Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

WavPack VS xACT

Compare WavPack VS xACT and see what are their differences

WavPack logo WavPack

WavPack is a completely open audio compression format providing lossless, high-quality lossy, and a...

xACT logo xACT

xACT stands for X Audio Compression Toolkit.
  • WavPack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-20
  • xACT Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10

WavPack features and specs

  • Lossless Compression
    WavPack provides efficient lossless compression, preserving the original audio quality without any loss in data.
  • Hybrid Mode
    WavPack offers a unique hybrid mode, where audio is compressed into both a lossy file and a correction file, enabling users to choose between reduced file size or full lossless quality.
  • Open Source
    WavPack is open-source software, allowing developers to freely modify and distribute the code, fostering community involvement and software transparency.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    WavPack is supported on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, enhancing its accessibility and usability across different systems.
  • High Compression Ratio
    WavPack achieves relatively high compression ratios, which helps in reducing storage requirements while maintaining audio fidelity.

Possible disadvantages of WavPack

  • Limited Hardware Support
    Compared to more established formats like MP3 and AAC, WavPack has limited support on hardware devices, which may restrict playback options.
  • Less Popularity
    WavPack is less well-known compared to other audio formats, potentially resulting in less community support and fewer resources for troubleshooting.
  • Lack of DRM Support
    WavPack does not support Digital Rights Management (DRM), which might be a drawback for users or content providers who require such functionality for copyright protection.
  • Larger File Size in Hybrid Mode
    While the hybrid mode offers both lossy and lossless versions of a file, the combined file size is larger than a purely lossy format.

xACT features and specs

  • Feature Rich
    xACT provides a comprehensive set of tools for working with lossless audio files, including decoding, encoding, and metadata editing.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    It offers a straightforward and intuitive interface that is accessible for both beginners and advanced users, making audio file conversion and editing simple.
  • Free to Use
    xACT is available free of charge, providing a cost-effective solution for users who need robust audio conversion and editing tools.
  • Active Maintenance
    The software continues to receive updates, ensuring compatibility with new audio file formats and operating system versions.

Possible disadvantages of xACT

  • MacOS Only
    xACT is only available for MacOS, which limits its use for those using other operating systems like Windows or Linux.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While it covers the basics well, xACT might lack some advanced features present in specialized or professional audio editing software.
  • Community Support
    As a free tool, xACT might rely more on community support rather than a dedicated support team, which could be a limitation for resolving specific user issues.

WavPack videos

DX7 Drums Wavpack download (VCR-104)

xACT videos

WP XACT PRO FORK REVIEW NEW!!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WavPack and xACT)
Audio Player
70 70%
30% 30
Product Presentation
49 49%
51% 51
Audio & Music
68 68%
32% 32
Video
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using WavPack and xACT. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, xACT seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

WavPack mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of WavPack yet. Tracking of WavPack recommendations started around Mar 2021.

xACT mentions (6)

  • Useful built-in macOS command-line utilities
    > afconvert See also XACT[1]. It's a macOS GUI, but it's nerd-friendly. [1] http://xact.scottcbrown.org. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Converting FLAC files to ALAC to play on Apple Music, macOS, how?
    I suggest xACT (http://xact.scottcbrown.org/), that is actually a GUI for a bunch of open source applications. Easy to use and it just works. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Need Suggestions For an Audio File Converter on Mojave?
    I use xACT for most of my audio needs. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Help to digitalize my CD collection
    Did the same on my Mac years ago: 1) ALAC, 2) XLD or xACT (http://xact.scottcbrown.org), 3) Apple USB CD (if you can find it somewhere). Source: about 3 years ago
  • Plexamp Desktop Playback Issue / Bug?
    Hmm. If you're on Mac maybe try xACT. My process is copy the AIFF files directly from the disc in Finder to my desktop and then drag those into the app in the encode tab with Apple Lossless checked for ALAC. Haven't had an issue since I've been doing it that way. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing WavPack and xACT, you can also consider the following products

FLAC - A free, open source codec for lossless audio compression and decompression

X Lossless Decoder - X Lossless Decoder (XLD) is a tool for Mac OS X that is able to decode/convert/play various...

Opus Interactive Audio Codec - Opus is a totally open, royalty-free, highly versatile audio codec.

Flacon - Flacon extracts individual tracks from one big audio file containing the entire album of music and...

Vorbis - Ogg Vorbis is a fully open, general-purpose compressed audio format for mid to high quality...

Multi frontend - Multi frontend is a Windows GUI (grafical user interface) for the following console audio...