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Convert 3G2 to OPUS – Modern Audio from Legacy Phone Videos

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format

Step 3: Convert files

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Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format

Step 3: Convert files

Read Terms of use before using

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Trapped Audio in Old Phone Videos?

3G2 files come from early CDMA mobile phones—those old Verizon and Sprint devices from the 2000s. Inside these videos are voice recordings, conversations, and audio memories that most modern apps simply cannot play. The proprietary codecs like EVRC and QCELP are incompatible with today's devices.

Converting to Opus solves this problem completely. Opus is the modern standard for internet audio, built into every major browser, Discord, WhatsApp, and WebRTC application. Your extracted audio becomes instantly shareable across any platform while taking up minimal storage space.

How to Convert 3G2 to OPUS

Upload your 3G2 file – Drag and drop your legacy mobile video or click to browse your device
Confirm OPUS output – Opus delivers the best quality-to-size ratio for voice and speech content
Download your audio – Get your extracted Opus file ready for sharing or streaming

The conversion runs entirely in your browser. No software installation, no account creation, and your files remain completely private.

Why Opus Is the Best Format for Voice Extraction

Opus was designed specifically for voice and speech transmission over the internet. It combines the best elements of the SILK codec (optimized for speech) and CELT codec (optimized for music), switching between them dynamically based on content.

Bitrate flexibility – Opus supports 6 kbps to 510 kbps, adapting to any quality requirement
Ultra-low latency – 5-26.5ms delay makes it ideal for real-time applications
Superior compression – At 32 kbps, Opus voice quality matches MP3 at 128 kbps
Royalty-free – Open format standardized by IETF, no licensing restrictions

For voice recordings from old phones, Opus delivers crystal-clear speech at file sizes 4x smaller than MP3.

Understanding the Technical Conversion

3G2 (3GPP2) is a multimedia container developed for CDMA mobile networks. The audio tracks inside typically use specialized voice codecs that modern devices cannot decode.

3G2 audio codecs – EVRC, EVRC-B, QCELP, SMV, VMR-WB (narrow-band voice optimized)
Original sample rates – Usually 8-16 kHz, matching telephone bandwidth
Opus output – Supports 8 kHz to 48 kHz with full bandwidth optimization
Recommended bitrate – 24-48 kbps for speech, 64-96 kbps for music content

Our converter extracts the audio stream, decodes the legacy codec, and re-encodes to Opus while preserving maximum quality from the source material.

Perfect for Modern Communication Apps

Discord Voice Messages

Discord uses Opus natively for all voice communication. Extracted audio from old phone recordings integrates seamlessly into Discord voice channels, bots, and soundboards. Share memorable clips or nostalgic recordings directly.

WhatsApp and Telegram

Both WhatsApp and Telegram use Opus for voice messages. Converting old 3G2 recordings to Opus creates files that send efficiently and play perfectly on any smartphone.

Podcast and Streaming

Opus is becoming the standard for podcast distribution and web streaming. Old interview recordings or voice memos can be rescued and incorporated into modern podcast episodes with minimal file overhead.

WebRTC Applications

Any browser-based voice or video chat uses Opus as the mandatory audio codec. Your extracted audio works natively in Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and every WebRTC-based application.

Opus vs Other Audio Formats

Why choose Opus over more common formats for voice extraction?

Choose Opus when: File size matters, streaming to web apps, using Discord/WhatsApp, prioritizing voice clarity
Choose AAC when: Apple device compatibility is primary, integrating with iTunes library
Choose MP3 when: Maximum device compatibility needed, very old hardware support required

For pure voice content from old phone recordings, Opus at 32 kbps sounds better than MP3 at 128 kbps while being 75% smaller. If you need broader compatibility, try our 3G2 to MP3 converter or 3G2 to AAC converter.

File Size Comparison

A one-minute voice recording from an old CDMA phone converts to approximately:

Opus at 32 kbps – ~240 KB (excellent for web sharing)
MP3 at 128 kbps – ~960 KB (4x larger for similar quality)
AAC at 128 kbps – ~960 KB (slightly better than MP3)
WAV uncompressed – ~10 MB (original quality, huge file)

Opus wins decisively for voice content storage and transmission efficiency.

