Best Way to Convert FLAC to AAC without Quality Loss

FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) files provide CD-quality audio in an uncompressed format that takes up a lot of storage space. AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is a lossy format that compresses files to take up less space while retaining good audio quality. Converting FLAC files to AAC is useful for saving storage room while still keeping the songs reasonably high quality.

However, typical conversion methods lead to loss of audio fidelity. In this article, we will explore the best practices for converting FLAC to AAC in a lossless manner to retain maximum audio quality. From this article, you can get to know about some of the FLAC to AAC lossless conversion methods. Go through them and pick the best approach for converting FLAC to AAC.

Part 1. FLAC vs AAC: What are the Differences Between Them?

1. What is FLAC?

FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio format that compresses audio files without losing any data or quality. It is a lossless format, meaning it retains 100% of the audio fidelity and quality compared to the original uncompressed audio source while taking up less storage space through compression. FLAC files provide CD-like or studio master quality audio.

2. What is AAC?

AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is also a compressed audio format, but it is considered lossy since the compression method discards some data to achieve smaller file sizes. However, at high bitrates, AAC provides good audio quality while taking up much less space than lossless FLAC files. AAC is most commonly used on MP3 players and in videos/streaming.

3. Why Need to Convert FLAC to AAC?

FLAC	AAC
Lossless (perfect quality)	Lossy (discards some data)
Larger file size	Much smaller file size
Not supported by many devices	Wide compatibility with media players

Converting FLAC files to AAC is useful to save storage space while keeping reasonable audio quality for listening on the go. AAC files take up a fraction of the space while retaining good quality at 256 kbps or higher bitrates. Going from FLAC to AAC requires a lossy conversion but allows storing more songs on a mobile device.

Part 2. The Best Way to Convert FLAC to AAC Lossless on Windows and Mac

HitPaw Video Converter is an excellent all-in-one audio and video conversion software for Windows and Mac. It provides optimized conversion workflows to effortlessly convert your FLAC files into high-quality AAC without any loss in audio quality. If you are looking for an efficient method for FLAC to AAC conversion, you may think about using this tool.

How to Convert FLAC to AAC without Losing Quality

Step 1: Import the FLAC Audio File

First, launch HitPaw Video Converter on your Windows or Mac and click "Add Audio" button to import your FLAC files. You can also directly drag and drop the FLAC files into the interface. Ensure your files are loaded correctly under the "Audio" section. Otherwise, you will not be able to convert FLAC to AAC.

Step 2: Select the AAC as Output Format

Next, click the inverted triangle icon beside each FLAC file thumbnail and select "AAC" audio format from the output formats list. Configure the encoder, bitrate, sample rate and other settings to customize the output AAC quality as needed. Select 256kbps or 320kbps for optimum audio fidelity during AAC to FLAC conversion.

Step 3: Converting FLAC to AAC Lossless

Once your output AAC format and settings are configured correctly, click the "Convert All" button at the bottom to start FLAC to AAC conversion. The software will losslessly transcode the files by decoding the FLAC and intelligently encoding it to AAC without quality loss.

Step 4: Access the Converted AAC Files

The conversion happens swiftly thanks to GPU acceleration. Head to the "Converted" tab on top to access your new AAC files. You can play them to verify pristine audio quality is retained from source FLAC. Finally, click "Open Folder" to save the AAC files to your local drive or device.

Pros and Cons of using HitPaw FLAC to AAC Converter

Pros

Lossless conversion retains 100% original audio quality
Supports batch converting multiple FLAC files
Fast 120X conversion speed saves time
Customizable AAC output format and settings
Works great for extracting audio from videos too
Clean and easy-to-use interface

Cons

Does not work without internet connection
Session progress is not saved if app closes unexpectedly
Can be resource intensive for underpowered computers

Part 3. How to Change FLAC to AAC Format Online for Free

As an online alternative, you can also use HitPaw's free Online Audio Converter accessible from any web browser without needing to install any software. It can instantly convert FLAC to AAC online with a couple of uploads and clicks.

