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Mail Notification Sounds: Fixing Distortions
I earlier had a problem after downloading some sound files from the internet. I converted them to AIFFs and placed them into my Home Library's Sound folder. They sounded fine as system alert sounds, but as mail notification sounds they were terribly distorted (screechingly loud, etc.)
I credit user Paul Withey, who provided the following solutions in one of the Apple forums:
(1) Make sure the encoding settings for the AIFFs are as follows: Rate should be 44,100 Hz. Bits should be 16-Bit.
My Background Note: If the sounds are not already in AIFF format, use sound conversion software to change them. There is Apple's QuickTime Pro, which costs $30. There is also a freeware app. available on www.versiontracker.com called SoundApp 2.7.3. It is only available for OS 9, but it will work in Classic mode.
I used SoundApp. It has a settings panel where you can select the rate and the bits.
Whatever software you use, if it automatically places ".aif" at the end of the file name, make sure to change it to ".aiff"
(2) Create a "dummy" mail rule. (Paul recalled reading that this rule was necessary in version 1 of Mail in order for mail alerts to play correctly. The rule itself doesn't have to do anything.)
My Background Note: While I did create a dummy rule, it didn't solve the distortion problem. (Changing the encoding settings for the AIFFs seemed to do that.) I left the rule there, though, in case it's needed to keep things stable (for instance, if I install additional sounds, etc.)
I made the dummy rule the first one in my Rules List. I named it "Dummy Rule (required for sound)." The criteria is "FROM begins with ... "and then I pressed the spacebar. Left everything else unchecked.
There is one more optional task you could do regarding the icon appearance of your new sounds.
If you want the icons to be consistent with the other alert sounds' icons, follow these steps to change the application that opens them to QuickTime 5.0.2:
1. Select "name of sound.aiff" and press Command-I.
2. On the drop-down menu, choose "Open with Application"
3. Click on the graphic showing the application. A list of other choices will appear. Select "QuickTime Player 5.0.2"
4. Close the window (click red button on top left).
5. The icon for "name of sound.aiff" will have changed.
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