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  1. #1

    Default Wav to uLaw conversion

    It's been a long time since I've had to do this conversion and I thought I'd done it in Sound Forge in the past. I just checked and it no longer an option in the "save as" drop down. How is this currently done. I'll have to save about 144 files as aLaw or uLaw.

    Thanks for your time and attention.
    -Bill
    " It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life … that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Bill Corkery Productions
    Studio for Creative Audio

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    1,509

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    Quote Originally Posted by bcorkery View Post
    It's been a long time since I've had to do this conversion and I thought I'd done it in Sound Forge in the past. I just checked and it no longer an option in the "save as" drop down. How is this currently done. I'll have to save about 144 files as aLaw or uLaw.

    Thanks for your time and attention.
    -Bill
    This can do uLaw.
    https://www.tpx.com/support/using-au...ave-wav-files/
    ---------------------------------------
    Philip G.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Central Point, Oregon
    Posts
    1,960

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    I've had to do that once or twice as well, and it's always a little squirelly. I'm still on SF 10, but in the "Custom" options for wav files I still see 'CCITT' u-law and A-law in the 'Format' dropdown menu. It's been awhile so I can't remember what procedure I followed, but the fact that they're actually wav files does ring a bell.

    I always hated doing these, even as phone prompts, because they sound absolutely atrocious.

    Edit: Ah, and Philip's link to the Audacity process would seem to confirm that.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    Thanks guys. Yes they sound really bad until you hear 'em over the phone, surprisingly!
    " It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life … that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Bill Corkery Productions
    Studio for Creative Audio

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Portland, Maine U.S.A.
    Posts
    2,430

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    I use Audition for this and it can do batch conversions. I believe it is also a special format in the wav file options.
    Michael McInnis Productions

  6. #6

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    My answer is probably too late, but try NCH's "Switch." I use it to convert .wav's to CCITT u-Law (8 khz/8-bit/mono) all the time for telephone Message-On-Hold programs. As others have mentioned, the converted file sounds awful over speakers, but just fine over the phone.

    If it's MOH you are producing, you might find that you also have to shave a little volume off the top, perhaps about 15%, to achieve the best results. Audacity, or even NCH's "Wave Pad" are good for this.

    Very important: Because both your original file and your converted u-Law file will both be .wav's, some conversion programs (including Switch) will overwrite the original when it makes the conversion. Unless you make a copy of the original and file it away safely, you may end up with the crappy sounding u-Law file as your only copy!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Portland, Maine U.S.A.
    Posts
    2,430

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    The conversion in Audition is superior to that in Audacity and a few others I tried. Because I can connect to a phone patch, I was able to test a number of conversions in actual use before delivery. The lower quality converter softwares were very splatty on esses and quite annoying for long listens.
    Last edited by MMP; 06-28-2018 at 04:43 PM.
    Michael McInnis Productions

  8. #8

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    sox is the tool for this. I use it in linux but I think there is a windows port and probably gui wrappers...

  9. #9

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    I could not get the Windows version of SOX to open on my computer.

    Regarding Audition, it appears to be $20/month to use it. Having produced audio for telephones for 34 years, I have to say that I have never noticed a problem with "lower quality converter softwares" when it comes to compressing to u-Law. If you know how to properly EQ the tracks before you squash them down to the pigeon duty that is u-Law, you will achieve perfectly acceptable results with any converter you use. I say pay once (or get a free version of Switch) and you will be fine.

    That's just me, but if it carries any weight, I will tell you that I have produced telephone on-hold spots for some of the largest corporations in America and they have never had a bad word to say about my CCITT u-Law conversions.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Wav to uLaw conversion

    Thank you all for this information. As it turns out, the client wanted to transcode the 16/44.1 wave files himself! I did a test run with Sound Forge and it seemed to work fine. I don't have Audition so I can't compare it to the SF conversion.

    Thanks again & have a happy and safe Independence Day!
    " It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life … that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Bill Corkery Productions
    Studio for Creative Audio

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