Sometimes, I rip audio from DVD concert footage and keep two versions: a small MP3 copy for my phone and a FLAC archive for Plex. The challenge is that DVD audio can be stored in different stream types and containers, such as AC3 or DTS on most DVD-Video discs, PCM on some releases, and MLP on DVD-Audio titles.

In this guide, I tested the DVD audio extractors below on a Lenovo Windows 11 Pro laptop with a dedicated GPU and an LG WH16NS58 external drive. I also explain how to use each tool step by step and when MP3, FLAC, WAV, AC3/DTS passthrough, or direct demux is the better choice.

how to extract audio from dvd

Quick Answer: Best DVD Audio Extractor for Different Needs

I gathered the core features, strengths, and limitations of each DVD Audio Ripper in one table so you can quickly see which option best fits your needs.

Feature DVDFab DVD Ripper DVD Audio Extractor VLC XMedia Recode ZAMZAR
Supported OS Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, macOS 10.13 - 15.x Windows, macOS, Linux, Ubuntu Windows, macOS, Linux Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11 Browser-based
Input Disc / VIDEO_TS / ISO Disc / VIDEO_TS Disc / VIDEO_TS / ISO Disc / VIDEO_TS VOB files only (from DVD folder)
Supported audio formats MP3, AAC/M4A, FLAC, WAV, OGG, AC-3/E-AC-3, DTS, etc. MP3, OGG, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, direct stream demux MP3, OGG, FLAC, etc. MP3, AAC, M4A, FLAC, WAV, OGG, etc. MP3, AAC, WAV, etc.
Rip copy-protected DVDs
Batch processing
Editing features
GPU acceleration
Quality control Presets + advanced controls Stable, high-quality extraction Basic Fine-grained parameter control    

How to Rip Audio from DVD with DVDFab DVD Ripper

DVDFab DVD Ripper is a full-featured DVD audio extractor available on both Windows and Mac. It can rip copy-protected DVDs, ISO image files, or DVD folders to audio and video formats such as MP3, MP4, FLAC, M4A, WMA, WAV, AAC, DTS, OGG, PCM, and AC-3/E-AC-3 5.1, with support for up to 7.1 channels. With its GPU hardware acceleration, DVDFab can convert DVD audio at up to 50X speed while keeping the original quality.

For users who want to keep higher audio quality, DVDFab can extract Hi-Fi audio from DVDs in FLAC Multi-channel, FLAC Stereo, WAV Multi-channel, and WAV Stereo formats. You can also adjust output settings such as codec, sample rate, channels, bitrate, and volume, so the final audio better matches how you plan to play or archive it.

💻Available on:

👍Highlighted Features:

  • DVDFab's exclusive Cloud Decryption Service makes it the only tool that can decrypt the newest-released encrypted discs quickly and automatically.
  • Rip DVD to audios/videos of 1000 formats playable on any device.
  • Rip DVDs to lossless Hi-Fi audio with 24-bit detailing and up to 192 kHz for high-definition output.
  • Fast and batch DVD audio conversion achieved by GPU hardware acceleration and multi-core CPU.
  • Advanced settings and a built-in video editor are applied to customizing output audio, such as trimming and speeding up and down DVD audio, enhancing human voice, and removing background noise.

How to Extract Audio from DVD with DVDFab DVD Ripper:

Step 1: Run DVDFab DVD Ripper and Load Source DVDs

Download and install DVDFab 13 and opt for "Ripper" module when the program runs. Then insert DVD disc into the optical drive on PC or navigate ISO file or DVD folder from HDD through "+Add" button, or simply drag & drop it onto the main UI. 

how to extract audios from dvds with DVDFab DVD Ripper

Step 2: Choose Audio MP3, FLAC, or OGG Profile

Click "Choose Other Profile - Format - Audio" to select your desired audio profile from the profile library. You can rip audio from DVD to MP3, AAC, AC3, m4a, DTS and more. If you want to get lossless Hi-fi audio, just click "Hi-Fi Audio" button to choose a audio profile as you like.

how to extract audios from dvds with DVDFab DVD Ripper

Step 3: Check Audio Settings

Then tab "Advanced Settings" to set audio parameters such as codec, sample rate, channels, bit rate and volume. Besides, you can choose to split chapters to rip.

how to extract audios from dvds with DVDFab DVD Ripper

Tip: When you choose an audio output format, the option "Video Edit" will not appear on the interface. Therefore, if you wish to edit your DVD audio before ripping, you should firstly select a video format. Afterward, click on the "Video Edit" option to customize and fine-tune your DVD audio.

