Audio file size calculator
Uncompressed PCM, as WAV or AIFF. The header adds a few dozen bytes to a few kilobytes, which is not worth counting. Sizes are decimal (1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes), like drive makers use; the binary column is what some operating systems show.
Uncompressed audio size is sample rate × bit depth ÷ 8 × channels × seconds bytes. One minute of CD-quality stereo (44.1 kHz, 16-bit) is about 10.58 MB. At 48 kHz / 24-bit stereo it is 17.28 MB a minute.
One minute of stereo, in MB
| Sample rate | 16-bit | 24-bit | 32-bit float | Bitrate (kbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44.1 kHz | 10.58 | 15.88 | 21.17 | 1,411.216-bit |
| 48 kHz | 11.52 | 17.28 | 23.04 | 1,536.016-bit |
| 88.2 kHz | 21.17 | 31.75 | 42.34 | 2,822.416-bit |
| 96 kHz | 23.04 | 34.56 | 46.08 | 3,072.016-bit |
| 176.4 kHz | 42.34 | 63.50 | 84.67 | 5,644.816-bit |
| 192 kHz | 46.08 | 69.12 | 92.16 | 6,144.016-bit |
Compressed formats, for comparison
| Format | Bitrate | Per minute |
|---|---|---|
| MP3 128 kbps | 128.0 kbps | 0.96 MB |
| MP3 192 kbps | 192.0 kbps | 1.44 MB |
| MP3 320 kbps | 320.0 kbps | 2.40 MB |
| AAC 256 kbps | 256.0 kbps | 1.92 MB |
| CD audio (WAV 44.1/16) | 1,411.2 kbps | 10.58 MB |
FLAC and ALAC are lossless and usually land somewhere around half to two thirds of the WAV size. How much they save depends on the material: quiet, sparse music compresses far better than a dense, loud master.
The 4 GB WAV limit
A standard WAV file stores its size in a 32-bit field, so one file cannot go past 4 GiB (4,294,967,296 bytes). Long multitrack or field recordings hit it sooner than you would think. Formats like RF64 and BW64 lift the limit, and many recorders split a long take into several files instead. Know which one yours does before a three-hour gig.
| Format | Length |
|---|---|
| 44.1 kHz / 16-bit mono | 13 h 31 min |
| 44.1 kHz / 16-bit stereo | 6 h 45 min |
| 48 kHz / 24-bit mono | 8 h 17 min |
| 48 kHz / 24-bit stereo | 4 h 08 min |
| 96 kHz / 24-bit mono | 4 h 08 min |
| 96 kHz / 24-bit stereo | 2 h 04 min |
| 48 kHz / 32-bit mono | 6 h 12 min |
| 48 kHz / 32-bit stereo | 3 h 06 min |
| 96 kHz / 32-bit mono | 3 h 06 min |
| 96 kHz / 32-bit stereo | 1 h 33 min |
What sample rate and bit depth to record at
- 48 kHz / 24-bit is the everyday default for music and the standard for video. It is what most sessions are set to.
- 44.1 kHz is the CD and most streaming delivery rate. Recording at it is fine, especially for projects that will only ever be music releases.
- 24-bit gives far more headroom than 16-bit, so you can track at sensible levels without riding the clip light. 16-bit is a delivery format, not a recording one.
- 32-bit float files cannot clip inside the file, which is why some field recorders use it. It doubles the size of 16-bit.
- 88.2 and 96 kHz double the size for gains that are hard to hear on the finished song. They help with heavy pitch and time stretching, and some plugins behave better at higher rates.
Make some of them sound like memories.
Memory Station '03 is a free lo-fi plugin where the presets are moods: tape haze, static, chorus, lowpass fog and a slowed float. Play it in your browser with the built-in guitar, your own file or your instrument.
Play Memory Station live →Quick answers
How big is a one-minute WAV file?
At CD quality (44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo) one minute is about 10.58 MB. At 48 kHz, 24-bit stereo it is 17.28 MB, and at 96 kHz, 24-bit stereo 34.56 MB.
How do I calculate audio file size?
Multiply sample rate × bit depth × channels × seconds, then divide by 8 to get bytes. For example 48,000 × 24 × 2 × 60 ÷ 8 = 17,280,000 bytes, or 17.28 MB, for a minute of 48 kHz / 24-bit stereo.
What is the bitrate of CD audio?
1,411.2 kbps: 44,100 samples a second × 16 bits × 2 channels.
How big is an MP3 compared to a WAV?
A 320 kbps MP3 is 2.4 MB a minute, about 23% of a CD-quality WAV. A 128 kbps MP3 is under 1 MB a minute.
Is there a size limit for WAV files?
Yes. A standard WAV file cannot be larger than 4 GiB because its size is stored in a 32-bit field. At 48 kHz / 24-bit stereo that is about 4 hours 8 minutes. RF64 and BW64 files go beyond it.
Does 32-bit float make files bigger?
Yes. 32-bit float is a third larger than 24-bit and twice the size of 16-bit at the same sample rate and channel count.
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