In short
WAV stores the sound without loss, MP3 saves space by leaving out detail. For recording, mixing and uploading to your distributor, use 24-bit WAV. MP3 is for sending and listening. Whether 44.1 or 48 kHz matters less than keeping the whole project at one sample rate.
WAV or MP3: which is better?
For quality: WAV. A 320 kbps MP3 sounds very close to the original, but every further edit and every re-encode makes the errors bigger. That’s why MP3 belongs at the end of the chain, never at the start.
- Lossless: WAV, AIFF and FLAC. FLAC is smaller but loses nothing.
- Lossy: MP3 and AAC.
- Streaming: Spotify and co. convert your WAV master themselves.
16, 24 or 32 bit?
- 24 bit for recording: plenty of distance from the noise floor, you don’t have to record close to the limit.
- 32-bit float for exports and stems: can’t clip on export.
- 16 bit is enough for the finished CD.
- Distributors usually accept 16 or 24 bit.
44.1 or 48 kHz?
Both sample rates capture everything we can hear, up to about 20 kHz. 44.1 kHz is the classic music standard, 48 kHz the standard for video. Use whatever your project already has and stick with it. Higher rates like 96 kHz need more storage and processing power and bring no audible benefit for most songs.
Which format for what?
| Purpose | Format |
|---|---|
| Recording | WAV, 24 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz |
| Stems for the mix | WAV, 24 bit or 32-bit float |
| Upload to the distributor | WAV, 16 or 24 bit |
| Sending a demo | MP3, 320 kbps |
| CD | WAV, 16 bit, 44.1 kHz |
Common mistakes
- Recording over an MP3: ask the producer for the beat as WAV.
- Mixing sample rates: tracks at 44.1 and 48 kHz in one project play at the wrong speed or get converted.
- Converting MP3 to WAV: doesn’t bring back the lost quality.
Whether your tracks fit together, the free Stem-Check tells you, including a hint about hidden MP3s.