How do I convert AIFF files to ALAC in iTunes?

[Bryn]

I have a significant number of 96/24 AIFF files which I need to convert to ALAC in order to send them to someone. I am no fan of iTunes but I understand it should be able to carry out the necessary conversion. However, the instructions offered by Apple simply do not seem to work. Menu options they mention just do not exist. Can anyone here guide me through the process, please?

[richardfinegold]

Apple isn’t supporting iTunes anymore, so good luck. It may be worth investing in a file format converter, such as dbPoweramp. However, I would look at the Computer Audio forum. Be aware that the Civility of this Forum will be missing over there...

[Dave2002]

I have a significant number of 96/24 AIFF files which I need to convert to ALAC in order to send them to someone. I am no fan of iTunes but I understand it should be able to carry out the necessary conversion. However, the instructions offered by Apple simply do not seem to work. Menu options they mention just do not exist. Can anyone here guide me through the process, please?

If it was just one file I might offer to do it for you. I was going to say that it's not too difficult, but Richard fg has reminded me that Apple has changed its sofware over the last few years and is no longer supporting iTunes. I have previous versions of iTunes which can do this, but I'm not sure it the latest split off program will do it - that's called Music. The older versions should still work properly, providing that Apple hasn't sneakily updated and nobbled those too.

Oddly, it does seem to be possible to do some conversion - by importing into Music, then selecting Convert from the file menu. I didn't try with an AIFF file, but I did just grab the nearest mp3 to see if any conversion would work. The conversion does generate an .m4a file which appears to disappear into thin air, but if the cmd-I click over is applied to the track, more details appear including the File details. Perhaps not too surprisingly the file(s) are in /Users/xxxx/Documents/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/.... File.m4a etc., so underneath iTunes is still showing.

I also tried doing a .wav file, and it was also converted to .m4a, but the file size reduced considerably, so I think data/quality was lost. In earlier versions of iTunes it was possible to specify conversions, so that converting to ALAC was possible and would not reduce the quality. It looks as though either this feature has been taken out, or Apple have hidden it so well that it may never be found. Anyone who has a library ripped to ALAC or AIFF in iTunes (and that includes me) should beware of this typical Apple doing of things which it thinks it it knows about better than the end user.

Issues for the future might be minimised by doing a block copy of any ALAC or AIFF files in the relevant places in the user's file store, and using yet another converter to convert those files back to WAV or FLAC. More investigation is needed, but don't lose any of the original downloads or rips in case Apple software converts those to lower quality files - "because it knows that's what you really want to do."

[Bryn]

If it was just one file I might offer to do it for you. I was going to say that it's not too difficult, but Richard fg has reminded me that Apple has changed its sofware over the last few years and is no longer supporting iTunes. I have previous versions of iTunes which can do this, but I'm not sure it the latest split off program will do it - that's called Music. The older versions should still work properly, providing that Apple hasn't sneakily updated and nobbled those too.

Oddly, it does seem to be possible to do some conversion - by importing into Music, then selecting Convert from the file menu. I didn't try with an AIFF file, but I did just grab the nearest mp3 to see if any conversion would work. The conversion does generate an .m4a file which appears to disappear into thin air, but if the cmd-I click over is applied to the track, more details appear including the File details. Perhaps not too surprisingly the file(s) are in /Users/xxxx/Documents/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/.... File.m4a etc., so underneath iTunes is still showing.

I also tried doing a .wav file, and it was also converted to .m4a, but the file size reduced considerably, so I think data/quality was lost. In earlier versions of iTunes it was possible to specify conversions, so that converting to ALAC was possible and would not reduce the quality. It looks as though either this feature has been taken out, or Apple have hidden it so well that it may never be found. Anyone who has a library ripped to ALAC or AIFF in iTunes (and that includes me) should beware of this typical Apple doing of things which it thinks it it knows about better than the end user.

Issues for the future might be minimised by doing a block copy of any ALAC or AIFF files in the relevant places in the user's file store, and using yet another converter to convert those files back to WAV or FLAC. More investigation is needed, but don't lose any of the original downloads or rips in case Apple software converts those to lower quality files - "because it knows that's what you really want to do."

Thanks, Dave, The instructions I found vis an Internet search are probably outdated. I had hoped Sound Forge, which can happily open the AIFF files, might be able to save to ALAC but no, it can't. I am loath the buy yet another app to do the job. I will have a look at some of the other DAWs I have. Perhaps one of them can save to ALAC. I will also ask the intended recipient can handle FLACs. I know he is a Mac user but as he runs a small record company, perhaps he has the wherewithal.

[johnb]

If you are happy using the command line rather than a graphical UI, you could always use ffmpeg, which is a widely used standard utility.

The command line for the conversion is:

ffmpeg -i infilename.aif -acodec alac outfilename.m4a

You will probably need to include the file paths. These can be copied using Windows Explorer: Shift+Right Click on the file and select "Copy as Path".

ffmpeg can be downloaded from https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/ (choose the static build).

[Bryn]

If you are happy using the command line rather than a graphical UI, you could always use ffmpeg, which is a widely used standard utility.

The command line for the conversion is:

ffmpeg -i infilename.aif -acodec alac outfilename.m4a

You will probably need to include the file paths. These can be copied using Windows Explorer: Shift+Right Click on the file and select "Copy as Path".

ffmpeg can be downloaded from https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/ (choose the static build).

Thanks, John, I will look into that. I tried MystiQ as a GUI for FFMPEG but it did not offer either AIFF or ALAC as conversion options. I will make do with zipping tranches of the AIFFs for now.

[Dave2002]

Thanks, Dave, The instructions I found vis an Internet search are probably outdated. I had hoped Sound Forge, which can happily open the AIFF files, might be able to save to ALAC but no, it can't. I am loath the buy yet another app to do the job. I will have a look at some of the other DAWs I have. Perhaps one of them can save to ALAC. I will also ask the intended recipient can handle FLACs. I know he is a Mac user but as he runs a small record company, perhaps he has the wherewithal.

If you really get stuck, PM me and I might find a way to get a few done.

[Bryn]

If you really get stuck, PM me and I might find a way to get a few done.

Turns out the recipient is only too happy to have zips of the AIFF files, so that will do for now. Why can't Apple do the decent thing and make straight forward provision for FLACs?

[Dave2002]

Turns out the recipient is only too happy to have zips of the AIFF files, so that will do for now. Why can't Apple do the decent thing and make straight forward provision for FLACs?

Probably for the same kind of reason that they don't support Blu-Ray. Some of Apple's stances do make sense - but others are merely perverse and needless irritations.