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Supported Formats
Convert between all major file formats with high quality
Common Formats
MPEG-1 Audio Layer III - the most universal audio format worldwide, using lossy compression to reduce file sizes by 90% while maintaining excellent perceived quality. Perfect for music libraries, podcasts, portable devices, and any scenario requiring broad compatibility. Supports bitrates from 32-320kbps. Standard for digital music since 1993, playable on virtually every device and platform.
Waveform Audio File Format - uncompressed PCM audio providing perfect quality preservation. Standard Windows audio format with universal compatibility. Large file sizes (10MB per minute of stereo CD-quality). Perfect for audio production, professional recording, mastering, and situations requiring zero quality loss. Supports various bit depths (16, 24, 32-bit) and sample rates. Industry standard for professional audio work.
Ogg Vorbis - open-source lossy audio codec offering quality comparable to MP3/AAC at similar bitrates. Free from patents and licensing restrictions. Smaller file sizes than MP3 at equivalent quality. Used in gaming, open-source software, and streaming. Supports variable bitrate (VBR) for optimal quality. Perfect for applications requiring free codecs and good quality. Growing support in media players and platforms.
Advanced Audio Coding - successor to MP3 offering better quality at same bitrate (or same quality at lower bitrate). Standard audio codec for Apple devices, YouTube, and many streaming services. Supports up to 48 channels and 96kHz sample rate. Improved frequency response and handling of complex audio. Perfect for iTunes, iOS devices, video streaming, and modern audio applications. Part of MPEG-4 standard widely supported across platforms.
Free Lossless Audio Codec - compresses audio 40-60% without any quality loss. Perfect bit-for-bit preservation of original audio. Open-source format with no patents or licensing fees. Supports high-resolution audio (192kHz/24-bit). Perfect for archiving music collections, audiophile listening, and scenarios where quality is paramount. Widely supported by media players and streaming services. Ideal balance between quality and file size.
MPEG-4 Audio - AAC or ALAC audio in MP4 container. Standard audio format for Apple ecosystem (iTunes, iPhone, iPad). Supports both lossy (AAC) and lossless (ALAC) compression. Better quality than MP3 at same file size. Includes metadata support for artwork, lyrics, and rich tags. Perfect for iTunes library, iOS devices, and Apple software. Widely compatible across platforms despite Apple association. Common format for purchased music and audiobooks.
Windows Media Audio - Microsoft's proprietary audio codec with good compression and quality. Standard Windows audio format with native OS support. Supports DRM for protected content. Various profiles (WMA Standard, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless). Comparable quality to AAC at similar bitrates. Perfect for Windows ecosystem and legacy Windows Media Player. Being superseded by AAC and other formats. Still encountered in Windows-centric environments and older audio collections.
Lossless Formats
Apple Lossless Audio Codec - Apple's lossless compression reducing file size 40-60% with zero quality loss. Perfect preservation of original audio like FLAC but in Apple ecosystem. Standard lossless format for iTunes and iOS. Supports high-resolution audio up to 384kHz/32-bit. Smaller than uncompressed but larger than lossy formats. Perfect for iTunes library, audiophile iOS listening, and maintaining perfect quality in Apple ecosystem. Comparable to FLAC but with better Apple integration.
Monkey's Audio - high-efficiency lossless compression achieving better ratios than FLAC (typically 55-60% of original). Perfect quality preservation with zero loss. Free format with open specification. Slower compression/decompression than FLAC. Popular in audiophile communities. Limited player support compared to FLAC. Perfect for archiving when maximum space savings desired while maintaining perfect quality. Best for scenarios where storage space is critical and processing speed is not.
WavPack - hybrid lossless/lossy audio codec with unique correction file feature. Can create lossy file with separate correction file for lossless reconstruction. Excellent compression efficiency. Perfect for flexible audio archiving. Less common than FLAC. Supports high-resolution audio and DSD. Convert to FLAC for universal compatibility.
True Audio - lossless audio compression with fast encoding/decoding. Similar compression to FLAC with simpler algorithm. Open-source and free format. Perfect quality preservation. Less common than FLAC with limited player support. Perfect for audio archiving when FLAC compatibility not required. Convert to FLAC for broader compatibility.
