On Fri, Aug 6, 2021 at 12:45 PM, Steve Matzura wrote:

I need to convert an M4A to something else--anything--WAV, MP3, OGG,
something I can play and manipulate in, say, Reaper. I thought Sound
Forge could do it, but not without installing the QuickTime plugin. If I
have to, I'll do that, but is it cool to do so? Does anything break by
doing that?


TIA

Steve, I hope I am replying to you propperly but I am using the web interface for Groups IO.

I use the recommended Quictime plugin with SF 11 with no problems, except loading of files can be slow at times, paurticularly if higher bit rates are used in their creation.(Seems Quicktime is no longer supported but is downloadable.)

I hear Goldwave in its demo mode can handle m4a files so that's another option.

Finally, I use Switch File converter which works very well but has to be paid for to do much seriously with it, but I use it a heck of a lot in processing a talking newspaper here in the UK.

Native conversion of m4a files is one reason I asked if its worth upgrading to SF 15 so any comments welcome on that one as well as its general accessability.

Ray.