A short instruction on how to burn audio CDs from downloaded MP3 files


Most burning programs are able to burn MP3 files directly onto an audio CD without prior conversion. If your burning program does not support this function you will have to convert the MP3 files into CD format before burning. This can be done with one of the freeware programs which are available for free download from the Internet. One is the "N-Koder" that can be started for free for the first 100 times (after that, it is 20.00 USD). Just google to find this as well as other MP3 tools. If you are using an up-to-date burning program you will not need to do this.


This is how it works with Nero Express:

  1. Start ("StartSmart") Nero Express.

  2. Click on the audio (note) icon at the top.

  3. Click on the Compile audio CD button in menu below.

  4. In the window that opens, click on Add.

  5. Another window will open where you can choose the files you wish to burn: first pick the folder in which you have stored the MP3 files you want to burn. Then mark these files in the file list by clicking on them. BTW, you can choose several files at a time by keeping the [Ctrl key pressed while clicking on the files (just like in the Windows Explorer).

  6. Confirm your choice by clicking the Add and the

  7. Finish button on the bottom right side.

    For every addition Nero will automatically calculate the total playing time and show it in the first window. Depending on your blank CD you can burn a maximum of 80 minutes (700 MB blank CD) or 74 minutes (650 MB blank CD) on one CD. If you picked too many files you need to reduce your shortlist accordingly by removing some tracks Delete button on the top right side – what will be deleted is only the burning selection, NOT the file on your hard drive ;-)

  8. Note: please make sure to tick No pause between the tracks on the bottom right because otherwise tracks that go together (such as "praeludium and fugue" where the echo of the final chord passes into the beginning of the fugue) will be torn apart by a pause!

  9. Proceed button on the bottom right side.

  10. In the burning window that will open now the writing speed should be set as low as possible since in general CDs that have been burned at high speed will not last that long and may cause trouble when played.

  11. As a final step click the Burn button on the bottom right.


Nero standard version:

If you prefer the Nero standard interface you proceed much as you would when you compile an audio CD from WAV files (MP3 files will be automatically converted into the WAV format before burning). When all tracks have been selected and shown in the burning window you have to mark all tracks of the list ex cept for the first one and call up the Edit – Properties menu. There you set the default pause to zero (all files except for the first one). Then you can start burning.


Sound quality in MP3 files:

Different from other music portals, the MP3 files available here have been generated with a bitrate of 320 kBit/sec. This means that their sound quality should almost equals that of the original CD (blind tests have shown that with this bitrate, no one was able to distinguish which was the original CD and which the MP3 file). So it does actually make sense to burn the downloaded files on audio CD.


Naming the MP3 files (format: PPP_ccccc-nn_tt.mp3)

The first three characters PPP serve as acronyms for the publisher, the following number ccccc for the CD number, the next two digits nn indicate the number of the CD in a set (in CDs not part of a set this will be 00), and the final two digits tt indicate the running number of the track on the CD.


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