how to extract audios from dvds

Step 4: Start to Rip Audio from DVD with DVDFab DVD Ripper

Set file directory to save the output audio on HDD. Once done, tab "Start" button to wait for the ripping process and check the real-time progress.

how to extract audios from dvds:How to Rip Audio from DVD with DVDFab DVD Ripper

WHAT WE LIKE
  • Supported copy-protected DVDs
  • Supports high-quality audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD
  • Fast conversion speed
  • Timely customer support
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
  • Not available on Linux

How to Extract Audio from DVD with DVD Audio Extractor

DVD Audio Extractor is designed for extracting audio from Blu-ray, DVD-Audio, and DVD-Video sources. You can use it to save audio as OGG, MP3, WAV, or FLAC, or demux streams directly to MLP, PCM, MPA, AC3, or DTS.

This makes it suitable when you do not only need a basic DVD to MP3 conversion. For example, if you want to keep the original DTS stream from a concert DVD or extract MLP from a DVD-Audio title, DVD Audio Extractor gives you more direct control over the source audio stream than VLC.

DVD Audio Extractor is not a free long-term option, so you may need a paid license after the trial. It also does not decrypt protected discs by itself. For newer versions, check the operating system requirements first: version 8.8.0 lists Windows 11 as the minimum Windows system, and new Intel-based macOS packages are no longer provided, although older x86_64 packages are still available from the developer.

💻Available on: Windows 11

How to Use the DVD Audio Extractor:

Step 1: Select Title, Angle, Chapter, and Audio Stream

Open DVD Audio Extractor with the disc inserted or source loaded. Select the title, angle, chapter range, and audio stream. Check the stream details before moving on, especially when the disc includes commentary tracks, multiple languages, stereo, and 5.1 surround.

DVD Audio Extractor selecting title chapter and audio stream

Step 2: Choose Output: MP3, FLAC, WAV, OGG, ALAC, or Demux

Choose MP3 for small playback files, FLAC or WAV for lossless music archives, ALAC for Apple libraries, or direct demux when you want the original MLP, PCM, AC3, or DTS stream. Demux is the best choice when preserving the exact disc audio matters more than compatibility.

DVD Audio Extractor choosing MP3 FLAC WAV ALAC or demux output

Step 3: Split by Chapter or Save as One File

Select the output folder and choose whether to save each chapter as a separate file or keep the selected range as one file. Chapter splitting is useful for concert DVDs because each song can become its own track. A single file works better for commentary, interviews, or complete live sets.

DVD Audio Extractor splitting DVD audio by chapter

Step 4: Normalize, Create Playlist, and Start Extraction

Choose optional normalization only when volume differences are a real problem. Create an M3U playlist if your player supports it. Start extraction, then compare the output duration and channel layout with the selected source stream.

WHAT WE LIKE
  • Cross-platform support
  • CD-Image creation for Audio/DTS-CD
  • User-friendly interface with straightforward steps
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
  • Full features require a paid license
  • Still cannot bypass disc encryption by itself
  • Focused on DVD audio extraction rather than audio editing

How to Rip Audio from DVD with VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a free DVD audio extractor for Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can use it to play media files, convert files, record media, and rip audio from readable DVD sources. When VLC can open the DVD correctly, it lets you convert DVD audio to formats such as MP3, OGG, FLAC, and other supported audio outputs.

VLC is a practical choice when you want a free tool for a simple, unprotected DVD. It can also convert DVDs to several video and audio formats. However, it cannot decode copy-protected DVDs by itself, and the conversion steps may take some time to learn if you are using it for the first time. VLC also does not include advanced audio or video editing tools, so it is not the best option if you need to cut, adjust, or customize the DVD audio before export.

💻Available on: Windows, Linux, & macOS

How to Extract Audio from DVD with VLC Media Player:

Step 1: Open Convert/Save in VLC

Open VLC Media Player, click Media, and choose Convert / Save. On macOS, use the equivalent conversion path in the menu. This opens the input selection window for disc, file, and network sources.

Step 2: Select the DVD Disc and Check No Disc Menus

Open the Disc tab, select DVD, and choose your DVD drive. Check No disc menus if VLC gets stuck on the menu or extracts only the menu sound. Set the starting title or chapter if you know the correct position.

VLC selecting DVD disc and No disc menus for audio extraction

Step 3: Select One Audio Profile

Click Convert / Save, open the Profile menu, and choose Audio - MP3, Audio - FLAC, or Audio - Vorbis. MP3 gives the broadest playback support. FLAC is better when the source stream is worth archiving without another lossy conversion.

