I have MP3 files that have been converted from 320 bps to 256 bps using NCH Switch. In Windows Media Player the files play alright. In MP3Tag, if I click Play on the drop-down menu, WORDPAD is opened and the hex File code displayed.
Question: Is the file corrupted in some manner? If so, can it be corrected? Note that in most cases the original file(s) cannot be retrieved.
The function "Play" calls the program that is associated with the file extension of that file.
Change that (with Windows functions) to a player and you should hear them instead of seeing them.