[MEncoder-users] Converting ape and flac files to mp3

[JD]

Andrew Berg wrote:
> JD wrote:
>   
>> Dear All,
>> I would like to convert a collection of audio files,
>> some of which are encoded in flac and others in ape,
>> to mp3.
>> I would like to use maximum constant bitrate of 320
>> or higher.
>> Could someone please show the command line to do so?
>>     
> I've always had trouble getting MEncoder to process only audio (without
> using -of rawaudio, which wouldn't work for this anyway). You're better
> off using FFmpeg and piping the output to a CLI MP3 encoder (lame or
> whatever's out there; I rarely ever encode to MP3, since I prefer AAC
> for lossy audio). If your Monkey's Audio files were encoded with a
> version higher than 3.99, FFmpeg probably won't decode them properly, in
> which case, you'll likely need to use the CLI from the Monkey's Audio
> website (and use Wine). There may be a Monkey's Audio decoder that can
> handle the new format, but I don't know of any.
>
> Something like this:
>
> ffmpeg -i file.flac -f wav - | lame -b 320 - file.mp3
> or
> flac -d file.flac -c | lame -b 320 - file.mp3
>
>
> wine mac.exe file.ape file.wav -d
> lame -b 320 file.wav file.mp3
> (the Monkey's audio tool doesn't seem to support writing to stdout)
>   
Thanx for the feedback. I will give it a shot.