Step 4: Set Destination File and Start Conversion

Click Browse, name the output file with the correct extension, and click Start. If the output file has no sound, return to the disc title and audio stream selection. VLC may pick commentary or menu audio if the disc structure is complex.

VLC converting DVD audio to MP3 output file

WHAT WE LIKE
  • Free, open source, and cross-platform
  • Can input DVDs and output common audio formats like MP3 or FLAC
  • It also works as an audio player
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
  • Unable to rip copy-protected DVDs
  • Interface and workflow are not friendly for first-time users
  • Lacks advanced audio editing features

How to Rip Audio from DVD with XMedia Recode

XMedia Recode is a free Windows tool for DVD audio ripping and transcoding. You can use it to read titles and chapters from unencrypted DVDs and export the audio as MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, or OGG. It also gives you control over settings such as bitrate, sample rate, channels, gain, and fade effects, and it includes basic GPU acceleration. 

The Copy stream only option was the most useful setting because it can preserve AC3, DTS, or PCM without re-encoding. That saves time and avoids quality loss from another encode pass. However, the limit is usability and copy protection. New users may pick the wrong title or stream, and the XMedia Recode does not decrypt commercial DVDs. 

💻Available on: Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11

How to Extract Audio from DVD with XMedia Recode:

Step 1: Open Disc and Pick the Correct Title

Insert your DVD into your computer's disc drive. Open XMedia Recode. Then, go to "File > Open Disc" (or "Open Folder" if your source file is a VIDEO_TS folder). The software will scan the disc and list all the available video titles. Pick the title that contains the audio you want. 

How to Rip Audio from DVD with XMedia Recode

Step 2: Choose MP3, FLAC, WAV, or Copy Stream Only

Open the "Format" tab. Set Format to an audio format such as FLAC, WAV, MP3, AAC (M4A), or OGG. If you just want to change the container without recompressing, select "Copy stream only", which duplicates the audio or video stream without re-encoding.

How to Rip Audio from DVD with XMedia Recode

Step 3: Adjust Bitrate, Sample Rate, Channels, Gain, and Fade

Switch to the "Audio" menu. Choose Audio track from options such as AC-3, DTS, and PCM. If needed, adjust quality parameters, e.g., Codec and Bitrate. If you want to add effects such as an Echo or Fade in/out, go to "Audio Track Filter" panel, and click "Add Filter".

Step 4: Add to Queue and Encode

Click "Browse" to choose your Output directory at the bottom. Once all your settings are correct, click the "Add to queue" button on the top toolbar. Finally, click the "Encode" on the top toolbar to begin the DVD audio extraction process.

WHAT WE LIKE
  • Pull audio in high-quality formats, including FLAC
  • Ripping is fast since it uses the computer's GPU
  • Works on both DVDs and Blu-rays
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
  • The interface looks pretty old and feels confusing to set up
  • Does not support ripping audio from copy-protected discs
  • Can be unstable (occasional unexpected crashes in testing)

How to Convert DVD VOB Audio Online with ZAMZAR

ZAMZAR is a online DVD audio ripper that allows you extract audio from VOB videos in DVD folder to music formats like MP3, AAC, M4A etc. without downloading any software. Moreover, it also supports over 1200 different conversions including video, audio, document, image and more. This is a cloud-ready platform, hence, converted audio files are directly stored in the cloud. You have to upload and download them once the actual conversion is over. 

Nevertheless, ZAMZAR actually cannot rip physical DVDs. It also fails to rip audio from DVDs if the source VOB file is password-protected or restricted by DRM. Zamzar's free service currently allows uploads up to 50MB, which is too small for many full-length VOB files. Since the file is uploaded to a server, do not use it for private recordings or files you are not allowed to share.

How to Extract Audio from DVD (VOB) with ZAMZAR?

Step 1: Open your browser and go to www.zamzar.com.

Step 2: Click the "Convert Files" tab. On the main page, click "Add Files..." and choose the DVD VOB files you want to get the audio from.

how to extract audios from dvds: ZAMZAR (Online DVD Audio Converter)

Step 3: Pick the audio format you want (like MP3, WAV, etc.) in the "Convert To" box.

Step 4: Click "Convert Now" to start ripping. This might take a little while, depending on your file size and internet speed.

Step 5: Once it's finished, this DVD audio extractor will redirect you to the download page. Click on the "Download" button to save the new audio file to your computer hard drive or USB.

