M4A, short for MPEG 4 Audio, may sound like a complex term, but it's actually a widely-used audio format, especially favored by Apple device users. Renowned for its ability to compress audio files without compromising quality, M4A is a worthy option for many when it comes to storing music or audio recordings. However, if you've ever found yourself needing to convert music files from other formats into M4A, this article is right on your street.

n this article, we will test 5 sought-after M4A music converters in the market for their advantages and disadvantages, ranging from desktop software to user-friendly online tools, as well as respective hands-on tutorials. Finally, we will wrap up with a verdict to let you know which one is the best-suited candidate for you. Don't hesitate, let's dive in!



TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter

The first tool that I would like to introduce is TuneFab All-in-one Music Converter. With the ever-growing number of music streaming platforms out there, TuneFab recently rolled out an all-in-one converter. You can use this all-in-one tool to download music from Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Prime Music, Deezer Music, Pandora Music, and YouTube Music to your computer. It's a one-shot-to-all solution for music lovers.

What's more, TuneFab supports losslessly converting music to all the common audio formats for flexible playback. Whether you want to convert music to m4a (like from M4P to M4A) or from M4A to MP3, TuneFab is your ultimate choice.

Main Features of TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter

• Able to download songs/albums/playlists/podcasts across multiple platforms
• Convert music into DRM-free MP3, WAV, M4A, or FLAC formats
• Original sound quality and ID3 tags of downloaded files will be retained
• Process music downloads at a 35X faster speed, 8s a song on average
• Batch downloading is available
• Offers built-in web players for multiple music apps



Enough talk, let's see how to convert music files to M4A with TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter.

Step 1. Pick a music streaming platform to enter its web player.

Pick A Music Streaming Platform

Step 2. Log into your account and drag or drop singles, albums, playlists, or podcasts to the + area.

Drag Songs to the + Area

Step 3. Set up parameters like format, sample rate, and bitrate based on your preference.

Customize Some Parameters

Step 4. Hit Convert All to batch process music download at a faster speed.

Hit Convert All to Batch Download Music



VLC Media Player

Now, let's talk about VLC Media Player – a worthy candidate in sight when it comes to m4a music converter. Formerly known as the VideoLAN Client, VLC is an open-source media player developed by the VideoLAN project. The best part? It won't cost you a penny!

Centering on the design philosophy of being a portable, cross-platform solution, VLC Media Player allows users to handle it on both desktop operating systems and mobile platforms (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Unix, iOS, Android). Starting off as a humble video player for offline playback, the software has come a long way and now it has evolved into a powerhouse supporting various audio and video formats. Of course, the capability of transcoding media files from one format to another is making it a popular tool for the younger generation.

Now let's see how to use it:

Step 1. Launch VLC Media Player.

Step 2. Click Media on the top left corner, then select Convert/Safe.

Click Menu to Convert Files

Step 3. Hit Add to add the files you want to convert and then click Convert/Safe.

Hit Add to Add Files

Step 4. In the Convert interface, hit the Profile dropdown menu, select the desirable M4A format, and hit Start.

Click Profile to Customize Parameters

Note:

For your reference, if you want to transform M4A to MP3, check: Best M4A to MP3 Converter Apps and Websites.



FreeConvert

FreeConvert is a free online m4a music converter. Users need to do nothing but drag and drop their files to the designated area for file conversion, download and export. During the process, there's no additional software to install and account to register. Before the conversion, people can customize the output format according to their needs.

But it is noteworthy that you are allowed to convert anything no less than 1GB. Files of more than 1GB require a premium.

Now let's see how it works:

Step 1. Open the page.

Step 2. Hit Choose Files to upload your files.

Hit Choose Files to Upload Your Files

Step 3. Click Output to select M4A as the output format.

Hit Output to Set up Format

Step 4. Hit Convert to start the conversion

Hit Convert To Start the Conversion


CloudConvert

Similar to FreeConvert, CloudConvert is a free online m4a music converter, but it works for video, ebook, and image as well. Thanks to the partnership with various software developers, CloudConvert is able to provide the best output quality. Although it is an online tool, people can still adjust the conversion type to their needs, such as setting the quality and many other options.

The hands-on tutorial is here:

Step 1. Open the page.

Step 2. Press Select File to upload your files.

Hit Select File to Upload Your Stuff

Step 3. Press Convert to and select M4A as your output format

Choose M4A as your output format

Step 4. Finally, hit the Convert button to start converting

Hit the Convert Button to Start Converting


Online Converter

Now we come to our fifth m4a music converter and, again, it's another online tool. Online Converter – your go-to solution to convert music to m4a. With its use of the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), the tool promises a top-notch quality. Simply upload your file or provide a music file URL, and you're good to go. Plus, you can tweak additional options to customize the audio quality or even extract audio from a video to M4A format by providing its URL.

Here are the steps to operate Online Converter:

Step 1. Open the page.

Step 2. Choose Audio converter and go on.

Choose Audio Converter

Step 3. Select Convert to M4A if you want it to be your output format.

Choose Convert to M4A

Step 4. Click Choose File to upload files or simply drag the file to the green area, and hit START

Upload your files and Hit START

Step 5. Hit the Download button to download your files.

Hit the Download Button to Download Your Files

Finally, you will see downloaded files in the export folder!


FAQs about M4A Format

Why is M4A better than MP3?

As the two most-welcomed formats, M4A and MP3 have many in common. For example, both of them are intended for audio downloads only and don't contain video or other types of media and they all use a compression mechanism to minimize the size of audio files.

However, M4A has a better sound quality compared to MP3 because of the higher bitrate. As a result, they tend to occupy more space. One thing we should note is that M4A may not have extensive support, while MP3 is supported by nearly all audio devices, computers, and mobile devices. But fear not, M4A files can easily be converted to MP3 formats if you need to listen to them on a non-compatible device.


How do I convert music files to M4A?

  1. Pick a music streaming platform to enter its web player.
  2. Log into your account and drag or drop songs to the + area.
  3. Set up parameters based on your preference.
  4. Hit Convert All to batch process music download.

Can Spotify play M4A?

Yes. Spotify can play AAC/ALAC files that are in the M4A extension.


Conclusion

To sum up, when it comes to converting music to the M4A format, you have a variety of options at your footprints. From the versatile TuneFab All-in-one Music Converter to the convenient Online Converter, each tool offers its own set of advantages and benefits.

However, if you are looking for a well-rounded solution that covers multiple platforms, retains original sound quality and offers blazing fast downloading speed, TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter stands out among all its rivals as the top choice. With its user-friendly interface and robust functionality, TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter is the perfect companion for all your music conversion needs. Give it a try today and experience the difference!

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