10 Best AC3 Players for Windows, MacOS, iPhone and Android

AC3, stands for Audio Coding 3, is the file extension for surround sound audio files. It was developed by Dolby Laboratories in 1987 for using on DVD and Blu-ray players, HDTV and other home entertainment systems. It contains up to 6 discrete sound channels. Five of which are dedicated for normal-range speakers and the other channel for low frequency.

Unlike MP3, AC3 is not widely supported by media players. Therefore, you need a dedicated AC3 players or AC3 codec for your audio player. We are going to share top 10 best AC3 player applications for computer and smartphone.

Part 1: Top 3 AC3 players for Windows
Part 2: Top 3 MX player AC3 for Mac
Part 3: 2 Best AC3 player apps for Android
Part 4: 2 Best AC3 player apps for iOS
Part 5. FAQs of AC3 Player

Part 1: Top 3 AC3 players for Windows

Top 1: AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player

PROS

Play AC3 audio files without losing any quality and detention.
Support almost all video and audio formats, including Blu-ray discs.
Keep and optimize audio and video quality while playing media files.
Utilize hardware acceleration technology to offer smooth experiences.
Available to both Windows 10/8/7 and Mac OS X/11/12.
It can be the desktop audiobook player to play all supported audiobook formats on computer.

CONS

This AC3 player is a professional program, so you need to purchase AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player after the free-trial.

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Free Download For macOS

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Top 2: ALLPlayer

PROS

Load AC3 audio tracks quicker than most media players.
Use less than 10 percent of CPU when playing multimedia files even in full screen.
Support a wide range of video and audio formats.
Download additional plugins to play more video and audio file types.
Integrate a concise interface that is easy to use.

CONS

You have to download and install extra AC3 codecs.
It will download bloatware if you do not customize the installation.

Top 3: KMPlayer

PROS

Let you listen to audio and watch video files on computer smoothly.
Pack a customizable interface and allow you to design it based on your need.
Support a variety of formats and codecs, like AC3, 3GP, MP3, AVI, MKV, MOV, etc.
Available in multiple languages.
Read damaged multimedia files and play them with the original quality.

CONS

This AC3 player contains extra software, like Opencandy.
It is large and load audio and video files slower than a part of media players.

Part 2: Top 3 MX player AC3 for Mac

Top 1: VLC Media Player

PROS

Play AC3 and other video and audio files on Mac OS X/11/12.
Support almost all video and audio formats, including AC3.
Open source and completely free of charge without virus or ads.
Stream online multimedia files and download them to hard drive.
Transcode AC3 to other audio formats without losing quality.

CONS

As an AC3 player, VLC is not suitable to average people since features are hidden in the menu bar.

Top 2: Elmedia Player

PROS

Play AC3 files on Mac without installing any extra codecs or software.
In addition to AC3, support a large number of formats, like MP3, WMA, M4A, AVI, FLV, etc.
Customize media output parameters as you wish.
Available in App Store for Mac.
Completely control audio and video playback with onscreen buttons.

CONS

This AC3 player for Mac offers both a free and a pro version, but advanced features are only available in pro.
It cannot play damaged or broken multimedia files.

Top 3: Free Mac Media Player

PROS

Support all Mac models running Mac OS X 10.6 and above.
Compatible with AC3, AAC, WMA, MP3, RMVB, AVI, FLV and other multimedia formats.
Output audios of AC3 or other media formats at a high level.
Let you enjoy AC3 audio files on Mac without installing extra codecs.

CONS

This AC3 player for Mac lacks some features, such as create playlists.
It may slow down your computer when playing music background.

Part 3: 2 Best AC3 player apps for Android

Top 1: MX Player with AC3 codec

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad

PROS

Work with a free AC3 codec for MX Player on Android.
Enjoy AC3 audio tracks on mobile devices smoothly.
Pack multiple decoder modes for enjoying various audio and video files.
Share audio and video files to your friends directly.

CONS

You have to install extra codecs to listen to AC3 on Android.
It does not offer custom options.

Top 2: Video Player for Android

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=video.player.audio.player.music&hl=en

PROS

Compatible with almost all video and audio formats, inculding AC3.
Play high-definition audio files on Android smoothly.
Improve audio quality with the built-in enqualizer option.
Make audio ringtone using the audio cutter tool.
Free to download in Google Play Store.

CONS

This AC3 player for Android cannot handle damaged audio files.
It contains ads.

Part 4: 2 Best AC3 player apps for iOS

Top 1: AVPlayer HD

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/avplayerhd/id407976815

PROS

Add AC3 tracks into the media player by gestures simply.
Support AC3, M4A, MKV, AVI, XVID and other multimedia formats.
Let you enjoy HD audio files on iPhone and iPad smoothly.
Encrypt your music and playlist to prevent others from spying.

CONS

This AC3 player for iOS is a paid app. More free music players for iPhone, you can check it here.
If you forgot the password, you cannot access your music again.

Top 2: MCPlayer

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mcplayer-wireless-upnp-video-player-for-iphone-stream/id849739180

PROS

Sync audio and video files between iPhone and computer or portable device.
Contain Dolby digital plus surround feature that gives a clear sound.
Offer a wide range playback of customized outputs for video and audio files.
Available in 13 languages, including English, Dutch, Swedish, etc.

CONS

This AC3 player for iOS costs $4.99.
It is large and takes up much internal memory.

Part 5. FAQs of AC3 Player

1. What is EAC3?

E-AC-3 is a digital audio format developed by Dolby Labs, which is also known as Enhanced AC-3, Dolby Digital Plus or EC-3. It is used for transfer and store multi-channel digital audio content.

2. Does MX Player support AC3 audio?

MX Player doesn't support DTS and Dolby Audio Codecs due to licensing issues. So, AC3, a Dolby developed format, is not supported by MX Player.

3. Is AC3 the same as Dolby Digital?

AC3 is used in place of Dolby Digital, which is essentially Dolby Digital. Therefore, the answer is yes for most situation.

Conclusion

Based on our sharing, you should master at least 10 AC3 players for Windows, MacOS, Android and iPhone. As you can see, it is not as difficult as you thought to enjoy high-quality AC3 audio tracks on various devices if you use the right media player. If you are looking for the best way to listen to AC3 audio files, you should try AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player. It is not only easy to use, but also able to play AC3 without extra codecs.