---
name: "faad"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "faad2"
version: "2.11.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/faad"
---

# faad(1)

Process an Advanced Audio Codec stream

## NAME

faad — Process an Advanced Audio Codec stream

## SYNOPSIS

**faad** \[options\] \[-w \| -o \<output\_filename\> \| -a \<output\_filename\>\] input\_filename

## DESCRIPTION

This utility provides a command line interface to libfaad2. This program reads in MPEG‐4 AAC files, processes, and outputs them in either Microsoft WAV, MPEG‐4 AAC ADTS, or standard PCM formats.

## OPTIONS

- **-a** *\<filename\>***, --adtsout** *\<filename\>*

  Sets the processing to output to the specified file in MPEG‐4 AAC ADTS format

- **-b** *\<number\>***, --bits** *\<number\>*

  Set the output (individual) sample format. The number takes one of the following values:

  1: 16‐bit PCM data (default).\
   2: 24‐bit PCM data.\
   3: 32‐bit PCM data.\
   4: 32‐bit floating‐point data.\
   5: 64‐bit floating‐point data.

- **-d , --downmix**

  Set the processing to downsample from 5.1 (surround sound and bass) channels to 2 channels (stereo).

- **-f** *\<number\>***, --format** *\<number\>*

  Set the output file format. The number takes one of the following values:

  1: Microsoft WAV format (default).\
   2: Raw PCM data.

- **-g**

  Disable sample-accurate gapless decoding (output un-trimmed raw PCM).

- **-h , --help**

  Shows a usage summary.

- **-i , --info**

  Shows information about the about the input file.

- **-l** *\<number\>***, --objecttype** *\<number\>*

  Sets the MPEGpe for the processing to use. The number takes one of the following values:

  1: Main object type.\
   2: Low Complexity (LC) object type (default).\
   4: Long Term Prediction (LTP) object type.\
   23: Low Delay (LD) object type.

- **-o** *\<filename\>***, --outfile** *\<number\>*

  Sets the filename for processing output.

- **-q , --quiet**

  Quiet - Suppresses status messages during processing.

- **-t , --oldformat**

  Sets the processing to use the old MPEG‐4 AAC ADTS format when outputting in said format.

- **-w , --stdio**

  Sets the processing output to be sent to the standard out.

## AUTHOR

Matthew W. S. Bell \<matthew (at) bells23.org.uk\>

## SEE ALSO

[**faac**(1)](/faac/1.md)