HitPaw Online Audio Converter is extremely convenient for quick audio format conversion needs for FLAC, MP3, WAV and more. However, for large scale bulk FLAC to AAC conversions, the desktop app offers faster batched processing.

Pros

Free online access with no signup
Supports FLAC to AAC lossless conversion
Very simple interface to use
Fast conversion for small files
No need to install any software app

Cons

Needs reliable internet access
Cannot batch convert multiple files together
Limited customization options

Part 4. How to Convert FLAC to AAC using VLC Media Player

VLC media player is a free, open-source, cross-platform multimedia player that is popular for playing various audio and video files. Lesser known is VLC's ability to convert media files from one format to another, including FLAC to AAC conversion.

Here are the steps to convert FLAC to AAC using VLC:

1.Add FLAC files to VLC
Use the "Media > Convert" option to select your FLAC files. You can add multiple files.
2.Create AAC profile
Go to profile settings and create a new profile. Name it AAC and choose AAC audio codec and your preferred settings.
3.Select AAC profile
From the convert dialog box, select the newly created AAC profile from the dropdown menu.
4.Convert FLAC files
Finally click "Start" to begin conversion process and save the AAC output files.

Pros

Free and open-source software
Can batch convert multiple files easily
Retains good audio quality

Cons

Confusing interface for beginners
Limited output format options
Slow conversion for large files
No editing options

Part 5. How to Convert FLAC to AAC Lossless in iTunes

iTunes is Apple's popular media player and library manager software for Mac and Windows. The major downside is the multi-format hop degrading audio quality in each conversion step. But with right plugin and encoder settings, iTunes provides the convenience of converting FLAC library into AAC within familiar Apple ecosystem. Although iTunes does not directly support FLAC format, it can convert audio files to AAC with these steps:

1.Install a FLAC plugin
Since iTunes does not handle FLAC files natively, install a plugin like Flactunes (paid) that enables iTunes to import FLAC and convert it to Apple Lossless (ALAC).
2.Set Encoding Format as AAC
Go to iTunes Preferences > Import Settings to open encoding options. Change import format to high-quality AAC encoder.
3.Convert FLAC files to AAC
Drag and drop the FLAC files into the iTunes library. Right click on each file and select "Create AAC Version". iTunes will now convert the FLAC to intermediate ALAC, and then encode the lossless ALAC audio into selected AAC format.

Pros

Seamless integration being Apple's software
Direct encoding from FLAC with plugins
Good quality AAC files

Cons

Need to purchase FLAC plugin
Multiple transcoding impacts some quality
Slow, serialized conversion workflow

FAQs about FLAC to AAC Lossless

Q1. Does converting FLAC to AAC loss quality?

A1. Converting FLAC to AAC will cause some loss of audio quality since AAC is a lossy format, even at higher bitrates. However, modern AAC encoders can retain perceptual transparency to original FLAC at 256kbps or 320kbps speeds. The losses may be undetectable to average listeners.

Q2. What is the best FLAC to AAC converter for Mac?

A2. HitPaw Video Converter is considered one of the best tools for FLAC to AAC conversion on Mac. It provides GPU-accelerated conversion speeds up to 120X faster while retaining 100% lossless quality when transcoding FLAC to AAC format.

Q3. Can AAC be converted to FLAC?

A3. Yes, AAC files can be decoded and re-encoded into lossless FLAC format. This will regain audio fidelity that may have been lost when originally converting FLAC to AAC. However, transcoding too many generations will accumulate artifacts.

Conclusion

Ass you can see, converting uncompressed FLAC audio into the lossy AAC codec will inherently cause some loss of fidelity and quality at lower bitrates. Ensuring highest quality AAC output minimizes this reduction. Powerful software like HitPaw Video Converter is perfect for efficiently batch converting FLAC libraries into portable AAC format while retaining perceptually transparent audio quality. We encourage you to try HitPaw for your FLAC to AAC transcription needs.

Select the product rating：

Join the discussion and share your voice here