fre:ac is a multimedia application that converts audio files between different file formats. Considered as one of the most popular audio converters on the market today, it not only supports popular formats but also the more obscure ones. More than that, it also doubles as a CD ripper, allowing you to rip audio CDs and convert them into a format playable on various devices. All these helpful features and professional capabilities are available for free. 

What fre:ac offers

For a free app, fre:ac has a remarkable ability to convert among a plethora of audio formats. As mentioned, it not only supports ubiquitous files, such as MP3 and WAV, but it also allows you to work with less common yet still useful formats like OGG, FLAC, and VORBIS. It even supports Bonk-related formats. More than that, it also comes with multi-core optimized encoders, which speed up the conversion on some modern PCs. 

What sets it apart from others though is its integrated CD ripper feature. The software can rip audio from CDs and convert them into the format of your choice. It works both ways though, allowing you to burn music files into CDs too. It is also worth noting that the app can access the CDBC and freedb databases, allowing you to find artists and title information, resulting in easier mp3 tag editing.

fre:ac offers professional-level control of its output files. It does not lock your converted files into a preset or a one-size-fits-all output. Instead, it lets you specify the bitrate and quality of your file. However, despite its impressive range of features, the app’s design is not what you would call top-notch. Its interface is not intuitive at first glance due to its outdated and bare-bones appearance.

More than meets the eyes

Despite its less than elegant dressing, fre:ac is a good—if not better—option if you are looking for a free yet reliable audio converter. The app not just offers fast audio conversion between various formats but also comes integrated with a CD-ripping feature. More so, it has an impressive array of customization features and advanced options, allowing it to cater to even the most exigent of users out there.