Free online WAVE to AU converter

Source format: wave

WAVE (usually seen as .wav) is a widely used uncompressed audio format developed by Microsoft and IBM. It is common in recording, editing, mastering, archiving, and audio production because it preserves full audio quality and is supported by most operating systems and media tools. A WAV file often contains PCM audio, but it can also store other codecs depending on the application.

Target format: au

AU (usually .au) is an older audio container format originally associated with Sun Microsystems and Unix systems. It is simple, lightweight, and still recognized by many audio tools, especially in legacy or Unix-oriented workflows. AU files are typically used for basic audio exchange, compatibility with older software, and simple sound playback. Compared with WAV, AU is less common today and usually offers fewer modern features.

How to perform the conversion

The most reliable way to convert WAV to AU is with a desktop audio tool such as Audacity or a command-line utility like FFmpeg. If you want a quick browser-based option, you can also convert the file on 101convert.com for free without installing any software.

Method 1: Audacity

1. Open Audacity.
2. Import the WAV file with File → Open or File → Import → Audio.
3. Check the project audio settings if needed, especially the sample rate.
4. Choose File → Export → Export Audio.
5. Select AU as the output format if it is available in your version of Audacity.
6. Save the file with a .au extension.

Method 2: FFmpeg

FFmpeg is often the best choice when you want a fast and precise conversion. A typical command is:

ffmpeg -i input.wav output.au

If you need to control the audio encoding more explicitly, FFmpeg can also be used to set sample rate or codec parameters depending on the AU variant supported by your workflow.

Method 3: 101convert.com

1. Open the 101convert.com converter page for WAV to AU.
2. Upload your .wav file.
3. Start the conversion.
4. Download the resulting .au file.

Notes on quality, compatibility, or limitations

WAV to AU is usually a lossless container conversion only if the audio encoding remains uncompressed and compatible; however, in practice, AU support can be more limited than WAV support. Some AU tools expect specific encodings such as 8-bit μ-law or A-law, while others accept PCM. That means the converted file may need resampling or re-encoding to match the target player or system.

Because AU is an older format, it may not preserve all metadata that WAV files can carry, such as extensive tags or broadcast information. Also, some modern editors and players handle WAV much better than AU, so conversion is mainly useful when you specifically need legacy Unix compatibility or a simpler audio container.

If the source WAV is high-resolution or uses uncommon channel layouts, check whether the target AU tool supports those settings. For best compatibility, keep the audio simple: mono or stereo, standard sample rates, and widely supported encoding.