Know Your Stuff. MP3, WAV, Bitrate

MP3

The names of most online audio files end with .mp3. For example, mystory.mp3

When you see an “.mp3” extension it means that the file has been compressed — using a compression algorithm — to reduce the overall file size. Reducing the file size also reduces the sound quality. Once the file has been compressed, you can’t retrieve the source file’s original data lost during the compression process. So always choose “save as” to make sure you keep a copy of the original file, just in case you need to change something.

Compression is necessary because .wav files (see below) are too large for most web sites and device downloads. Even if you could find a site or device that would accept uncompressed files, your listeners would lose patience waiting for them to download.

If you want to wade into the technical weeds, click here to find out more.

WAV

The file names of high-quality recordings typically end with .wav. For example:  mystory.wav

WAV files have not been compressed, so they retain the maximum quality of audio. They are large files that take up quite a bit of space — usually about 10 MB per minute — and so are too large for most online purposes. Record your files in a .wav format, save a copy, and then convert them to .mp3 for uploading to web and podcast hosting sites, and for downloading to devices.

Click here for more information about .wav files.

BIT RATE

Bit rates are measured in kilobits per second: kbps. The higher the bit rate, the better the sound quality. A typical .mp3 file has a bit rate of 128 kps. Once an .mp3 file’s bit rate has been selected, it should remain the same or be reduced. Converting to a higher bit rate will not improve the sound because the original data that was lost during the compression process cannot be restored.

More than you’ll ever want to know about bit rates is here.