How to import 16 kHz and 40 kHz MP3 podcasts?

[Pat Coghlan]

Each week I've been downloading MP3 podcasts that are recorded with 16 kHz and 40 kHz sampling rates (see http://www.europac.net/radioshow_archives.asp and http://www.financialsense.com/fsn/main.html). These used to play fine directly on my iPAQ hx4700 (but is rather bulky to carry around) without conversion, but the Sony NW-E403 is smaller and it's a hand-me-down from my 14 year-old who just got an iPod nano. Deal was: I pay for the shipping and she pays for the iPod...and I get her NW-E403.

Sonicstage won't import the 16 kHz MP3 files at all and I'm not sure what conversion I should specify for the 40 kHz files. The NW-E403 seems to fill up pretty fast if I convert to 128 kHz. Does it even make sense to convert to something above the encoded rate?

What freeware will convert the sampling rate within an MP3 file?

[Shinji Ikeda]

We would like to know what version of SonicStage that you have. It is suggested that you use SonicStage 4.2 or 4.3. These version support the audio files that you want to listen. However, you may require to transcode to higher bit rates in ATRAC inorder from them to be supported.

With the NW-E400 series they also support drag and drop play back for MP3 files, with MP3 File Manager.

The NW-E400 series players will only support limited MP3 formats.

[Pat Coghlan]

I have SonicStage 4.3. It refuses to import the 16 kHz MP3 files, but will import the 40 kHz MP3 files.

Sonic Stage will transfer the 40 kHz file without conversion, but then the NW-E403 indicates CANNOT PLAY, or something similar. If I convert it to 66 kHz ATRAC3 etc., it plays okay. I guess there's no audio benefit to converting it to a higher sampling rate (e.g. from 40 to 192 kHz).

[Shinji Ikeda]

I was able to download and install the lastest podcast from the link that was provided at 40kbps. The sound quality was not the best, but it worked. From what I remember that the NW-E400 series only support MP3 playback with MP3 file manager. MP3 have to be converted to ATRAC for playback on the NW-E400 series.

The only advantage to convert the MP3 files to higher bit rate is the ability for playback on the NW-E400 series. However, there are other programs that can be used other than SonicStage such as GYM.

The lowest bit rate that SonicStage supports is 40kbps. You will be required to use either ATRACs.