How to convert .ape files to .mp3 using Windows?

You’ve downloaded a show or two from DimeADozen and now you want to convert the ape files to mp3 to take with you on your iPod or MP3 player. This tutorial will walk you through the steps to do just that, using Windows. note: this is another tutorial in the Beginners guide to lossless audio series.

First things first, make sure you’ve downloaded and installed Monkey’s Audio and iTunes, both of which are free.

There are two steps in converting your .ape files to .mp3. The first is to decode the .ape’s into .wav files. After that’s done, you’ll encode the .wav files into .mp3’s.

Decoding .ape files with Monkey’s Audio Encoding .wav files with iTunes

Decoding .ape files with Monkey’s Audio

1. Open Monkey’s Audio and select the arrow next to the Compress button. Select Decompress from the drop-down list.

2. Drag all of the ape files you want to convert into the main Monkey’s Audio window.

3. Click the Decompress button.

4. Watch as Monkey’s Audio converts your .ape files to .wav files.

5. When it’s finished, check to make sure all of the .wav files were created (they’ll be in the same folder as your .ape files).

Encoding .wav files with iTunes

1. First you need to make sure that iTunes will encode the songs to .mp3 (rather than the default, which is .aac). Start by selecting Edit and then Preferences…

2. Select the Advanced tab, and then the Importing tab. Select MP3 Encoder from the Import Using: list, and then choose a quality from the Setting list. You may want to remove the check-mark from Play songs while importing (I find it annoying, and it makes the encoding time slightly longer). Click OK when you’re done.

3. Back in the main iTunes window, select File and then Add Folder to Library…

4. Navigate to the folder that you saved the .wav files in and select it. Click OK

5. Find the newly imported .wav files in iTunes and select them all (single-click the first file, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, and then single-click the last file). Right-click on any of the selected files and choose Convert Select to MP3. You may want to get a cup of coffee right now, as this step will take a while (depending on the number of files you’re converting).

11. iTunes will let you know it’s done converting the files by playing a little “beep”. Now is also a good time to remove the .wav files from your iTunes library so you don’t confuse them with the (identical looking) mp3 files. With the .wav files still highlighted, click the Delete key on your keyboard. If prompted, click the Remove button.

That’s it, you’re done! Rename the files in iTunes (if you wish), give them a listen or transfer them to your iPod/mp3 player. Don’t forget to delete the .wav files if you no longer need them – they’re pretty big and take up quite a bit of space on your hard drive.

The .mp3 files can be found by going to My Documents -> My Music -> iTunes -> iTunes Music -> Artist Name -> Album Name