Audio Format Guide: MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, and OGG Explained
Understand the differences between lossy and lossless audio formats. Learn when to use each format for music, podcasts, sound effects, and professional audio production.
Key Takeaways
- Lossy codecs (MP3, AAC, OGG Vorbis) remove audio data that psychoacoustic models predict humans cannot perceive.
- MP3: Maximum compatibility — email attachments, legacy devices, podcast distribution.
- Never convert between lossy formats — each re-encoding compounds quality loss.
- Lossless codecs (FLAC, ALAC, WAV) preserve every sample exactly — important for production and archiving but resulting in much larger files.
- ## Conversion Best Practices Never convert between lossy formats — each re-encoding compounds quality loss.
BPM 计算器
通过点击节拍计算 BPM
Lossy vs Lossless Audio
Lossy codecs (MP3, AAC, OGG Vorbis) remove audio data that psychoacoustic models predict humans cannot perceive. This typically achieves 5-10x compression. Lossless codecs (FLAC, ALAC, WAV) preserve every sample exactly — important for production and archiving but resulting in much larger files.
Format Comparison
| Format | Type | Typical Bitrate | File Size (4 min) | Browser Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MP3 | Lossy | 128-320 kbps | 4-10 MB | Universal |
| AAC | Lossy | 96-256 kbps | 3-8 MB | Universal |
| OGG Vorbis | Lossy | 96-320 kbps | 3-10 MB | Firefox, Chrome |
| Opus | Lossy | 32-256 kbps | 1-8 MB | Modern browsers |
| FLAC | Lossless | 800-1200 kbps | 25-40 MB | Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
| WAV | Uncompressed | 1411 kbps | 42 MB | Universal |
When to Use Each
MP3: Maximum compatibility — email attachments, legacy devices, podcast distribution. Use 192 kbps or higher for music.
AAC: Superior quality to MP3 at the same bitrate. Default for Apple devices and streaming platforms. Use for web audio where older browser support is needed.
Opus: The best lossy codec available. Excellent at low bitrates (48-96 kbps) for voice, competitive at higher rates for music. Ideal for WebRTC and streaming.
FLAC: Lossless archiving and audiophile playback. Compresses WAV to roughly 60% of original size without any quality loss.
Conversion Best Practices
Never convert between lossy formats — each re-encoding compounds quality loss. Always keep lossless originals and create lossy versions as needed. Convert audio files with Peasy's browser-based converter to avoid uploading sensitive audio recordings to external services.