HCOM to MAUD Converter

Transcode Macintosh HCOM into Amiga MAUD format

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Mac to Amiga Audio

Bridge two classic computing platforms — convert Macintosh HCOM to Amiga MAUD for retro computing and preservation work.

Online Encoding

No vintage hardware needed. The conversion processes on our cloud servers from any modern web browser.

Secure and Private

Uploaded HCOM files are removed immediately. MAUD results are cleaned from servers within 24 hours.

How to convert HCOM to MAUD

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose maud or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your maud file right afterwards

About formats

HCOM is a Huffman-coded audio format from the early Macintosh era, designed to shrink digitized sound for distribution on floppy disks and bulletin board systems when storage was precious and modems were slow. The encoder takes 8-bit unsigned PCM input, computes a frequency table of sample-delta values, and builds an optimal Huffman tree that replaces common deltas with short bit sequences. Compression ratios of 2:1 or better were typical for speech recordings, a meaningful saving when a 3.5-inch floppy held only 800 KB. Files were distributed as Macintosh resource forks and played through utilities like SoundApp and the BinHex ecosystem that defined Mac software exchange in the late 1980s. The format supported sample rates up to 22.255 kHz, matching the output capabilities of original Macintosh sound hardware. Tools such as SoX retain HCOM decoding support, ensuring that archived recordings remain accessible decades later. HCOM holds three practical advantages for preservation work: lossless compression that recovers the original samples exactly, a self-contained Huffman table embedded in each file for dependency-free decoding, and historical prevalence across thousands of vintage Mac sound archives.
Developer: Apple Computer
Initial release: 1985
MAUD is an audio file format developed by MacroSystem for the Commodore Amiga platform, introduced in the early 1990s as part of their digital video and audio production tools. Built on the Amiga IFF (Interchange File Format) chunk architecture, MAUD files organize data into clearly delineated chunks — MHDR for the header, MDAT for sample data, and optional annotation chunks for metadata. The format supports mono and stereo layouts with bit depths of 8 or 16 bits and sample rates up to 48 kHz, which represented professional-grade specifications on Amiga hardware. Both signed linear PCM and A-law/mu-law encodings are available, offering a choice between fidelity and file size. MAUD saw primary use in the Amiga video production community, where MacroSystem Retina and VLab Motion boards demanded synchronized audio that the standard 8SVX format could not deliver. Conversion support exists today through SoX and libsndfile, ensuring vintage Amiga productions remain recoverable. Three distinct advantages stand out: clean IFF-based structure that any chunk-aware parser can navigate, 16-bit stereo capability ahead of typical Amiga audio, and lightweight overhead that left maximum CPU headroom for video rendering.
Initial release: 1992

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MAUD format?

MAUD is an Amiga audio format that supports 16-bit stereo audio — more capable than the older 8SVX format from the same platform.

Why convert HCOM to MAUD?

Converting bridges classic Macintosh audio to the Amiga platform. Useful for retro computing and cross-platform audio preservation projects.

What software handles MAUD?

SOX is the primary modern tool for MAUD files. Amiga emulators and original Amiga audio software also support this format.

Is MAUD better than 8SVX?

MAUD supports 16-bit depth and stereo, while 8SVX is limited to 8-bit mono. MAUD is the more capable Amiga audio format.

Is the process secure?

HCOM files are erased after conversion. MAUD outputs are deleted from servers within 24 hours automatically.