Found freeware AAC to mp3 converter

[jimdagys]

This software (m4a-to-mp3-converter) can be used to convert 32kbps AAC parametric stereo to 64kbps mp3 stereo. Can also be used to convert to/from other bit rates.
Software URL:
http://www.maniactools.com/soft/m4a-to-mp3-converter/?ref=m4a-home&version=6.1&b=6100
Important: When you install the software, make sure to uncheck the adware options which will install by default
Following is link to 32kbps parametric stereo AAC file:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/Channel.aac
Note: VLC player will only convert this type of file to mp3 mono, so m4a-to-mp3-converter software is better.
Good use for this software. Follow these 3 easy steps:
1) Use StreamHijacker to rip 32kbps AAC stream. If you like classical music, good stream to rip is:
http://198.234.121.114:90
You can rip all day and use very little disk space and CPU power. Sound quality is good.
Note: This is 32kbps AAC stereo stream and if you have slow internet, I think this is easier to rip than 128kbps mp3 stream.
2) Use m4a-to-mp3-converter to convert to 64kbps stereo mp3
3) load converted file onto your mp3 player and enjoy

[AlanHK]

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/Channel.aac
Note: VLC player will only convert this type of file to mp3 mono, so m4a-to-mp3-converter software is better.

Audacity 1.39 can open this and save it to any format you like.
Presumably since it uses ffmpeg to convert input/output, you could find other ffmpeg tools/guis that would also handle it.

However, it only sees mono audio.
I am suspicious of whether there is stereo at all in this.

Are you sure your tool is finding and converting real stereo, or just duping the mono channel?
Load up the MP3 in an audio editor and it should be obvious if both channels are identical.

[jimdagys]

I loaded these files (ripped and converted according to above 1,2,3 recipe) on my mp3 player and they play in rich beautiful stereo. My ear tells me that.
I am kind of curious how you load this AAC file
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/Channel.aac
into Audacity. I have Audacity 1.3.9 Beta (unicode) and I cannot properly load the file. I don't get any waveform pattern shown at all. Converting to mp3 yields nothing. Can you tell me how you loaded it into Audacity?

[MJ Peg]

It's stereo all right (although GSpot says it's mono), and Prism converted it into an audio-only AVI with PCM audio no problem. Can't be that difficult, if the right codecs are present! MPC lists an Orban plug in codec I installed recently, while VLC just says mp4a audio.

[AlanHK]

I am kind of curious how you load this AAC file
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/Channel.aac
into Audacity

As I said, using the ffmpeg plugin.
http://manual.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=FAQ:Installation_and_Plug-Ins

[jimdagys]

I already installed that, but I still cannot load the above AAC file.

[AlanHK]

I already installed that, but I still cannot load the above AAC file.

Did you install it in Audacity, as the instructions?
http://manual.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=FAQ:Installation_and_Plug-Ins#2._Installation

[jimdagys]

Located automatically and also by manual method. Still can't load the above AAC file.

[AlanHK]

Located automatically and also by manual method. Still can't load the above AAC file.

Do you have Audacity 1.39?
If not, update. This is a new feature and had problems in previous versions.

[jimdagys]

I have Audacity 1.3.9 Beta (unicode). Can't load the AAC file (http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/Channel.aac) properly. Maybe I will just give up on this.

[aedipuss]

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/Channel.aac

sound forge 10, dbpoweramp, and mediacoder all claim this file is damaged and unusable.

[El Heggunte]

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/Channel.aac

sound forge 10, dbpoweramp, and mediacoder all claim this file is damaged and unusable.

Get a recent version of Mplayer, and try this command-line:

mplayer Channel.aac -vc null -vo null -ao pcm:fast

It should generate a correct and playable stereo .WAV,
regardless of any warning/error messages displayed on the cmd window.

[AlanHK]

And here's a very technical thread on Doom 9 on how to load AAC in Avisynth:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=114941

[Placio74]

BTW
I do not see any problems with conversion (this example AAC file) using audio converter from AIMP player, also used convert option in foobar2000 player.

[SingSing]

Why there is a very loud chirp at the beginning of the Audacity converted MP3 ?