Thanks in large part to much of today’s technology, DJs, musicians, and music producers have been able to present their works to more people than ever, without having to directly be in the room or audience venue. Platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud have forever changed the way music is consumed and listened to
Interestingly enough, modern technology hasn’t just transformed the way we listen to music but it’s radically changed the very music itself.
In this overview guide, we’ll go into the various types of audio bitrates and audio file format options out there, from CD to WAV files, to MP3. On top of that, we’ll also talk about what the ideal audio bitrate is, comparing the file size as well as the frequency so that you’ll have full knowledge of what will work best for you.
In addition to audio bitrate, we’ll also give you a complete rundown on the different types of audio formats there are while also going over which has better sound quality, the difference between compressed and uncompressed formats, and when to use one over the other.
Lastly, we’ll touch on the popular audio file formats can choose from and how they stack up to one another.
For example, we’ll go over whether you’re better off sticking with MP3 files or converting over to a FLAC or AAC file.
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What is Bitrate?
An audio bitrate is simply the amount of data that is stored in an audio file. For every second of sound in a recording, there is a certain number of “bits” contained within it.
Because each “bit” is so small, there are often hundreds of thousands per second of a song. Sound files are calculated for every thousand bits (kilobits) of data per second.
As an example, an audio file that has 130 thousand bits per second of audio would be calculated as 130 kilobits per second (or 130 kbps).
The more kbps available in an audio file, the higher the sound quality will be as there is more accessible and uncompressed data available.
This means that a 150 kbps audio file will sound much cleaner than a 130 kbps audio file, while also not being nearly as clean as a 210 kbps file.
For most listeners, the quality will be heard more obviously through the strength and depth of the low-end bass frequencies as well as the clarity and crispness heard at the higher-end treble frequencies.
In fact, the best way to look at it is that a higher kbps directly relates to a fuller sound frequency.
The three most common audio bitrate files include CD, WAV, and MP3:
CD Audio Bitrate
First established in the early 1980s by Philips and Sony, CDs became the standard audio file option in 1987, replacing analog cassettes. Before being replaced by WAV and MP3 audio files, CDs were the globally recognized method of listening to music, capable of storing a bitrate of 1,411 kbps at 16-bit.
Today, CDs are largely ignored by most listeners, instead opting for more internet-based listening methods (such as online streaming audio platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, or SoundCloud).
WAV Audio Bitrate
Developed by Microsoft and IBM, WAV (and Apple’s AIFF) files operate as high-quality uncompressed audio files. While they share the same number of bitrates as CDs (1,411 kbps at 16 bit) there are numerous variations available, allowing songs to have small differences in quality.
This is because the actual bitrate is determined using a specific formula that alters and multiplies the sampling rate with the number of audio channels and the bit depth
16 Bit Files Vs. 24 Bit Files
One thing you may have noticed when looking at the previous audio files was the inclusion of the term “at 16-bit”. As it turns out, there is also an option for 24-bit, with both having their respective defenders and detractors as well as questioning whether there is even that big of a difference between the two.
As the audio bitrate is the primary method by which we determine sound quality, it’s important to break down its various parts and how they all function.
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MP3 v WAV
MP3 vs. WAV: Compression and Size: MP3 and WAV are both audio file formats, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics. MP3 is a compressed audio format, utilizing a lossy compression method to reduce file sizes considerably.
This makes MP3 files more suitable for portable devices with limited storage or for sharing over the internet due to their reduced size. The compression in MP3 works by eliminating audio frequencies that are typically imperceptible to the human ear, but this process inevitably results in some loss of audio fidelity.
WAV: Quality and Application: On the other hand, WAV, which stands for Waveform Audio File Format, is a raw, uncompressed audio format. This means that WAV files retain all of the original audio data, leading to superior audio quality compared to MP3.
However, this quality comes at the cost of larger file sizes, often making WAV files impractical for casual listening or online sharing. Instead, WAV files are commonly used in professional audio settings, such as studios or broadcasting, where preserving audio integrity is paramount.
