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CAF to AC3 converter

Convert CAF to AC3 in your browser. No upload and no account: the file never leaves your device, so the only size limit is your device’s memory.

I want AC3
Advanced 4
sec

Leave both at 0 for the whole file.

sec
Channels

Bytes of your files sent anywhere: 0 B

Related conversions

Other ways to convert CAF

Convert other formats to AC3

Read more about the CAF format and the AC3 format, or see every audio tool and all audio conversions.

Should you convert CAF to AC3?

A lossless move: CAF and AC3 both keep every sample, so the sound is identical and you can convert back at any time.

CAF is Apple’s professional audio container; AC3 is Dolby Digital surround sound from DVDs and TV. Use AC3 for soundtracks going to DVD authoring or a home cinema system.

CAF and AC3 compared
Property CAF AC3
Compression Depends on the codec inside Lossy
Typical quality PCM, AAC or ALAC 192–640 kbps, up to 5.1
Support Mainly an Apple format Has patchy support
Best for Audio inside Apple apps and iOS development 5.1 surround soundtracks for DVDs and TVs
Introduced 2005 1991

How to convert CAF to AC3

  1. 01

    Add your CAF

    Drop your CAF file onto the box, or click to choose it. It is read from your disk and stays there.

  2. 02

    Check the settings

    The output is already set to AC3. Change the bitrate if you want to; the defaults suit most files.

  3. 03

    Save the AC3

    Press convert and save the AC3. Several files come back together as a ZIP.

What changes when CAF becomes AC3

Identical sound

Both formats are lossless, so the audio isn’t changed at all. Only the file size and which apps open it differ.

Surround channels

AC3 keeps up to 5.1 channels, so surround sources stay surround. Stereo sources are written as stereo.

A one-time engine download

CAF is decoded by FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly, a 31 MB download the first time. After that it is cached, and the conversion never leaves your device.

Expect a much smaller file

CAF: Depends on the codec inside. AC3: About 3.4 MB a minute at 448 kbps. Shrinking the file is often the main reason to make this conversion.

This page is put together from our notes on each format, choosing only what is true of CAF and AC3, so every pairing states the same facts the same way. How these pages are made.

Why it doesn’t upload

Recordings are often private: interviews, voice notes, unreleased music. Your browser can decode and encode audio itself, so there is no reason to send it anywhere.

How to check for yourself

Worth knowing

  • About the CAF. A CAF can hold uncompressed PCM, AAC or Apple Lossless, so two CAF files of the same length can differ tenfold in size.
  • About the AC3. Converting a 5.1 AC3 to a stereo format mixes it down; dialogue that lived in the center channel can end up quieter.
  • MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG, Opus and FLAC are converted by your browser directly. WMA, AMR, APE, AC3 and the other specialist formats use the FFmpeg engine, a one-time 31 MB download.

Questions

Does converting CAF to AC3 lose quality?

AC3 is lossy, so a little is discarded, but at the default bitrate the difference is inaudible for nearly everyone.

Will an AC3 play in my car or on my phone?

AC3 has patchy support: home cinema receivers, TVs, VLC and video editors; phones and browsers often can’t.

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