What is aas. aac File extension
Today, the AAC format has not yet reached mass distribution on audio media, but in a number of parameters it surpasses all types of audio compression existing today, and therefore is worthy of our attention.
What it is?
Let's start with a definition: AAC is a proprietary (proprietary) audio file compression option. At the same time, it has less quality loss during encoding compared to MP3 under conditions of the same bitrate. In addition, the AAC format is a wideband audio encoding algorithm that uses two main encoding principles to significantly reduce the amount of data required to transmit quality digital audio. This solution is recognized as one of the highest quality, implemented using lossy compression technology. The format supports most modern equipment, even portable ones. It should be noted that ringtones in AAC format can be purchased from the iTunes Store, and this store presents music compressed exclusively using this solution. It should also be said that the AAC format was originally created as a successor to MP3, which could provide improved encoding quality. The solution was released back in 1997 as a new, 7th, part of the MPEG-2 family.
Principle of operation
When encoding into this format, the following processes are performed: unperceived components are removed from the signal, and the encoded audio signal is cleared of redundancy. After this, the data is processed according to the MDCT method according to its complexity. At the next stage, codes are added to correct various internal errors. Finally, the signal is transmitted or stored.
All the details
Interestingly, the AAC format has a sampling frequency in the range of 8-96 kHz, as well as a number of channels in the range of 1-48. MP3 uses a hybrid set of filters. In turn, AAC resorts to the Modified Discrete Cosine Transform with an increased window size, which reaches 2048 points.
Thus, AAC is much more suitable for encoding audio that has a stream of complex pulses as well as square waves, compared to MP3. The format has the ability to dynamically switch MDCT block lengths within the range of 2048-256 points. If there is a short or single change, a small 256 point window is applied to achieve better resolution. This defaults to a 2048-point large window to maximize encoding efficiency. AAC has a number of advantages over conventional MP3. Among them, it should be noted: the implementation of a large number of audio channels (up to 48), significant coding efficiency in conditions of constant and variable bitrates, as well as sampling frequencies ranging from 8 Hz to 96 kHz (for MP3 this figure ranges from 8 Hz to 48 kHz) and a more flexible special mode called Joint stereo. As for the AAC+ solution, this is a codec that is focused on working with low bitrates. It is a combination of SBR and AAC LC, due to which good sound is achieved already in the range of 32-48 kbps.
Free Download AAC Codec for Windows 10/8/7 etc, to Decode/Encode AAC on PC
AAC Codecs Available to Download for Windows 10/8/7 etc.
AAC codec can be a software library/project or a set of software tools for encoding or decoding AAC audio. Some AAC codecs can manage both AAC encoding and decoding, while some others can only decode AAC with the purpose of playback or conversion. So, what AAC codecs can we download for Windows 10/8/7 etc? Check the list below.
Nero AAC Codec
Supported OS: Windows, Linux
Type: Encoder/Decoder
License: Free
Download Link: https://www.videohelp.com/software/Nero-AAC-Codec
Nero AAC Codec, developed and distributed by Nero AG, is an all-in-one AAC encoder and decoder supporting MPEG-4 AAC LC, HE-AAC and HE-AACv2 with up to 96kHz sample rate and up to 6 channel (5.1 surround ). It is highly praised because it can output high-quality results with small size. This AAC codec gave its last update on February 18, 2010 with version 1.5.4.0. Although it is no longer a developer, it can run fine on Windows 10, 8, 7 and lower versions.
Fraunhofer FDK AAC
Supported OS: Android, Windows, macOS, Linux
Type: Encoder/Decoder
License: Liberal
Download Link: https://github.com/mstorsjo/fdk-aac
Fraunhofer FDK AAC is initially developed as an included AAC codec of Android and later expands to other platforms. It supports a wide range of AAC audio object types embracing MPEG-2/4 AAC LC, HE-AAC (AAC LC + SBR), HE-AACv2 (LC + SBR + PS) and AAC-LD/ELD. Audio files with sample rate ranging from 8kHz to 96kHz and up to 8 channels (7.1 surround) can be encoded using its encoding library. The source-code distribution Fraunhofer library named fdk-aac can be applied to other programs, for example HandBrake. >>Further Reading:
FAAC
Supported OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
Type: Encoder (FAAC)/Decoder (FAAD2)
License: Proprietary (FAAC)/Free (GNU General Public License Version 2 or Later for FADD2)
Download Link: http://www.audiocoding.com/downloads.html
FAAC AAC codec includes FAAC encoder and FAAD2 decoder. The former encoder is mainly used to generate AAC (MPEG-2/4 AAC) files from other formats while the later decoder can decode MPEG-2/4 AAC files with the support of audio object types LC, Main, LTP, SBR and PS . The library (libfaad) included in FAAD2 decoder can be used by other programs for AAC decoding, for example AAC ACM Codec.