While they consume more storage, they provide an accurate representation of sound, which is essential for editing or mastering tasks.
Sampling Rate
The bitrate is made up of both the sampling rate as well as the bit depth. The sampling rate acts as the number of audio samples recorded per second. As an example, the sample rate of a CD audio file is generally around 44.1kHz.
This is derived from what is known as the “Nyquist-Shannon theorem” which argues that a sound sample can be accurately captured by doubling the max frequency of its source. For most people, the hearing range has a maximum range of 20kHz.
This means that a 40kHz and above audio file wouldn’t lose much in terms of sound quality even if more highly compressed as you’d already be able to hear all that your ears would allow you to.
Despite this, many recording studios have still pushed for recording sounds at higher sample rates. High-resolution (hi-res) audio files have been known to be recorded at twice a CD’s rate, with some going as high as 192kHz – well beyond the 20kHz your ear caps out at.
This has led many to wonder if these levels are a bit excessive. While there is an argument that there are some instances where a high sample rate can benefit this listener.
Analog-to-digital converters use a low-pass filter which processes excess frequencies out that are not within the sampling limit. If, as an example, an audio file had a sample rate of 44.1kHz, a low-pass filter would retain and render everything below that number and process out anything above it.
By increasing the sampling rate, you can move the low-pass filter higher up the frequency range, pushing it further from our hearing range and creating a cleaner audio sound as a result.
Bit Depth
The other aspect of a bitrate is referred to as the bit depth. This is the number of bits that are available to capture and store the sound recorded. For every additional bit beyond the first, both the number as well as the accuracy doubles.
This means that, as previously mentioned, more information can be stored resulting in an improved overall sound quality.
For example, a 24-bit audio with a bit depth of around 16 million possible levels will offer considerably more sound accuracy and subtly range compared to a 16-bit audio file with only 65 thousand.
Another way to look at it would be to imagine having a conversation with a person where you could only pick up every 2nd word from them or every 5th.
Depending on the nature of the conversation, you’d likely have a rough understanding of what they were talking about in either scenario.
However, it’s also true that you’d pick up way more of the subtitles and gain a much broader understanding of what they were saying by picking up every other word instead of every 5th word. This is kind of how it works with bit depth.
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Which Bitrate Is The Best?
As you can see, there is a legitimate debate on which bitrate size is best for you. While a larger kbps does result in an improved sound quality
it’s also going to result in a bigger file size. More to the point, there’s a possibility that the sound registered may not necessarily “need” that much quality in comparison to a smaller more compressed size.
Generally, it’s agreed that 320kbps is an ideal base sound while CD-quality sound (at 1,411kbps) will be cleaner and better overall.
Audio to MP3
Overall, it really depends on what you need. If you’re primarily focused on storage space, you’re going to want to have as many compressed MP3 files as possible.
As an example of how much of a difference the bitrate can have on space, an MP3 file at 128kbps will take up around 1 MB of storage per minute while a 320kbps will be just shy of 2.5 MB of storage per minute.
Meanwhile, that same audio file as an uncompressed CD (at 1,411kbps) will have almost 11 MB of storage per minute.
Conversely, if you’re someone who doesn’t have to worry about space quite as much (maybe you’ve got storage for several terabytes), you would be better off looking into the higher bitrate option.
Not only will you have a higher quality sound, but you always will have the option of compressing the audio file size down (though you should note that you can’t convert it back afterward).
You also have to consider how you plan on delivering your music. Streaming services like SoundCloud or Spotify often require uploaded music to be at lower bitrates to ensure songs are streamed to the listener as quickly as possible.
A great example of this is when watching or listening to something on YouTube. The higher the quality of the video and audio, the longer the buffering time takes. In effect, this makes online streaming a question of quality vs. delivery time.
As it stands, there is no 100% definitive answer on which is the all-around superior option. For audiophiles that are willing to splurge on a larger storage device, you’re better off enjoying the higher-quality sound at the higher bitrates.