Audio Interchange File Format - Apple's uncompressed audio format, equivalent to WAV but for Mac. Stores PCM audio with perfect quality. Standard audio format for macOS and professional Mac audio applications. Supports metadata tags better than WAV. Large file sizes like WAV (10MB per minute). Perfect for Mac-based audio production, professional recording, and scenarios requiring uncompressed audio on Apple platforms. Interchangeable with WAV for most purposes.
Modern Formats
Opus Audio Codec - modern open-source codec (2012) offering best quality at all bitrates from 6kbps to 510kbps. Excels at both speech and music. Lowest latency of modern codecs making it perfect for VoIP and real-time communication. Superior to MP3, AAC, and Vorbis at equivalent bitrates. Used by WhatsApp, Discord, and WebRTC. Ideal for streaming, voice calls, podcasts, and music. Becoming the universal audio codec for internet audio.
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Matroska Audio - audio-only Matroska container supporting any audio codec. Flexible format with metadata support. Can contain multiple audio tracks. Perfect for audio albums with chapters and metadata. Part of Matroska multimedia framework. Used for audiobooks and multi-track audio. Convert to FLAC or MP3 for universal compatibility.
Legacy Formats
MPEG-1 Audio Layer II - predecessor to MP3 used in broadcasting and DVDs. Better quality than MP3 at high bitrates. Standard audio codec for DVB (digital TV) and DVD-Video. Lower compression efficiency than MP3. Perfect for broadcast applications and DVD authoring. Legacy format being replaced by AAC in modern broadcasting. Still encountered in digital TV and video production workflows.
Dolby Digital (AC-3) - surround sound audio codec for DVD, Blu-ray, and digital broadcasting. Supports up to 5.1 channels. Standard audio format for DVDs and HDTV. Good compression with multichannel support. Perfect for home theater and video production. Used in cinema and broadcast. Requires Dolby license for encoding.
Adaptive Multi-Rate - speech codec optimized for mobile voice calls. Excellent voice quality at very low bitrates (4.75-12.2 kbps). Standard for GSM and 3G phone calls. Designed specifically for speech, not music. Perfect for voice recordings, voicemail, and speech applications. Used in WhatsApp voice messages and mobile voice recording. Efficient for voice but inadequate for music.
Sun/NeXT Audio - simple audio format from Sun Microsystems and NeXT Computer. Uncompressed or μ-law/A-law compressed audio. Common on Unix systems. Simple header with audio data. Perfect for Unix audio applications and legacy system compatibility. Found in system sounds and Unix audio files. Convert to WAV or MP3 for modern use.
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RealAudio - legacy streaming audio format from RealNetworks (1990s-2000s). Pioneered internet audio streaming with low-bitrate compression. Obsolete format replaced by modern streaming technologies. Poor quality by today's standards. Convert to MP3 or AAC for modern use. Historical importance in early internet audio streaming.
Specialized Formats
DTS Coherent Acoustics - surround sound codec competing with Dolby Digital. Higher bitrates than AC-3 with potentially better quality. Used in DVD, Blu-ray, and cinema. Supports up to 7.1 channels and object-based audio. Perfect for high-quality home theater. Premium audio format for video distribution. Convert to AC-3 or AAC for broader compatibility.
Core Audio Format - Apple's container for audio data on iOS and macOS. Supports any audio codec and unlimited file sizes. Modern replacement for AIFF on Apple platforms. Perfect for iOS app development and professional Mac audio. No size limitations (unlike WAV). Can store multiple audio streams. Convert to M4A or MP3 for broader compatibility outside Apple ecosystem.
VOC (Creative Voice File) - audio format from Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards. Popular in DOS era (1989-1995) for games and multimedia. Supports multiple compression formats and blocks. Legacy PC audio format. Common in retro gaming. Convert to WAV or MP3 for modern use. Important for DOS game audio preservation.
Speex - open-source speech codec designed for VoIP and internet audio streaming. Variable bitrate from 2-44 kbps. Optimized for speech with low latency. Better than MP3 for voice at low bitrates. Being superseded by Opus. Perfect for voice chat, VoIP, and speech podcasts. Legacy format replaced by Opus in modern applications.
