Top 5 mp3 Converters ???

Just caught this on Digg.
With so much voiceover being done over mp3, it's getting more and more complicated to explain to actors what they need to do to send us auditions. With so many people on Mac, fewer and fewer seem to understand that an .aac/.aiff/.m4a is NOT the same thing as an .mp3. Love it or hate it, .mp3 pretty much plays well with everyone (except GarageBand apparently).

SO, I'm constantly on the lookout for software that will make this easier. Coming across this article from CoolUtils.com, there are some excellent recommendations for mp3 converters here, but I'm a little non-plussed by this major FUD paragraph here:

"But first a little word of warning. MP3 files, and MP3 converting, is extremely popular right now. While that does tend to open up the market to an array of different products for you to choose from, it also attracts the less desirable people as well. The kind of people that would just as soon give your computer a virus than a good MP3 converter. That being said I am going to suggest that you do not deal with what is advertised as free MP3 converters. Most of these products offer a free trial and that should be more than enough for you to convert some files and find the software you like. But a free MP3 converter is an invitation for a devious person to get a dangerous, and destructive virus, on to your computer. That isn’t to say that an MP3 converter you pay for couldn’t also cause you problems, but a company that is taking your money from their own website is a little less likely to destroy your computer than an anonymous company offering you something for free."

Whoa there! I have to say this would exclude people from a huge wealth of software out there, like say open source software. I'm a really big fan of programs like Audacity and CDex, because they're easy to use, and the price is right. Audacity especially since it'll play well with both Mac and PC (Sound Forge and Audition I'm looking in your general direction).

So check out the list, but don't write off a program just because it's free. If you're really worried about giving it a spin, maybe google for a review or something...
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New Audio Converter Released Today

The new Arial Audio Converter has been released today, and you can download a demo from CNet.

From their page:
"Audio Converter can convert audio formats among MP3, WMA, OGG, MP2, WAV (PCM, DSP, GSM, and ADPCM), G721, G723, G726, VOX, ALAW, and ULAW formats. You can convert files in batches regardless of their source formats and target formats. The program supports VBRs of MP3 and OGG formats, drag and drop, and allows playback with its built-in player."

Now the demo is free, but for the life of me I can't figure out how much the license is, and the Xrlly page seems to be down.

If you just want to convert from CD or .wav to .mp3, then check out CDex. It's ugly, hasn't been updated in years, and is totally free. I like it!

***UPDATE***

WOAH! There's a new CDex BETA!!!
I've been using 1.51 forever!
Downloading 1.71 now...
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