FLAC to M4A Without Quality Loss
Converting FLAC to M4A involves lossy compression. Some data will be discarded. Use a high bitrate to keep loss minimal and nearly inaudible.
Drop your FLAC file here or click to browse
FLAC (.flac) · Max 20 MB
FLAC stores audio without any compression artifacts. M4A uses perceptual coding to reduce file size. The encoder discards audio data it predicts you won't hear.
At 320kbps, most listeners can't distinguish M4A from the lossless source in blind tests. Use the highest bitrate your use case allows.
AudioUtils lets you pick the output bitrate. Choose 320kbps for near-transparent quality. Choose 128kbps for smaller files when size matters more than fidelity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does M4A quality compare to FLAC?
At 256kbps AAC, the difference from FLAC is nearly imperceptible in normal listening. You lose the lossless guarantee, but the audible quality is excellent.
Will my FLAC metadata transfer to M4A?
Yes. M4A has excellent metadata support — title, artist, album, track number, and album art all transfer cleanly.
Is M4A the same as AAC?
M4A is the container file format, and AAC is the codec inside it. M4A files almost always use AAC compression. Think of M4A as the box and AAC as what's inside.
About FLAC
Lossless compression. Perfect quality at roughly half the size of WAV. The choice for audiophiles and archiving.
About M4A
Apple's preferred audio format. Better quality than MP3 at same bitrate. Default for iTunes and Apple devices.