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How to Convert Files
Upload your files, select output format, and download converted files instantly. Our converter supports batch conversion and maintains high quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RealAudio and why is it obsolete?
RealAudio (.ra, .ram) was the first popular streaming audio format on the internet, developed by RealNetworks in 1995. It revolutionized online audio by enabling streaming over slow dial-up connections (28.8k modems). RealAudio dominated internet audio in the late 1990s - web radio, music previews, podcasts (before they were called podcasts) all used RealAudio.
Why it died: Proprietary format requiring RealPlayer software (bloated, annoying), aggressive monetization (ads, popups, nagging), poor audio quality compared to MP3, and rise of better streaming technologies (Flash, later HTML5). By mid-2000s, RealAudio was obsolete. MP3 streaming, Flash players, and eventually modern web standards killed it.
Should I convert RealAudio files to modern formats?
Absolutely yes - convert RealAudio immediately:
RealPlayer is Dead
RealPlayer barely maintained, bloated legacy software. Don't install it. Convert files and move on.
Poor Software Support
Few modern players support RealAudio. VLC does, but why bother? Convert once, use anywhere.
Better Quality Available
RealAudio quality was optimized for dial-up. Modern formats sound much better. Upgrade your audio.
Format is Obsolete
RealAudio has no future. Software support will disappear completely. Future-proof your collection now.
Converting RealAudio to MP3/AAC gives you universal compatibility, better quality (if re-encoding from better source), and peace of mind. Do it!
Does converting RealAudio to MP3 lose quality?
Quality considerations for RealAudio conversion:
Already Lossy
RealAudio was lossy, often low bitrate (16-64kbps for dial-up streaming). Converting to MP3 is lossy-to-lossy transcoding.
Some Quality Loss
Transcoding lossy to lossy always loses quality. But RealAudio files were often so low quality that loss is imperceptible.
Use High Bitrate
Convert to 192-320kbps MP3 to minimize additional loss. Don't compound problem with low target bitrate.
Quality Already Poor
Most RealAudio files sound terrible by modern standards. Conversion can't fix source quality limitations.
Convenience Worth It
Marginal quality loss is worth universal compatibility. Better to have playable files than pristine unusable ones.
No Better Alternative
Unless you have original uncompressed source, RealAudio file is what you have. Convert and preserve what remains.
Historical Content
RealAudio archives are historical documents. Quality matters less than preservation and accessibility.
Yes, transcoding loses quality. But keeping files in obsolete format loses accessibility. Choose usability over marginal quality.
What software can play RealAudio files?
VLC (Windows/Mac/Linux): Plays RealAudio without hassle. Best modern option - free, no bloat, cross-platform. Just open .ra files in VLC. mpv (minimalist player): Also supports RealAudio. Lightweight command-line player for enthusiasts.
RealPlayer (obsolete): Original player, still exists but is bloated, slow, annoying software full of ads and unwanted features. Avoid unless absolutely necessary. Installing RealPlayer in 2020s is like installing Internet Explorer - technically possible, but why?
Recommendation: Use VLC to play RealAudio files, then convert them to MP3/AAC immediately. Don't maintain RealAudio files long-term - they're obsolete format with vanishing support. Convert and delete originals to avoid future compatibility headaches.
What are RealAudio technical specifications?
RealAudio went through many versions (RA1 through RA10/RealAudio 10). Early versions used proprietary codecs optimized for low bitrates (16-32kbps for 28.8k modems). Later versions (RA8+) used standard codecs like AAC and MP3 internally but wrapped in RealAudio container.
Bitrates: RA varied wildly - 16kbps for voice/speech (internet radio), 32-64kbps for music (tolerable on dial-up), 96-128kbps for better quality (broadband era). Later high-quality RA used 192-320kbps but by then format was dying and MP3 had won.
Features: Streaming optimization (buffering, adaptive bitrate), DRM support (copy protection for paid content), metadata support, and multiple codec support in later versions. Technical features didn't matter - proprietary nature and RealPlayer's reputation killed adoption.
