MP3, WAV, M4A or FLAC: which audio format should I use?
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Use MP3 when the file must play everywhere, M4A for Apple devices and small files, WAV for editing and FLAC to archive music without losing anything. To switch, open the Format Converter, drop the file, pick the format and press Convert.
What are the steps?
- Open the Format Converter and drop your audio file.
- Choose the output format: MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC or OGG.
- For MP3, M4A and OGG, choose a bitrate; 192 kbps is a good default for music.
- Press Convert.
- Listen to the new file and download it.
Is WAV better quality than MP3?
WAV keeps every sample, while MP3 removes detail that is hard to hear. At 256 to 320 kbps most people cannot hear the difference, but WAV is the better choice if you will keep editing the audio.
What is the difference between FLAC and WAV?
Both are lossless and sound identical. FLAC is compressed, usually to around half the size of the WAV, and can hold tags such as the title and artist.
M4A or MP3: which is better?
M4A (AAC) sounds a little better than MP3 at the same bitrate and is native on iPhone and Mac. MP3 is still the safer pick for car stereos, older players and Windows apps.
How big is each format per minute?
A CD-quality WAV is about 10 MB per minute, FLAC about half of that, a 192 kbps MP3 about 1.4 MB and a 128 kbps MP3 or M4A about 1 MB.
Does converting MP3 to WAV or FLAC improve quality?
No. The file gets bigger, but detail that MP3 already removed does not come back. Convert to WAV only when an editor or a device needs it.