On the other hand, if you’re on a budget or plan on listening or uploading your music on streaming, you’ll likely find that lower bitrate audio is well enough even if the quality isn’t quite as good.
Audio Bitrate Comparison
Depending on the type of audio file type you’re using, the bitrate size and overall quality will vary. Below is a breakdown of how they compare in terms of file size.
File Size (Per 60 Seconds Of Audio)
- FLAC (24-bit & 96kHz): 35MBs
- WAV (16-bit & 44.1kHz): 10MBs
- MP3 (320kbs): 2.4MBs
- MP3 (256kbps): 1MB
- MP3 (128kbps): 0.5MBs
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Hi-Res Audio
As mentioned earlier, there is such a thing called High-Resolution Audio, also known as hi-res audio. This is a relatively new type of audio on the scene, only really managing to get a foothold in the market over the past few years.
Essentially, it’s an audio quality level that surpasses even CDs with a sound that is as close to the source file as possible.
While hi-res audio (also known as HD audio) has existed as early as the mid-1990s, it’s only thanks to the advent of 4K and 8K audio, as well as much faster internet speeds, that it has managed to draw more attention and attract a larger calling.
HD audio tends to have a much larger sampling rate as well as bit depth meaning a much cleaner and more nuanced sound can be captured and transmitted.
And because the internet is much more impressive than it was in the late 90s (and even 2010s), the transmission speed is much faster and more easily accessible.
HD Audio vs. CD Quality
Of course, the bigger question is whether or not this massive increase in sound quality can even be registered or noted by most listeners. Unfortunately, most results show that the difference isn’t as mind-blowing as you’d think.
When tested blindly, the majority of listeners couldn’t discernably tell the difference between HD audio and CD-quality audio.
As a result, there’s a strong question as to whether anyone outside of the most ardent listeners will benefit from investing in HD audio at all, even despite its massive sound improvements.
Audio Formats
Now that we’ve had a chance to go over the different bitrates and how they affect the sound, the other factor worth getting into is the various audio formats.
Generally, while there is a pretty extensive range of existing audio formats used, they tend to fall into one of two categories: compressed and uncompressed.
Compressed Audio Files
The more commonly used type of audio format, compressed audio file formats are methods of taking an audio file and compressing its size.
This compression will result in a smaller audio file size, making it more easily stored and streamed though also affecting its overall sound quality.
There are major types of compressed audio formats used: Lossless and Lossy audio formats. While both go about the compression process there are certain benefits and drawbacks based on which method you decide to use.
Lossless Audio Formats operate by keeping all of the original recording data and compressing it to a more manageable file size.
This results in a “smaller” version of an uncompressed audio file. While this reduction does result in some loss in quality compared to a fully uncompressed file, the amount retained is much greater than with a lossy audio format. Some lossless formats used include the following:
- FLAC: An open-source compression method, FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is able to reduce an audio file size by upwards of 60% while leaving virtually all of the original audio recording completely untouched. As an open-source method of compressing audio, FLAC is entirely free and doesn’t have any licensing restrictions. This has made it extremely popular and one of the main ways people compress their audio while keeping the sound quality. FLAC offers the chance for additional metadata, like Album art, to be stored, actually giving it some benefits over even a WAV file format.
- WMA Lossless: Also known as Windows Media Audio, WMA lossless is the Windows-specific method of compressing audio. As it is not open source, you will have to pay to use it. That said, WMA is potentially a better version of FLAC as you are not only able to compress the audio but also uncompress it to its original state with virtually no data loss or sound degradation. It is also able to support hi-res 24-bit audio and is supported by a wide range of Windows devices.
- ALAC: The Apple-based alternative to WMA, ALAC offers similar compression to the other lossless methods on this list, albeit at a less impressive rate. This is due to the fact that the iOS and Apple systems do not support FLAC files, requiring the use of third-party tools to convert between the two.