How do I convert RealAudio to MP3 or WAV?
FFmpeg (best method): `ffmpeg -i input.ra -codec:a libmp3lame -q:a 2 output.mp3` converts RealAudio to high-quality MP3. FFmpeg handles RealAudio despite format obscurity. For WAV: `ffmpeg -i input.ra output.wav` extracts uncompressed audio.
VLC (GUI method): Open RealAudio file in VLC, go to Media > Convert/Save, select audio codec (MP3, AAC), choose bitrate (192kbps+ recommended), convert. Simple GUI for occasional conversions. Batch conversion possible with VLC's command-line interface.
Online converters: Our converter and others support RealAudio. Upload .ra file, select MP3 or AAV output, download converted file. Easy for single files without installing software. For large collections, use FFmpeg with scripts for batch processing.
Why was RealAudio popular in the 1990s?
RealAudio solved the 1990s problem: streaming audio over slow internet. Before RealAudio, you had to download entire audio files (taking hours on dial-up) before playing. RealAudio streamed - started playing within seconds, buffering ahead. This was revolutionary for 28.8k modem users in 1995-1999.
First-mover advantage: RealAudio was first popular streaming format, so early internet radio, music sites, and news organizations adopted it. Network effects followed - users installed RealPlayer to access content, sites used RealAudio because users had RealPlayer. Dominated until better alternatives emerged.
Use cases: Web radio stations (first internet radio), music previews on retail sites, news broadcasts, podcasts before podcasting existed, and live event streaming. RealAudio enabled early streaming media culture. It solved real problem for several years before broadband and better codecs made it obsolete.
Can I extract audio from .ram files?
Understanding .ram files:
RAM is Playlist
.ram files are text playlists containing URLs to actual .ra audio files. Open with text editor to see links.
Not Audio Files
.ram itself has no audio - just links. You need to download the .ra files the .ram points to.
Download Links
Copy URLs from .ram file, download .ra files with browser or wget, then convert those .ra files.
Broken Links
Many .ram links are dead (1990s websites gone). RealAudio streaming URLs often don't work anymore.
Historical Archives
Some .ram links point to Internet Archive or old servers. Try links but expect many to be dead.
.ram files are metadata, not audio. Extract links, download .ra files if still available, convert to modern formats.
Is RealAudio still used for anything today?
No, RealAudio is completely dead for new projects. No websites create RealAudio content. No users prefer RealAudio over modern formats. RealNetworks essentially abandoned consumer audio/video products. The format exists only in legacy archives and obsolete content.
Historical exceptions: Some old institutional archives, government recordings, or historical audio collections might have RealAudio files because that's how they were originally distributed. Academic researchers accessing 1990s-2000s web archives encounter RealAudio. But nothing new uses it.
Modern alternatives: MP3 streaming, AAC, Opus for lossy streaming. FLAC for lossless. HLS and DASH for adaptive streaming. HTML5 audio tags for web playback. All better than RealAudio in every way - quality, efficiency, compatibility, openness. RealAudio is technological dead end with zero reason to use today.
What happened to RealNetworks and RealPlayer?
The rise and fall of RealNetworks:
1990s Dominance
RealNetworks ruled streaming media. RealAudio/RealVideo were THE internet multimedia formats. Company worth billions.
Aggressive Tactics
RealPlayer became bloated adware. Popups, bundled software, hard to uninstall. Users hated it.
Competition Emerged
Windows Media Player, QuickTime, then Flash, then HTML5 ate RealNetworks' market. Better, open alternatives won.
Business Decline
2000s: RealNetworks lost streaming war. Pivoted to games, mobile, other businesses. Audio/video products faded.
Legacy Software
RealPlayer still exists as legacy product with minimal updates. Used by almost nobody. Zombie software.
Cautionary Tale
RealNetworks shows danger of proprietary formats and aggressive monetization. Killed by own greed and user hostility.
Format Death
RealAudio/RealVideo are dead formats. Software barely maintained, users gone, content ancient.
Company Survives
RealNetworks still exists, doing other tech businesses. But consumer multimedia products are finished.
Historical Footnote
RealAudio was important 1995-2005. Enabled early streaming. Then became irrelevant almost overnight.