Besides above codecs which specialize in AAC audio encoding and decoding on Windows, there are several comprehensive codec packs/libraries achieving the same purpose.
| Codec | Supported OS | License | Download |
| Windows, macOS, Linux | LGPL 2.1+, GPL 2+ | https://www.ffmpeg.org/download.html | |
| ffdshow | Windows XP and later | GNU General Public License 2.0 | https://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow-tryout/ |
| K-Lite Codec Pack | Windows XP and later | Free | https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm |
| Media Player Codec Pack | Windows 2003 or later | Free | http://www.mediaplayercodecpack.com/ |
The Smartest AAC Audio Downloader and Extractor – WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe
Quickly download AAC/MP3 music from SoundCloud, Audiomack and other music sites without losing quality.
Convert local and online (for example YouTube/Vevo music) videos to AAC or other audio formats like MP3, WMA, FLAC, ALAC, M4R, OGG, DTS etc, with hi-fi sound.
Related External Source from Wiki:
Audio codec - A device or computer program capable of coding or decoding a digital data stream of audio...
File extension: .m4a, .aac, .mp4
Technical characteristics of the most common AAC LC mode:
The format is part of the MPEG Audio standard ISO/IEC 13818-7. It was created by the German Fraunhofer IIS and represents a further development of the MP3 format.
The format itself is proprietary and requires the purchase of a license for commercial use.
Story
Development of the format began in 1994 through the joint efforts of Fraunhofer IIS, AT&T, Dolby and Sony. Only three years later the format became part of the MPEG standard as MPEG-2 AAC. With the subsequent development of the MPEG-4 audio standard, AAC was improved and improved.
In general terms, the chronology of the development of the format is as follows:
- 1997 - standardization MPEG-2 AAC-LC.
- 1999 - standardization MPEG-4 AAC-LC. Added PNS (Perceptual Noise Substitution) technology.
- 2003 - standardization MPEG-4 HE-AAC. Added SBR (Spectral Band Replication) technology.
- 2004 - standardization MPEG-4 HE-AAC v2. Added PS (Parametric Stereo) technology.
HE-AAC is a format aimed at low bitrates. The combination of AAC LC and SBR used in it gives good quality at bitrates from 32 to 48 kbit/s. Naturally, HE-AAC supports multi-channel and allows a wide choice of sampling rates. HE-AAC also known as aacPlus.
When combined with parametric stereo HE-AAC v2 provides good audio quality at bitrates of about 16 kbit/s for stereo. HE-AAC v2 also known as aacPlus v2.
Profiles
- LTP/Long Term Prediction, MPEG-4 only
Some profiles have low complexity, making them preferable for portable devices, but they also provide slightly lower quality. However, the most common profile at present is , since other more demanding profiles (Main, LTP) do not provide as much better quality as they are more demanding on computing resources.
Headings
There are 4 types of headings in AAC:
- LATM (Low-overhead MPEG-4 Audio Transport Multiplex)
- LOAS (Low overhead audio stream)
ADIF
This header format is intended for simple local storage, unlike ADTS and LATM/LOAS, which are intended for mobile AAC transmission.
ADTS
qaac
There is an open source implementation of a wrapper for AAC from Core Audio and ALAC called qaac from developer nu774, it only works on Windows. At the time of updating the article, this is the most current AAC codec.
Nero Digital Audio
Starting from the fifth version, the Nero package comes with an AAC codec. Now he is part of Nero Digital - a project about creating a new standard in the world of digital video and audio. Nero AAC can create two types of AAC: LC and HE. Low Complexity (LC) is a regular AAC standard, while High Efficiency (HE) uses SBR technology (similar to mp3PRO), and if the player understands this technology, then additional frequency information can be decoded, otherwise half the audio quality is lost during playback At the moment, the codec is significantly outdated and its quality is inferior to Apple's implementation. This codec is very convenient to use together with the dBpowerAMP Music Converter program and the corresponding codec for it (dBpowerAMP Nero MP4 Codec).
