From .MP3, .M4A, .AAC and more, at that place are many audio file formats you lot can expect to come across every bit a developer handling audio/video content in your application. Like in our last article The Complete Image File Extension List for Developers , and The Complete List of Video File Formats and Codecs, in this article we'll delve into the different types of audio files, and how to choose the all-time audio file format for your application.
Commencement, permit's answer a couple of common questions:
What is the best audio format for audio quality?
A lossless audio file format is the all-time format for sound quality. These include FLAC, WAV, or AIFF. These types of files are considered "hi-res" because they are better or equal to CD-quality. The tradeoff is that these files will be very large.
What audio file format is best for apply on the Web?
From a browser compatibility standpoint, .MP3 and .MP4 are the all-time sound file formats for use on the Web. All mod browsers support this format, including IE9. Other formats that are supported past nigh browsers include OGG, WebM, AAC, and WAV.
What is the most popular audio format?
MP3 files are the near popular audio format. In decades by, their ubiquity inspired an entire category of devices (MP3 Players), and their popularity continues to this day. MP3's can exist created in a variety of bit rates, which is used to balance the file's quality and size. Their efficient size has made them the standard format to exchange audio on the Web.
How do I convert an sound file from one format to another?
For converting files manually, use a plan like VLC Media Player to catechumen betwixt popular sound file formats .
To programmatically convert files, Filestack offers an audio transcoding API that makes converting audio files a breeze. Larn more on how to catechumen audio using Filestack.
Audio File Formats
.MP3
.MP3 files are the most common audio file around. MP3s feature lossy compression, which means their quality will dethrone over subsequent edits. MP3s are even so relatively large in size when compared to other sound file formats on this list.
Image From: Amazon Music Download Store
.MP3 files tin be encoded at a constant flake rate or variable bit rate. A constant scrap rate ensures the same quality throughout the audio file but results in college file size. Variable bit rate detracts from quality during silent or near-silent moments of a file, resulting in smaller overall file size. Most smartphones and music players utilize the .MP3 format .
.M4A
.M4A is an Apple tree-based format that corresponds to .MPEG-4 video files. .M4A files feature lossless compression, allowing for multiple edits without a loss of quality. Compared to the other audio file formats on this list, .M4A files accept a similar quality but are lower in file size. You will see .M4A files play audio on Apple products such as iPhones and iPods.
.AAC
Similar MP3s, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) files are also lossy audio files. Nevertheless, .AAC files, in their original state, are much higher in quality than whatever of the other audio file formats on the listing. .AAC files are generally similar in size to MP3s, despite being a tad higher in quality.
They can likewise exist created with a variable bit charge per unit or constant chip rate. .AAC files are also open-source, which means you don't need to pay royalties to create and distribute them (unlike .MP3 files).
.AAC files are well-nigh commonly associated with iTunes, though they can exist used on other player devices and gaming consoles .
Image From: iTunes
.OGA, .OGG
Similar to .AAC files, .OGA files are open up-source and utilize lossy compression. They use variable bit rate to cutting down on file size. However, this doesn't backbite from the overall sound quality. In fact, .OGA files tend to exist higher in quality than MP3s. .OGA files aren't supported by many programs – especially compared to the rather ubiquitous .MP3.
.FLAC
Like M4A, FLAC is a lossless audio format. Unlike M4A, FLAC is open source and features a more efficient compression algorithm, which tin can reduce the file by 50-lxx% over its original size. This format is popular among audiophiles as a way to store collections of music in their highest quality grade. Considering information technology is open up source, it is compatible with many devices and programs.
.PCM, .WAV, .AIFF
PCM, or Pulse-Lawmaking Modulation is an uncompressed audio format that is usually used in CDs and DVDs. This format uses a "sampling charge per unit" which defines how oft the original audio was sampled, and a "bit depth" which defines how many bits are used to define each sample.
WAV, or Waveform Audio File Format is commonly used every bit a wrapper format to shop PCM format sound, making it more suitable for Windows computers.
AIFF, or Sound Interchange File Format, like WAV, is commonly used every bit a wrapper format to store PCM format audio, except for Mac computers.
How to Cull the Correct Sound File Format
Choosing the right audio format depends entirely on what you lot plan on using the sound for. You should cull a format that achieves the quality of sound you lot require, but nothing more. Unnecessarily high-quality audio files can exist unwieldy to move, share, catechumen, and manage. Consider a couple of scenarios:
- If you lot are a professional that is planning to edit the audio (for a podcast for example), and so apply an uncompressed format . This way, you will maintain the sound'southward quality each time you edit and save the file. When y'all are finished, you lot can export to an easier-to-distribute compressed format. Uncompressed formats include PCM, WAV, and AIFF.
- If you are an audiophile wanting to mind to your music collection in hello-fidelity, choose a format that uses lossless sound compression . You volition apply less storage than an uncompressed format, just notwithstanding retain the total quality of the original recording. These formats include FLAC, WMA, M4A.
- If you are not concerned with perfect audio quality, plan on sharing the file on the Web, or need to conserve disk space, choose a format that uses lossy audio pinch . Luckily, lossy compression has become and so adept in recent years that most people tin can't tell the difference between lossy and lossless pinch. These formats include MP3, OGA, AAC
Conclusion
In summary, the about popular audio file types are:
- .MP3
- .M4A
- .AAC
- .OGA
- .FLAC
- .WAV
- .PCM
- .AIFF
There are certain times when it is best to utilise one file format over another, and oft, y'all have to convert between file formats. To programmatically convert between audio or video file types, you can use Filestack's sound & video transcoding API . Filestack's API likewise supports extracting audio files from video files, cropping or resizing video files, extracting thumbnails from videos, and more. Get started for free with Filestack today.
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