WHAT WE LIKE
  • Works in the browser, no installation needed
  • Handles VOB conversions to common audio types like MP3, WAV, and M4A
  • Cloud-based workflow simplifies simple tasks
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
  • Can't extract audio directly from physical DVDs
  • Doesn't support DRM-protected discs
  • The free version imposes file size restrictions
  • Privacy and data-handling concerns (Since you upload your files to their servers)

What is the Suitable Format for DVD Audio Extraction?

The best format depends on how you plan to use the extracted DVD audio. If you only need a small file for a phone, car player, or basic playback, MP3 or AAC is usually enough. If you want to keep a higher-quality copy for Plex, a NAS library, or local archiving, FLAC is a better choice because it keeps the audio lossless while reducing file size compared with WAV.

If you plan to edit the audio later, WAV is easier to work with because it is uncompressed. If the DVD contains 5.1 surround sound and you want to play it through a home theater receiver, consider AC3 or DTS passthrough instead of converting the audio to stereo MP3. For DVD-Audio discs or sources with PCM, MLP, AC3, or DTS streams, direct demux can keep the original audio stream without re-encoding.

Format Best for Main trade-off
MP3 Small files for phones, cars, and basic music playback Lossy compression; not ideal for preserving surround sound
AAC / M4A Apple devices, modern media apps, and smaller files Some older players may not read every AAC file
FLAC Lossless archive, Plex library, NAS storage, and higher-quality playback Larger than MP3 or AAC
WAV Audio editing, CD authoring, and uncompressed output Large file size
AC3 / DTS passthrough Keeping 5.1 surround sound for a receiver or home theater player Some phones, browsers, and music apps may not play it directly
Direct demux Keeping the original PCM, MLP, AC3, or DTS stream without re-encoding You may need a player that supports the original codec

For most users, MP3 is the easiest choice for portable playback, while FLAC is better for long-term storage. Choose passthrough or direct demux only when you need to keep the original surround or high-resolution audio stream.

FAQs

What is the audio format on a DVD?

Most DVD-Video discs use AC3 or DTS audio. Some discs also include PCM. DVD-Audio titles may use MLP. A single disc may contain more than one language, commentary, or surround stream, so check the selected stream before ripping.

What is the difference between DVD-Audio and DVD-Video audio extraction?

DVD-Video is the common movie DVD format and usually stores audio as AC3, DTS, or PCM. DVD-Audio is a high-fidelity music disc format that may include MLP, PCM, high sample rates, and multichannel mixes. DVD Audio Extractor is better suited to DVD-Audio and demux tasks than general media converters.

Can Handbrake extract audio from DVD?

HandBrake is mainly a video transcoder. It can create MP4, MKV, or WebM video files and pass through or convert some audio, but it is not the shortest method for exporting a pure MP3, FLAC, or WAV file from a DVD. If you already made a video file with HandBrake, use VLC or FFmpeg to extract audio from that file.Can

MakeMKV rip audio from DVD?

MakeMKV can preserve the audio tracks from a DVD when it converts the disc to an MKV file, but it does not export DVD audio directly as a standalone MP3, FLAC, WAV, AC3, or DTS file. Use MakeMKV if you want to keep the DVD video, audio tracks, chapters, and metadata in one MKV container. If you only need the audio, create the MKV first and then extract or convert the audio with another tool such as VLC or FFmpeg.

How do I convert DVD audio to FLAC without losing quality?

FLAC is a format for lossless compression of digital audio. So, if you want to convert DVD to FLAC, you can use DVDFab DVD Ripper that is able to rip lossless Hi-Fi audios from DVD.

  • Step 1: Launch DVDFab DVD Ripper.
  • Step 2: Insert the DVD disc you want to rip. DVDFab will automatically load it. Or you can click "Add Source" to add DVD ISO and folder.
  • Step 3: Click "Choose Other Profile" to select FLAC as the output format.
  • Step 4: Choose the audio you want to retain, then tap More Settings to configure your audio.
  • Step 5: At the bottom, click the "folder" icon to choose a directory where you'll save the output FLAC files.
  • Step 6: Click the "Start" button to start the ripping process. You will be able to see the progress.

Conclusion

Now that you know about popular choices for DVD audio rippers, I suggest using the DVDFab DVD Ripper since it provides very speedy yet high-quality audio rips. The ability to rip all forms of DVD protections grants the user complete freedom to choose an audio track and set changes to their liking. This software offers a lot of options and features customize and enhance your audio experience.