Advantages of Nero MPEG-4 AAC (LC profile):
- In all cases, the quality is noticeably higher than LAME MP3 at smaller file sizes.
- Low resource consumption compared to the latest versions of LAME MP3 (VBR/ABR).
Psytel AACenc and Fastenc
PsyTEL® FAST MPEG-2 AAC LC Encoder v2.0 (build Mar 4 2002) / Copyright © 1999-2001 PsyTEL Research / Copyright © 1999-2001 Ivan Dimkovich
The Yugoslav company Psytel Research has been working on improving the MPEG-2/4 AAC standard. It was founded around 1998 by programmer Ivan Dimkovich.
While the first version (1.0) was roughly a compilation of the ISO source codes, the quality began to increase quickly and, after some time, it was the only truly ISO optimized AAC encoder available to the public (versions from FhG and Dolby were only available to developers interested in improving their technologies). Liquifier was also available, but the data streams it created were encrypted.
By mid-2002, Psytel Research and all of its assets were purchased by Ahead Software GmbH., and AACEnc became Nero AAC Encoder.
FAAC (Freeware Advanced Audio Coder)
At the end of 1999, Menno Bakker opened the source codes of his developments and founded the FAAC (Freeware Advanced Audio Coder) project. The FAAD2 decoder is considered one of the best and fastest AAC decoders today. The FAAD2 (Freeware Advanced Audio Decoder) project has Copyright © 2003-2004 M. Bakker, Nero Software AG. Licensing must be obtained from Nero Software AG.
HomeBoy AAC
HomeBoy was the name of the group of programmers who created the first ISO publicly available AAC encoder for Windows back in 1998. They were also reportedly the creators of the first third-party plugin for Winamp (their AAC input plugin), thus making it available to the masses first ISO AAC decoder. The encoder is just a compilation of the original ISO-related source codes, so the quality was poor. But the interesting thing is that the data streams created by him are still decoded in modern decoders.
Versions
Dicas/zPlane Compaact!
AAC codec Compaact! was developed by German DSP engineer, Alexander Lerch. The release took place in 2003. The codec was well received upon release. It also contained some interesting features. There were three quality levels (from fast to high-quality encoding), it also supported Main profiles, it was possible to enable or disable technologies such as TNS or PNS, support for multi-channel encoding, some pre-processing operations and a very interesting pre-listening feature that allowed you to hear in real time how the compositions will sound after compression. For unknown reasons, the project was stopped in 2005.
Versions
MBsoft AAC
The project began around 1998, when German programmer Menno Bakker began his work on the AAC source code. Encoder mbaacenc was more or less a compilation of ISO source codes with a good front-end. A plugin for Winamp was also available.
At the end of 1999, Menno opened the source codes of his developments and founded the FAAC (Freeware Advanced Audio Coder) project. The project is still alive, and its decoder, FAAD2, is considered one of the best and fastest AAC decoders today.
I would like to introduce you to the same audio format as A.A.C..
What are the advantages of this AAC format over others, for example over mp3?
Up to 48 audio channels;
Greater encoding efficiency at both constant and variable bitrates;
Sampling rates from 8 Hz to 96 kHz (MP3: 8 Hz - 48 kHz);
More flexible Joint stereo mode.
> Simply put, AAC is not just a better format than others, but it also has advantages.
Do you still store your music in MP3 and LOSSLESS?
Our answer to this is AAC only! Judge for yourself: the largest social networks use this format in videos, which allows them to significantly save space on their hard drives. The format is supported by most modern phones that can play mp3, wma. For example, Nokia Corporation records standard ringtones found in their phones in AAC format. Are you still not convinced of its superiority? Then let's move on to the numbers...
When compressed from MP3 to 3GPP AAC+ format, the music file loses at least THREE times!
That is, we take a file with a sound bitrate of 320 kbps, and at the output we get a bitrate of 48 kbps. We count 320/48 = 6.666. That is, the MP3 file could potentially be reduced to SIX TIMES!
Now let’s imagine that your 40GB audio library stored in MP3 format will be reduced by three times 40/3=13! TOTAL THIRTEEN GB! At the same time, the sound quality WILL NOT HURT ANYTHING. If you doubt it, I’ll say this: I store all my music in AAC format, so three years ago I had a 40GB hard drive. Yes, yes, don't be surprised) So I started looking for ways to reduce my audio library. I didn’t want to delete the music, I just transferred everything to AAC. Of course, on my AMD 1500+ it happened in stages and not as quickly as I would have liked, but I did it!
