What is the difference between MP3 and WAV audio formats?
MP3 and WAV are popular audio formats with distinct features.
Format |
Best For |
Compression |
Quality |
File Size |
---|---|---|---|---|
MP3 |
Everyday Use, Online Sharing |
Lossy |
Decent |
Smaller |
WAV |
Music Production, Archival |
Lossless |
High |
Larger |
MP3, a compressed format, reduces file size for online streaming and storage on space-limited devices. It uses perceptual coding to discard less audible information.
In contrast, WAV is an uncompressed format, retaining all original audio data for higher quality but larger file sizes. WAV is preferred for professional audio editing due to its lossless nature.
Choose MP3 for everyday use and online sharing, while WAV suits music production or archival purposes.