CAF (Core Audio Format) is an audio file format developed by Apple in 2005 to overcome the limitations of the outdated AIFF audio file format. It is designed for professional audio applications that need to store not only audio data, but also metadata, such as text annotations, markers, and other information.
1 Why would you convert CAF file?
CAF has many advantages over AIFF, which are fully revealed in professional applications on the Apple platform, such as GarageBand, Soundtrack Pro, and Logic Studio. When working with high-resolution audio, the volume of uncompressed samples no longer fits into 4 GB, so the main innovation of CAF was the 64-bit mode. In addition, it supports more modern audio codecs such as AAC and ALAC. The file structure is such that data is not lost if the recording is unexpectedly interrupted.
And that's where its advantages end. Apple does not position this format for end users, relying on M4A. It was quite expected that this format would not receive support on other platforms, but it turned out that its support is limited in the Apple ecosystem as well. I was sure that iTunes would help me listen to the recording in Windows, but this did not happen.
It's clear that when you're mixing tracks in a DAW, it's more convenient to store the audio in CAF. But it's better to export the final version as an M4A. When M4A is mentioned, many people think of the AAC codec, but it can use other codecs too. If you want to keep the original quality, the Apple Lossless codec is the best choice. If you haven't decided on the tool you need, we'll try it together today.
2 Convenient way to convert CAF to M4A
Audio Converter Plus is a versatile Windows tool that not only does an excellent job of lossless format conversion, but also provides reliable sample rate and bit depth conversion. With batch processing support, converting a collection of CAF files to M4A is a breeze. Here's how to convert CAF files to M4A in bulk.
Step 1. Free Download and install the program
Here you can free download and install this CAF to M4A Converter software, and then launch the program to open the main interface as below.
Step 2. Add CAF audio file and choose output formatClick "Add File(s)" button and load CAF file to the program, or you can click "Add Folder" option to add multiple CAF files to the program. Then you can click "Output Format" drop-down menu to select the output format. In case of converting uncompressed audio or in lossless compression format, choose output format M4A with ALAC encoder, otherwise AAC encoder will provide better compression.
Step 3. Define output settingsClick "Settings" button and open the "Encoder Options" window, here you can customize the audio settings like Sample Rate, Channels and Audio Bitrate. Just click drop-down arrow and choose your prefer value in the corresponding box to make the audio file perfect.
Step 4. Convert CAF to M4AClick "Convert" button and begin converting CAF to M4A, this software supports batch conversion, all your selected and checked CAF files in the program would be converted in one time. After converting, you can easily import the converted audio file to your player to enjoy whenever and wherever you go.
3 Alternative CAF to M4A conversion option
If you only need to convert a few CAF audio files, online utilities can be an alternative option. They offer a direct way to convert audio from CAF to M4A without downloading any software.
Among the popular options is Convertio, which we have already tried unsuccessfully for 8svx files. Keep in mind that the free mode is severely limited, and a paid subscription will cost much more than buying an advanced desktop converter - $10 per month! Maybe we will be lucky this time?
Step 1. Add CAF audio files
Go to the website of your chosen online conversion service and click Choose Files to upload the audio CAF file. Files can be downloaded directly from cloud storage if you find that more convenient.
Step 2. Output format and codec selectionAfter that, select the output format M4A and try to choose the settings. As you can see on the screenshot - only AAC codec is available for this format, you can forget about lossless compression.
Step 3. Starting the conversionClick the Convert icon to begin the converting process and be patient - free conversions are in the general queue for all users of the service. After that click the Download button to download the converted M4A audio file.
4 Summary
That's all I'm going to share with you today: how to batch convert CAF files to M4A without losing audio quality, which will save you a lot of time and effort. If you're working with a few smaller audio files, an online service is probably fine, as long as you're okay waiting your turn. With larger recordings in Apple Lossless format, we're talking about dozens or even hundreds of megabytes, so it's worth considering a desktop converter. In this case, you can put your full trust in Audio Converter Plus.