The following article will present and explain the different types of Audio File Formats and how they are used.

An audio file format is a type of encoded information used to store digital audio data. It determines the quality and even loss of audio data.

The most popular audio file format is MP3. However, there are other audio file types that can be ideal for specific audio needs.

These various audio file formats are commonly found in different music apps. These apps allow users to stream music for free, play songs offline, create music, and even play games.

For a list of music apps that can be downloaded to your device, click on the link below:

Best Music Apps for Firestick, Fire TV, and Android TV Box

Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) was developed by Apple for Mac systems by the end of the 80s. The format contains various types of audio formats as a sort of “wrapper” but tends to consume more disk space due to its nature.

AIFF file format is commonly found in Apple’s GarageBand and Logic Audio as Apple Loops (using extensions like .aiff, .aif, or .caf). Despite its association with Apple, AIFF is also compatible with Windows systems.

WAV

The Waveform (WAV) file format originated from IBM and Microsoft in the early 90s as a response to AIFF. WAV serves as a container for both uncompressed and compressed files, allowing large files to be somewhat reduced in size. Typically, these files are in PCM format.

WAV files are commonly used for computer sound files on PCs, while Mac devices can open them using the Quicktime multimedia program.

Lossless Compressed Formats

FLAC

Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is a royalty-free and open format that stands out for compressing original sources by up to 70 percent while retaining all data bits when decompressed. Initially launched in 2001, it is supported by most Android devices compatible with VLC or other third-party players.

For software support, FLAC encoding, decoding, and ripping are supported by various operating systems like Windows, Unix-like OS, Mac OS, and cross-platform software.

ALAC

Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), initially a proprietary format introduced in 2004, became open-source after seven years. While Mac devices offer native support for ALAC via iTunes and iOS, there are converter software available to convert FLAC audio files to ALAC.

ALAC can reduce uncompressed files by up to 60 percent and supports files up to 32 bits in depth and 384 kHZ sampling rate, making it a suitable choice for large, high-quality audio files.

Lossless WMA

Lossless Windows Media Audio (WMA) is part of the Windows Media framework offering support for up to 24-bit depth audio and 96 kHZ sampling rate using variable bitrate (VBR). Despite its file compression capabilities, users often find the resulting files take up more space, and support is primarily limited to Windows Media Player.

Mac users may face challenges playing Lossless WMA files on iTunes or Audacity without using alternative WMA player software.

Lossy Compressed Formats

MP3

MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3), introduced in 1993, quickly gained popularity and is widely supported on various devices from Androids to Smart TVs, making it a versatile and widely used audio file format.

While MP3’s lossy nature results in a noticeable sound quality difference compared to PCM, WAV, or FLAC, its significantly reduced file size makes it convenient for streaming and general use.

AAC

Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), launched four years after MP3, offers superior sound quality due to its more advanced compression algorithm. Converting audio to either MP3 or AAC results in similar file sizes, with AAC discarding less crucial information, achieving lower bitrates while maintaining sound quality.

Despite AAC’s technical advantages such as higher sample rates and coding efficiency, MP3’s early adoption and widespread support have solidified its position as a standard format, although AAC is becoming more prevalent on mobile devices.

Ogg (Vorbis)

Ogg, considered one of the best lossy file formats, has codecs used by developers in various media players due to its open-source nature. Developed by the open-source community behind Linux, Ogg lags behind MP3 in popularity because it lacks native support and direct ties to an operating system.

Windows systems require additional support to play Ogg files, while Mac users may need to install support for iTunes to handle this format.

Lossy WMA

Lossy Windows Media Audio (WMA) offers better audio quality than MP3 with smaller file sizes. However, its limited compatibility with non-Windows platforms like iOS due to its proprietary nature can be a drawback for wider usage.

Which Audio File Format Should You Use?

While high-quality headphones or music players enhance the listening experience, the choice of audio file format can significantly impact the quality of sound. A lossy format may be space-efficient, but for audiophiles seeking optimal sound quality, it might be unsatisfactory.

For editing raw audio while maintaining quality close to the source, compressed formats are preferred, especially by sound engineers.

For casual listening with space-saving considerations, lossy compression is suitable. If you desire better sound quality without the large file size of uncompressed formats, then FLAC or ALAC are ideal choices.

Other Types of Audio File Formats

3GA
File extension: .3gp
Includes proprietary formats like AMR, AMR-WB, or AMR-WB+ commonly used on mobile phones for capturing and transmitting audio data.

Audible Audio Book
File extension: .aa and .aax
Utilized by audio entertainment company Audible for its audiobooks and spoken word files. Formats offer varying bit rates for different sound qualities.

Advanced Audio Coding
File extension: .aac
Intended for lossy digital audio compression, AAC surpasses MP3 in sound quality while maintaining comparable bit rates and greater flexibility for developers designing codecs.

Coding efficiency.

ADPCM Compressed Audio
File extension: .act
A low-quality lossy format is used for recording by MP3 and MP4 players manufactured in China.

Adaptive Multi-Rate Codec
File extension: .amr
A compressed format developed by Swedish telecom brand Ericsson for 3G mobile phones to save voice records and MMS messages.

Another format based on AMR is Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband (AMR-WB) with a file extension .awb is used for speech audio coding.

Another advanced format, AMR-WB+ was developed by the firm in collaboration with Nokia and VoiceAge for MMS, PSS, and MBMS services.

Monkey’s Audio Lossless Audio
File extension: .ape (for audio); .apl (for track metadata)
A lossless data compression format is considered far better than FLAC with native support by Cowon multimedia media players.

AU File
File extension: .au
Used by Sun, Java, and Unix.