Want more information?
Today, hard drive manufacturers are interested in having their product purchased. In this regard (believe it or not) you are forced to download more and more, store the greatest amount of information on your disks, in the most cumbersome file size. For example, Modern BluRay video formats. I don’t argue that if you have a giant screen, then you just have to use this format, but if you use regular monitors, up to 22", then tell me, why should you watch movies in a format whose image image is larger than your monitor?
What about LOSSLESS?
Guys, finally understand that this format was created for special use in those places where it is really necessary. For regular listening via a player on a computer HE'S NOT NEEDED! Lossless is h a waste of disk space. By ear, a person cannot perceive the difference between high-quality AAC and Lossless. Therefore, I recommend this format to you. Of course, you will immediately be suspicious, but... I would advise you to try this. And you will understand for yourself that you cannot find anything better!
What are the disadvantages of AAC?
I understand the benefits of this format, but how do I transcode my music?
I would advise you to use MediaCoder. This is a great encoder for your media files. Supports a huge number of formats, is free h paid.
How exactly to code?
2. Install in a couple of clicks, click Next>...
3. Open the folder with your music, drop it into MediaCoder and choose the format.
Apple iTunes is a software categorized as a media player computer application for playing, downloading, organizing and saving various files, which are digital audios and videos. There is also a feature that enables content managements from iPod models, iPad Touch, iPhone, and iPad. This software can be connected to the iTunes Store so a user can download or buy music, videos, audio books, ringtones or even games for iPod in just a click of a button. In fact, it allows the download of various applications via the App Store for some Apple devices, which are iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. The downside of this is that it does not enable music transfer from one device to another unit. This program is compatible for Apple's Mac OS X version 10.6.8 and other later versions, but also works for current Windows OS such as Windows 7, Windows XP and Windows Vista, then for the upcoming Windows 8. 
Apple iTunes Producer
Apple iTunes Producer
Apple iTunes Producer is a music management software that features assistance in preparing songs and other forms of audios for different applications and programs. It enables a user to encode music in AAC format type, provide details about a song, an album or a cover art, and send audio files to Apple. This same program is also used to publish books from using iBooks Author, which is an e-Book authoring software. This means that the iBooks Author must be also installed on the computer, along with iTunes and iTunes Producer in order to send any e-books you make. Anyway, whatever is sent to iTunes always require the registration or login of iTunes Connect account, which can be done in a few, quick seconds. Furthermore, iTunes Producer is handy and useful for individuals who like to create music that they want to sell and offer in iTunes for other users to buy and download. It is mostly used by aspiring musicians to sell their independent music to the world as a first step to get into the music industry. 
Nullsoft Winamp Media Player 5.6
Winamp Media Player 5.6 is a popular media player for Windows. This player was developed by Nullsoft and it allows users to play multimedia content such as audio and video. The software not only provides users with all the tools they need to organize their audio and video files but it also allows them to burn and rip CDs and even sync files from mobile devices. Winamp also features a playlist editor that allows users to create and manage their song lists as well as its media library effectively organizes all the audio and video files so that they can be located in one location. This software also has visualization where featuresin animated graphics can be displayed along with the music being played. This media player also comes with a customizable user interface wherein users can change skins, as well as it supports not only a large number of file formats but it also supports a lot of user-developed plug ins. 
Microsoft Windows Media Player
Windows Media Player Playlist (WPL) is a computer file format that keeps multimedia playlists for video and audio collections. It is an owned file format used in Microsoft Windows Media Player versions 9 to 12. The fundamentals of WPL files are represented in XML format. These .WPL files can be accessed and utilized by the Nullsoft Winamp Media Player 5.6 application version as well as the Roxio Creator 2012 program. WPL files are also known as Windows Media Player playlist files, which are indicated by the Microsoft Windows Media Player or the other media players with support for WPL files as reference data when users open these playlist files and begin to access the content stored in it. The top-level aspect specifies that the file"s elements go after the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) structure. The information contained in these WPL files are directory locations to the video files and audio content chose by the creator of the .WPL file , this enables the media player application to quickly and easily find and play the video and audio content from their directory locations. 
VideoLan VLC Media player
