Should I Convert To WAV Or MP3?
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Audio files can take up a lot of space, especially if they are in large format. WAV files are huge, but that’s because they are high quality. What can I do if I want lots of quality music on my phone or USB? Should I convert to WAV or MP3?
Converting WAV files to MP3 will save space as it compresses the original audio file. Audio quality is lost when WAV is converted to MP3. It is not noticeable when played on audio devices like phones or MP3 players. For studio or broadcast-quality audio, the WAV format is best.
The best way to decide is to determine what device you will primarily use to play music files. If you have access to music that is in WAV format and have a large storage device, it’s best to keep the formatting at the highest quality.
When Should Files Be In WAV Format?
All production studios that produce audio files for various uses are required to present them in WAV format. This will include audio files for –
- Commercial use such as streaming platforms โ Apple Music, Spotify, etc
- Flash animated websites
- Television advertisements or series programs
- Feature films
- Broadcast radio will use a preferred DAW, and files will be in WAV format. Most online streaming services also require that audio files are uploaded in WAV.
Usually, you will need fast internet to stream large audio files so that there is minimal buffering. A typical 16-bit WAV file can be anything from .30 Mb to 4G in size.
In the industry, a WAV file is called “lossless,โ meaning that every sound captured during the recording is audible.
When Should Files Be MP3?
MP3 or MPEG1 – audio files are primarily associated with familiar music and are high-bitrate low-quality audio files. MP3 files became increasingly popular with the birth of devices like the iPod for music on the go.
The MO3 file is best used for โ
- Cellular phones
- Laptop and desktop music players
- Portable music players such as iPods
- USBs for car plugins
- Bluetooth players
MP3 files load fast and can be downloaded via the internet rapidly. You will notice that most websites have MP3 availability because they can be uploaded, downloaded, or streamed at a higher bit rate than a more extensive file such as WAV.
Do Audio Files Lose Quality When Converted?
Audio files will lose quality once the conversion has taken place. It is not noticeable to the untrained ear, but some aspects of the audio file are removed to make it smaller.
WAV files are the highest-quality audio file commonly used. Still, because it’s so big, some applications demand that it is converted.
Once a WAV file is run through an online conversion software, you will notice the following โ
- The file size is significantly reduced.
- The psychoacoustics are removed.
- Comparing the WAV to the MP3 at total volume, the vocals may be more compressed on the MP3.
- The loss of quality is permanent once converted to MP3
- Basslines and low-end frequencies are significantly reduced
There is no way for the lossy MP3 to regain the original quality if converted back to the lossless WAV. A reconversion will turn the MP3 into a FLAC file.
FLAC files are larger in data size than MP3s but of the same quality as the converted MP3. Before converting a WAV file, determine if it is necessary. The best option would be to keep it in the original format.
The more conversions are made, the more significant the data loss will be, for example โ
- WAV to MP3 to WAV
- WAV to MP3 to AAC
The worst copy of the converted audio file will be the last one. Lossy-to-lossy file conversions are the fastest way to render an audio file useless. However, the quality will remain the same if you convert lossless to lossless.
Examples of lossless to lossless audio conversions are as follows โ
- WAV to WAV
- CD to WAV โ ripping a CD on a PC or laptop will give you the same quality as the original master audio file
Is Wav Or MP3 Audio File Better Quality?
The original or WAV file will always be better quality than a file converted to a lesser quality or a reduced size file.
The only reason most people prefer MP3s is the convenience and having thousands of songs on their device instead of a few hundred. Wav files can quickly take up space, and nobody likes to constantly delete files of apps to make space for more music.
Audio files converted from WAV to MP3 will leave a distinctive silence before the audio starts.
That is not the case with the WAV file, which is why platforms or lounge DJ programs for music or advertising always use WAV for looping purposes to cut out the combined sections of silence at the beginning and end of songs.
The audio file quality is only necessary once you know what the application is, and the quality will be adapted.
- Always use WAV files if the quality is most important
- Use MP3 when you are streaming on personal devices
- Always use WAV files for podcasting, Karaoke machines, online radio, or YouTube
- Use WAV for Flash animation, and it will automatically convert it to MP3
If you use Apple or Linux products, you may have different names for some audio files, for example โ
- AIFF files are the Apple version of a WAV
- PCM is the compressed version of an AIFF file
- FLAC files are lossless compressed files but smaller than WAV
- OGG files are similar to lossy MP3 files
Best Program For Converting WAV Or MP3
Producers, mastering engineers, or sound designers will inevitably use different DAW programs in an audio production studio.
However, they all deliver a high-quality WAV file of separate stems or audio files mixed into a single and then mastered into the final sound file.
Many sophisticated DAW programs for sale can make and render WAV and other formats like MP3, Mpeg, and MP4 files depending on your need. Although they will be the best, not everyone can afford these expensive tools.
Some DAW programs you can access โ
- Avid Pro Tools
- Adobe Audition
- Ableton Logo
- Apple Logic Pro
- FL Studio
- Steinberg Nuendo
- Steinberg Cubase
- Presonus Studio One
Free converter programs are available online but are not all recommended as some have bugs or limit the WAV size and can expose your files online.
The best free converters available are โ
- Freemake
- Pazera Free audio extractor
- Movavi online converter
- FFmpeg
- Fre:ac
Conclusion
It is best to keep the original audio file intact if it is not explicitly necessary to convert a high-quality WAV to an MP3 file.
