Free online FLAC to MPC converter

Some older players and music applications accept Musepack but not FLAC, requiring conversion for playback or compatibility. Musepack can also reduce file size when lossless preservation is not required, but the original FLAC should be retained.

What the FLAC format is

FLAC, or Free Lossless Audio Codec, compresses PCM audio without discarding information; decoding reproduces the original samples bit-for-bit. It is commonly used for CD rips, music downloads, editing sources, and archival copies. Exact Audio Copy, foobar2000, fre:ac, Audacity, and many CD-ripping programs can create or handle FLAC files.

What the MPC format is

MPC, usually called Musepack, is a lossy format designed for high-quality music compression. It normally creates smaller files than FLAC by removing audio information judged less audible by the encoder. Musepack support is much narrower than support for MP3, AAC, or FLAC, so check the target player or application before converting.

How to convert the files

Using 101convert: Open the FLAC-to-MPC converter on 101convert.com, add the FLAC file, select MPC as the output format, start the conversion, and download the resulting .mpc file. This option requires no installed software. Use a converter that explicitly preserves tags if artist, album, track number, and cover-art metadata must be retained.

Using fre:ac: Add the FLAC files, select Musepack or MPC as the encoder, choose a quality setting and output folder, then start the job. In foobar2000, select the tracks and choose Convert → …; select an installed Musepack encoder, configure its quality, and run the conversion. The encoder may need to be installed separately.

Using command-line tools: Install FFmpeg and the Musepack encoder mpcenc from trusted desktop software sources. Decode the source to a temporary WAV file:

ffmpeg -i "input.flac" "temporary.wav"

Encode that WAV with Musepack:

mpcenc --quality 7 "temporary.wav" "output.mpc"

Musepack quality values are encoder settings, not fixed bitrates; higher values generally increase file size and retain more audible detail. Run mpcenc --help because option syntax can differ between encoder versions. Test output.mpc in the intended player, then delete the temporary WAV if it is no longer needed.

Quality and compatibility limits

FLAC-to-MPC conversion is a lossless-to-lossy conversion. Converting the MPC back to FLAC cannot restore information removed during encoding, so keep the original FLAC for archival, editing, or later conversions. Avoid repeated lossy conversions.

The intermediate WAV contains uncompressed audio but may not carry the FLAC file's tags or embedded artwork. A converter with direct metadata handling is preferable for large libraries; otherwise, retag the MPC files after conversion. WAV does not add audio quality—it only provides the PCM input expected by many Musepack encoders.