Convert from .wav to .au

Hi All,

Wanting to generate .au media files from .wav but the output .au file when played produces this prominent 'screeching sound'. I am coming 2 think it has 2 do with the way I'm implementing the file generation. I had some issues quite noting dat the file should be in big-endian format. This is what my code does.

1. Write file header; (all technicalities here handled well)
2. seek to data chunk of wave file
3. read each character in wave file, write the High-Order byte of character into .au file, write Low-Order Byte of character into file;

step 3 is done repeatedly for all characters in source wave file.

Now, I know big-endian files have a BOM mark and I didn't write that cos I don't know where to write it. If I do so at beginning of file, it doesn't (on examination) look like other .au files (they begin with magic word .snd). What then might be wrong?

Can any suggest help? I'll appreciate meaningful help.