Lessons Learned
Open standards beat proprietary. User experience matters. First-mover advantage isn't permanent. Don't be evil to users.
What bitrate should I use converting old RealAudio files?
For low-quality RealAudio sources (16-64kbps): Convert to 128-192kbps MP3. Higher won't improve quality (can't add information that isn't there), but provides headroom and avoids additional degradation. 192kbps MP3 is safe choice for poor sources.
For medium-quality RealAudio (96-128kbps): Convert to 256kbps MP3 or 192kbps AAC. This minimizes transcoding losses. Original is lossy, transcoding is lossy, use high output bitrate to preserve as much as possible.
For rare high-quality RealAudio (192kbps+): Convert to 320kbps MP3 or 256kbps AAC. These later RealAudio files may have decent quality worth preserving. Maximum output bitrate minimizes generation loss from lossy-to-lossy transcoding.
Can RealAudio files be DRM-protected?
Yes, RealAudio supported DRM (Digital Rights Management) for protected content like paid music downloads, subscription services, and commercial radio. DRM-protected RealAudio files can't be converted or played without proper authorization (keys, licenses, authentication).
Reality: Most DRM-protected RealAudio files are now unplayable because authentication servers are offline, licenses expired, or services shut down. This is the nightmare of DRM - purchased content becomes worthless when companies die or change business models.
If you have DRM-protected RealAudio: It's probably unrecoverable. Authorization systems are dead. This is why DRM is terrible for consumers - you don't own the content, you rent it until company decides otherwise. Lesson: Avoid DRM-protected formats for anything you want to keep long-term.
How do I batch convert RealAudio files?
FFmpeg batch conversion - Windows PowerShell: `Get-ChildItem -Filter *.ra | ForEach-Object { ffmpeg -i $_.Name -codec:a libmp3lame -q:a 2 "$($_.BaseName).mp3" }`. Processes all .ra files in folder, creates MP3s with same filenames.
FFmpeg batch - Linux/Mac: `for f in *.ra; do ffmpeg -i "$f" -codec:a libmp3lame -q:a 2 "${f%.ra}.mp3"; done`. Bash one-liner converts entire folder. Adjust quality with `-q:a` value (0=best, 9=worst).
GUI batch conversion: foobar2000 (Windows) with RealAudio plugin, XLD (Mac), or VLC's batch mode. Add files, set output format/quality, process. For large collections (hundreds of files), command-line FFmpeg is fastest and most reliable despite steeper learning curve.
Why does RealAudio sound so bad?
Extreme compression: RealAudio was designed for 28.8-56k dial-up modems, requiring aggressive compression. 16-32kbps bitrates for music sound terrible by modern standards - muffled high frequencies, compression artifacts, robotic voices, metallic sound. This was acceptable in 1990s but unlistenable by today's expectations.
Codec limitations: Early RealAudio codecs (RA1-RA6) were primitive compared to MP3. Later versions used better codecs but legacy content remains poor quality. Additionally, many RealAudio files were encoded from already-compressed sources (re-encoded from radio broadcasts), compounding quality loss.
Historical context: In 1996, waiting 30 seconds to start streaming audio at 28.8kbps was magical compared to downloading 3MB files for 20 minutes. Quality didn't matter - streaming capability did. By 2005, broadband made low-bitrate streaming unnecessary and RealAudio's poor quality became liability instead of acceptable trade-off.
Should I archive RealAudio files or convert everything?
For personal collections with no historical value: Convert everything to MP3/AAC and delete RealAudio originals. They're obsolete format with vanishing playback options. Converted files are more useful and equally good (RealAudio quality wasn't great anyway).
For historical archives or unique content: Keep RealAudio originals AND create MP3 conversions. If you have rare recordings, archived web content, or historical audio only available as RealAudio, preserve originals for archival completeness. Convert for practical use but maintain originals for historical record.
Digital preservation perspective: RealAudio files are artifacts of 1990s internet culture. If archiving historical content, keep originals plus modern conversions. For personal music collections, just convert - no reason to maintain obsolete format. Context determines whether archival or pragmatic approach is appropriate.