I want to convert 5.700 .m4a (apple lossless) files which I have bought from an old disco remix label on hard disc to .wav with the batch process in Wavelab 8 on Windows 7, 64-bit …
But the batch convert doesn’t want .m4a.
In the manual I’ve read with Quicktime installed it works - but only on 32-bit …
Is this correct and/or any other recommended solution?
Thanks a lot.
Ok, just found it. 
foobar2000 does it perfectly.
Also transfers included pictures and other tags - except BPM but that is not important and re-calcable with Serato.
foobar2000 is only slow. One file, one file, one file …
Wavelab8 batch processor would convert a file for each processor. In my case 4 files or 8 (on my new laptop) instead of one.
Sad that Wavelab8 (under Windows 7, 64-bit) can not convert .m4a to .wav, etc. in batch. 
Why not install WL8 32-bit on your Win7? Makes no difference in the resulting files, and if you have no other use for it anymore you either uninstall or wind back to a Windows restore point.
Thanks Arjan, I’m a moron. 
Can I install (not run) the 32-bit and 64-bit version of WL8 on Windows 7, 64-bit, together?
Will I have problems after uninstalling the 32-bit version?
Maybe it is better I install the 32-bit version on my laptop - has 8 cores and should be much faster too (depending on hard discs). 
Yes, that should be no problem. I used to have WL7 in both versions on my Win7 PC, and uninstalled the 32-bit version to just have WL6-32, WL7-64 and WL8-64 - I have no reason anymore to hold on to WL7 so I might just uninstall that too.
No guarantees ofcourse, but on my PC, nothing was affected on the other WL installation(s) - not sure whether WL6/8 were already installed at the time.
I’ve just installed Wavelab 8 (32-bit) and Quicktime 7.7.4 on my Windows 8 laptop.
Converting is running superb with all 8 cores - only at the beginning …
I noticed that Wavelab 8 permanently swaps between the windows “Operation in progress …” and “Batch Conversation” and bring the one or the other always on top. Seems to be a bug in Wavelab 8 (maybe only with m4a files - didn’t had this problem with 10000 .wav to .mp3).
When starting with "Operation in progress … " window - not with the first files(!) - then all 8 cores are not used anymore - only one file after the other. Seems to be another bug.
Also I miss the output of the converted file to the source folder. But with the tags stored in the file I’m able to re-create the original directory structure with Tag & Rename, etc.
A follow-up problem of only one output folder is that duplicate file names (unique in each sub directory) have to be renamed before this batch starts.
However - after ~ 50 minutes 650 files have been converted and is still running without any problems.
A follow-up problem of only one output folder is that duplicate file names (unique in each sub directory) have to be renamed before this batch starts.
There are options to output to different folders, according to the source’s folder name. For instance:
Philippe
Hi Philippe
thanks but I don’t know from where you have taken the screen shot.
The Wavelab 8 Batch Processor only allows these settings on my Windows 7 PC:
Select destination folder
Reveal in Windows Explorer
Create folder
See screen shot:
I take the picture from the batch processor workspace of WaveLab.
Ok - thanks a lot - never used this. 
Have to learn how to add/convert the files … and where the save options is.
Wavelab 8 batch conversion didn’t copy the tags from a .m4a to a .wav file (as for .wav to .mp3). So I am not able to re-create the correct order of the directory structure from the tags …
I will convert again - but with foobar2000.
foobar2000 isn’t much slower. I just noticed it is using all 4 cores from my PC.
All tags & graphics will be copied too from .m4a to .wav.
Job has been started … should take 9 h 30m - I will go sleep in the meantime.
To batch convert M4A to WAV with all tags & graphics, you may prefer to this step by step guide on how to convert M4A to WAV on Mac and Windows.
It also helps you convert M4A to MP3, AC3, WMA, DTS, CAF, AIFF, FLAC, etc.
I use iDealshare VideoGo to convert M4A to WAV or convert WAV to M4A.
I prefer its batch conversion function and convert audio files with no loss of audio qulaitu, tags, and graphics
It even can split M4A to WAV or merge several M4A to WAV.
More exciting, it can convert between M4A, WAV, FLAC, APE, AIFF, MP3, WMA, AAC, DTS, CAF, AC3, Opus and etc.
It has both Mac and Windows version.
You may find it at M4A to WAV - How to Convert M4A to WAV on Mac and Windows?
HI
I think the other way is to use some kind of third-party converter software to solve this, so maybe you can use them for convert m4a to wav or to MP3, or ACC and then you can play the music files.
best
