, and editing.

Pros: Free, cross-platform, easy to use for beginners.

Cons: Limited batch processing and lacks advanced conversion options.

2. Adobe Audition

Best for: Professional editing and conversions with advanced control.

Key Features: Adobe Audition supports high-quality conversions between almost all formats (WAV, MP3, FLAC, AAC, etc.) and provides tools for batch processing, high-resolution editing, and mastering.

Pros: Robust features, high-quality output, integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud.

Cons: Subscription-based, may be overkill for basic conversions.

3. Switch Audio File Converter by NCH Software

Best for: Fast and easy batch conversions with many formats.

Key Features: Switch supports over 40 file formats, offers batch processing, and has built-in effects like normalization.

Pros: Fast, user-friendly, lightweight, and supports batch conversions.

Cons: Limited editing tools and some features are only in the paid version.

4. FFmpeg

Best for: Advanced users comfortable with command-line processing.

Key Features: FFmpeg is a powerful, open-source command-line tool that can convert between almost any audio format (and even video). It’s highly customizable and supports advanced configurations for bitrates, codecs, and metadata.

Pros: Free, extremely versatile, supports batch processing and automation.

Cons: Command-line interface can be intimidating for beginners.

5. dBpoweramp Music Converter

Best for: High-quality batch conversions and CD ripping.

Key Features: dBpoweramp is known for its batch conversion and high-quality CD ripping. It offers excellent control over bitrates, metadata handling, and supports almost every audio format.

Pros: High-quality output, user-friendly, excellent for large music libraries.

Cons: Paid software, but it has a free trial.

6. iZotope RX Audio Editor

Best for: High-quality audio restoration and professional conversions.

Key Features: iZotope RX is designed for audio repair and restoration but also includes high-quality format conversion tools with precise control over output formats and sample rates.

Pros: Industry standard for quality, powerful restoration tools, and high-fidelity conversions.

Cons: Expensive, and may be overpowered for simple conversions.

My choice for the past 20+ years has been Cubase, but any professional DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), such as Pro Tools, Ableton, Logic, will do conversion between industry standard file formats.

Audacity is free and open source software which can convert audio between most file formats.

For batch conversion of WAV to MP3 files, I use a great piece of "drag and drop" software called LameDrop.

Audacity is always a solid choice for converting and basic formatting—it’s free and super reliable. If you’re after more advanced features, Adobe Audition gives you a lot of control over your audio, and Ableton Live is great for conversion if you're already producing in it. For batch conversions, I’d go with dB poweramp or Freemake Audio Converter—they make life easier when you’ve got a lot of files to handle. It really comes down to what workflow fits best for you!

For Mac users looking to purely convert audio files, Fission is the fastest, leanest software out there. If you're unfamiliar with digital audio workstations, then there's no need to take the sledgehammer that is Logic, Pro Tools, Audition or Ableton etc, to crack that particular nut! Keep it simple. I'm a professional sound engineer with over 15 years experience, and while I use Pro Tools Ultimate for mixing and sound design on a daily basis, I still use Fission for fast, high quality audio conversions. You can also batch convert audio files which saves you even more time. It's a great tool to have in my arsenal and I'd recommend it to anyone. I would definitely avoid any online audio conversion tools, these can be free but the quality is very dubious. 

If you already work inside a DAW like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, etc., then you have a range of options available to you, but aside from that there are several free options available. Most video player/converters will also handle audio files as well, so look into VLC Player, Handbrake, or Foobar.

FFMPEG (perhaps via a wrapper like my-ffmpeg) is also another option although not quite as intuitive.

When it comes to formatting and converting audio, if you’re already swimming in Pro Tools or Ableton Live, you’ve got solid options baked right in. Pro Tools is the industry heavyweight—it’s more than capable of bouncing your session into pretty much any format you need. Just set your output preferences and let it work its magic. Plus, it’s great for maintaining high-quality audio throughout the process.

Ableton Live? Same deal. You can export your tracks in WAV, AIFF, or MP3 with a few clicks, and the whole workflow is super user-friendly. If you're already living in that Ableton world, it's a quick and seamless way to convert your projects into whatever format suits your needs.

But if you want something built specifically for converting files and you’re dealing with bulk, dBpoweramp or Switch Audio Converter will save you time and sanity. For the rest, Pro Tools and Ableton have you covered—no need to reinvent the wheel!

I consistently place my trust in industry-standard software such as Pro Tools, Nuendo, and Logic. These renowned tools have established themselves as reliable and essential in the field, offering exceptional performance.