Hi.
I am trying to convert an audiobook from mp3 to m4b format. I’ve initially tried to merge the files with a program called merge mp3, but this didnt work as the output was only 12 hours long. The total play time of the audiobook is 31 hours.
I also tried some dedicated converter software, this also failed. I suspect the problem is the amount of files (495 mp3 files).
Now i turned to audacity, thinking it must be able to handle all this, but the only way i know of merging audio in Audacity is to manually put the sound on the same track, but with 495 tracks this would take too long!
Is there a funktion to do it for me, or does anybody know some software that could help me in this situation?
No Audacity can’t do that, but why do you want to merge 495 mp3 files into one file? Can’t you just use a “playlist”
Audacity “can” import files such that if the files are named earliest first, you can use Tracks > Align Tracks > Align End to End to join them into one track in correct order.
That is the theory, but you need the computer resources to do it, including up to 75 GB of disk space to allow Audacity to expand the files to PCM and undo the align.
Gale
By merging them i can create a m4b file, which itunes sees as an actual audiobook file. This makes it possible to seperate my audiobooks from my music on my phone.
It is possible to make a playlist, but i will end up having a mix of audiobook files and music when i listen to regular music.
I tried to do this, but i felt like the funktion didn’t do anything. Discspace is not an issue, and wuouldnt think either CPU or ram would be an issue either (8gig of ram and i7 haswell procesor?)
and by the way the files are named correctly starting at 0101 ending with 26xx
Why, if you put the audiobook MP3 files in their own playlist folder?
What exactly happened? Did you see an error message, if so what did it say?
Did you do Edit > Select > All before the Align End to End command?
Gale
It seemed the funktion did nothing. Maybe this is due to my impatience, i will try it again and let the program work a bit longer
I tried it again, and it seemed i forgot to mark it the first time. I think i got evrything working, and am trying to export the file now (a 3 hour long process 
) thank you for the help, its really appreciated 
And about the playlist, maybe it is possible to seperate, but i am not using itunes normally. I only use it to transfer stuff to my phone, and therefore am not so familiar with all the functions. But i like the m4b file best anyways so the problem is solved 
Thanks again