Online MP2 Converter - Convert Audio to MP2 Format

Convert your audio files to the MP2 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer II) format using our free online converter. MP2 is an older lossy audio codec, a predecessor to MP3, still used in some digital radio (DAB) and television (DVB) broadcasting standards, and formerly on Video CDs. Convert from WAV, MP3, FLAC, etc., to MP2. Our service is secure (files removed after 1 hour), free, and requires no registration.

How to Convert Files to MP2 Online

Creating MP2 audio files is straightforward:

Upload Source Audio: Select or drag and drop your audio or video file into the upload area.
Select Output Format: Choose MP2 from the 'Convert to:' dropdown menu.
Convert: Click the 'Convert' button to start the MP2 encoding.
Download: Download your MP2 file once the process is complete.

What is an MP2 File?

MP2 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer II, sometimes incorrectly called Musicam) is a lossy audio compression format defined by the ISO/IEC 11172-3 standard, alongside MP1 and MP3. It was a dominant standard for audio perceptual coding in the early 1990s before MP3 gained widespread popularity for consumer applications.

MP2 achieves compression by exploiting perceptual limitations of human hearing, similar to MP3 but using a simpler algorithm. While less efficient than MP3 (requiring higher bitrates for similar quality, e.g., 256 kbps or 384 kbps for high quality), its lower complexity made it suitable for broadcasting hardware of the era. It remains a standard codec for DAB digital radio and DVB digital television systems in many regions. Files typically use the .mp2 extension.

MP2 Features and Comparison

Broadcasting Standard: Still actively used in Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB). Formerly used on Video CD (VCD).
Lossy Compression: Permanently discards some audio data to reduce file size.
Efficiency: Less efficient than MP3, AAC, Vorbis, or Opus. Requires higher bitrates (typically 192-384 kbps) for good quality.
Complexity: Simpler algorithm than MP3, which was an advantage for early hardware implementations.
Compatibility: Good support in professional broadcasting equipment and software media players that aim for broad compatibility (like VLC, FFmpeg-based players). Less common for consumer music distribution today.

How to Open an MP2 File

MP2 files can be played by many software media players:

VLC Media Player (Cross-platform)
Windows Media Player (Should support it, especially newer versions)
Winamp (Windows)
Foobar2000 (Windows)
Players based on FFmpeg or GStreamer libraries.
Professional audio/video software dealing with broadcast streams.

While not as common as MP3 for personal music collections, playback support on desktop software players is generally quite good.

Explore Specific Converters

Need detailed information or want to set a different default format? Visit our specific converter pages: