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MP3 vs WAV

Comparing MPEG Audio Layer III and Waveform Audio File Format - which format should you use?

	MP3	WAV
Full Name	MPEG Audio Layer III	Waveform Audio File Format
Extension	.mp3	.wav
MIME Type	audio/mpeg	audio/wav
Category	audio	audio

MP3 Pros

+Universal compatibility
+Good compression with acceptable quality
+Small file sizes
+Supported by virtually every device and app

MP3 Cons

-Lossy - quality lost during compression
-Inferior quality to FLAC, AAC at same bitrate
-Patent issues (expired 2017)
-No support for high-resolution audio

WAV Pros

+Perfect audio quality (uncompressed)
+Universal support on all platforms
+No encoding/decoding artifacts
+Industry standard for audio production

WAV Cons

-Very large files (10 MB per minute at CD quality)
-No metadata/tag support in basic format
-Impractical for streaming or mobile use
-No compression

Use MP3 when...

-Music distribution and streaming
-Podcasts
-Audiobooks
-Voice recordings

Use WAV when...

-Audio recording and production
-Sound effects libraries
-Master recordings
-Professional audio editing

Learn more about MP3 Learn more about WAV