Lossy Audio Formats are the alternative method of compressing an audio file. Unlike the lossless method, lossy formats operate by reducing the audio file by as much as possible, consolidating essential data, and discarding everything else.
While this can result in considerably smaller and easier-to-store and stream files, it can also result in a noticeable drop in quality. Some of the more popular and well-known lossy audio formats include the following:
- MP3: As mentioned earlier in the bitrate section, MP3 audio files are both very popular while also being a lot smaller. In this case, MP3s (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) are given a dramatic reduction by cutting away any data that is regarded as irrelevant or unnecessary, such as any sound outside of the 20kHz hearing range. This severe cut makes MP3 files more flexible as well as more easily transferred and streamed, though the wide improvements to streaming, storage sizes, and internet speeds have grown to make MP3s increasingly obsolete.
- Ogg Vorbis: An open-source compression format, Ogg Vorbis is made up of two components: the “Ogg” and the “Vorbis”. The “Ogg” component works as a container that holds the data whereas the “Vorbis” component is what actually goes about compressing the audio file. Despite this usage, Ogg Vorbis isn’t quite as popular as other open-source compression formats (such as FLAC), primarily due to its lack of adoption or support with many devices.
- AAC: Also known as Advanced Audio Coding, AAC is somewhat of a more advanced and superior alternative to MP3s. It results in an improved sound quality at the same number of bitrates due to it offering more sampling rates (it offers between 8 and 96kHz compared to MP3’s 16 to 48kHz). It’s also able to handle upwards of 48 channels (compared to MP3’s 2) and is most widely used for most online platforms such as Nintendo, Apple, and YouTube.
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Uncompressed Audio Files
On the other hand, uncompressed audio files are audio formats that capture the original sound recording without any modifications, only converting the collected soundwaves into a digital format.
As with CD and HD quality audio with higher bitrates, uncompressed audio formats tend to offer higher levels of quality at the cost of a larger file size.
This can result in many of the same limitations, such as taking up more space on storage devices as well as making streaming on slower internet connections more difficult. Below is a list of the more commonly used uncompressed audio formats available.
- PCM: Also known as Pulse-Code Modulation, PCM is considered the overarching format for uncompressed audio files. As all recordings are initially analog before being converted into digital, PCM manages to do this without modifying or compressing the files.
- WAV: Considered one of the more popularly utilized uncompressed audio formats, WAV acts as the method by which Windows computers can read and register PCM audio files. Technically, while WAV is used primarily to contain higher quality audio files since it isn’t actually converting an analog sound to digital the way PCM does, it can also contain lower bitrate audio files based on the source.
- AIFF: Regarded as the Apple alternative to WAV, AIFF operates largely the same, only reading PCM data for Mac and Apple products. Just as WAV can potentially contain lower bitrate audio, so too can AIFF depending on the original audio being read.
Which Audio Format Is Best?
Unlike determining the best bitrate, there is a largely agreed-upon audio format that is objectively best. While all of the above methods have their respective pros and cons, the all-around best audio format is FLAC.
Not only is free as an open-source format, but it offers audio files at 40% of their original size while retaining virtually all of their sound quality.
What’s more, because it is open source, it can be used with all Windows devices as well as Apple devices (albeit with free third-party assistance).
For those who want to retain the highest sound quality possible, WAV and AIFF are equally great hi-res audio formats, while AAC is the best choice for those who need their audio files as small as possible while also keeping the quality as high as possible.
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Audio Bitrate & Formats: Summary
Ultimately, if there’s one thing to take note of, it’s that sound and audio are constantly evolving and changing over time.
And while the developments over the past few years have certainly slowed down a bit, that’s only because technology has been more focused on condensing existing tech to make way for even newer developments in the future.
It may seem like we’ve hit the pinnacle of audio formats, but the reality is that we’re probably only just getting started.
Whether you’re a DJ or a music producer who wants to know the best format to put your music files in or a musician who is interested in the type of bitrate your songs are being heard, this guide should not only have made the process that much easier to understand but also showed you that there is probably even more and better to come over the horizon.
