We can now take a closer look at some of the differences between the two. That was an overview of what MP3 and WAV files are. Increasing to 48 KHz and 24 bit stereo will be reflected in a change from 10 Mb per minute to 16.48 Mb.Īn average three-minute song would require approx. WAV files are large and take a lot of space.Ī stereo, CD-quality recording (44.1 kHz, 16 bit) averages around 10 MB per minute. WAV files are lossless and uncompressed which means they lose no quality from the original recording. They work by taking an audio signal and converting it to binary data.Īn analog to digital converter takes thousands of snapshots per second to capture the full audible frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This format uses containers to store audio data, sample rates, and bitrates. What is a WAV File?Ī WAV file is a raw audio format created by Microsoft and IBM. The bit rate for MP3 files range from 90kbps – 320kbps, the lower the bit rate, the lower the quality. What is lost is determined by a process called perceptual or temporal noise shaping. This is done through what is called lossy compression, lossy meaning some information is discarded from the original audio. What this means is that an audio file of approx. The main goal behind the development of MP3 was to replicate CD-quality with no perceivable difference at a much smaller size.Ĭonverting to MP3 compresses an audio file by a factor of 10 – 12. MP3 or MPEG Layer 3 is a digital audio format developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group. We are taking a look at what they are, how they work, and explaining some of the things, good and bad, that make them different. Even if you don’t know exactly what they are, chances are you’ve heard of MP3 & WAV files.

The MP3 and WAV formats are the most commonly used and the most widely known. In the sometimes complex world of digital audio formats, two file types have become the standard. WAV or MP3? This is a question that still causes much confusion.

How to reduce wav file size