What About Video Preservation?

This conversion extracts only the audio track. If you want to preserve the video content as well, convert to a modern video format first. Use our 3G2 to MP4 converter or 3G2 to WebM converter (WebM uses Opus for audio by default).

For audio-only needs, extracting to Opus is far more efficient than keeping unnecessary video data.

Audio Quality Expectations

Old CDMA phone recordings have inherent quality limitations:

Original bandwidth – Voice-band audio typically 300 Hz to 3.4 kHz
Sample rate – Usually 8 kHz or 16 kHz maximum
Microphone quality – Early phone mics had limited frequency response
Compression artifacts – Original codecs optimized for size, not fidelity

Converting to Opus preserves what exists without adding new artifacts. The speech will sound clear and natural within the limitations of the original recording.

Batch Convert Multiple Files

Have a collection of old 3G2 recordings from a backup? Upload multiple files and extract Opus audio from all of them simultaneously. Perfect for archiving an entire folder of legacy CDMA phone recordings to a modern, compact format.

Works on Any Device

Convert 3G2 to Opus directly in your browser with no downloads:

Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
iPhone, iPad, Android

Every modern browser includes native Opus decoding. Your converted files play anywhere without additional software.

Pro Tip

For old phone voice recordings, use 32 kbps Opus encoding. Since 3G2 audio is typically narrow-band (8-16 kHz), higher bitrates waste storage without audible improvement. You will get 4x smaller files than MP3 with identical perceived quality.

Common Mistake

Users often export at high bitrates (128+ kbps) assuming better quality. But 3G2 phone audio is voice-band limited. Above 48 kbps for speech content, you are just padding file size with silence data.

Best For

Ideal for extracting voice memos for Discord servers, creating WhatsApp-compatible audio from old recordings, archiving phone conversations with minimal storage, and preparing audio for any WebRTC or streaming application.

Not Recommended

Skip Opus if you need compatibility with devices from before 2015 or car stereos without Bluetooth. In those cases, MP3 remains the universal fallback. Also avoid for archival if you might re-encode later—use FLAC instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Opus is an open, royalty-free audio codec standardized by IETF. It combines speech and music optimization, supports bitrates from 6-510 kbps, and is used by Discord, WhatsApp, WebRTC, and most modern streaming applications. It delivers better quality than MP3 and AAC at equivalent bitrates.

Yes. iOS 11 and later support Opus playback natively. Opus files play in Safari, Discord, WhatsApp, and VLC. The Files app and most third-party players also support Opus without conversion.

Opus was specifically designed for voice. At 32 kbps, Opus voice quality matches or exceeds MP3 at 128 kbps. This means 75% smaller files with equivalent or better speech clarity. Opus also handles packet loss better for streaming.

For speech from old phone recordings, 24-48 kbps delivers excellent quality. Higher bitrates provide no benefit since the original 3G2 audio was narrow-band voice. 32 kbps is the sweet spot for most voice extraction.

Yes. Discord uses Opus as its native audio codec. Extracted files work directly in Discord voice channels, bots, soundboards, and file sharing. No conversion or transcoding needed.

Yes. This conversion extracts only the audio track. The resulting Opus file contains audio only. If you need to preserve video, use our 3G2 to MP4 or 3G2 to WebM converter instead.

Yes. WhatsApp uses Opus for voice messages internally. While WhatsApp has its own recording format, Opus files share and stream efficiently within the app and maintain excellent voice quality.

Yes. Upload multiple 3G2 files and extract Opus audio from all of them at once. Ideal for processing entire folders of old phone recordings efficiently.

Very small. A one-minute voice recording at 32 kbps produces approximately 240 KB. This is about 4x smaller than MP3 at 128 kbps with equivalent voice quality. Opus is the most efficient format for speech content.

For voice content, yes. Opus outperforms AAC at low bitrates where speech operates. At 32 kbps, Opus sounds noticeably better than AAC. However, AAC has broader compatibility with older Apple devices if that matters.