Sample Rate Reference
Compare sample rates and bit depths. Calculate exact file sizes for any audio format, duration, and channel count.
File Size Calculator
Uncompressed File Size
—
Breakdown
—
Note: These figures are for uncompressed PCM audio (WAV/AIFF). MP3 at 320kbps is roughly 10× smaller than 16-bit/44.1kHz stereo. FLAC losslessly compresses to ~40–60% of the uncompressed size.
Format Comparison
| Sample Rate | Bit Depth | Nyquist Freq | Dynamic Range | MB/min (stereo) | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44.1 kHz | 16-bit | 22.05 kHz | 96 dB | 10.1 MB | CD Audio Standard |
| 44.1 kHz | 24-bit | 22.05 kHz | 144 dB | 15.1 MB | Streaming / Download |
| 48 kHz | 24-bit | 24 kHz | 144 dB | 16.5 MB | Video / Broadcast Video Std |
| 88.2 kHz | 24-bit | 44.1 kHz | 144 dB | 30.2 MB | Hi-Res Music |
| 96 kHz | 24-bit | 48 kHz | 144 dB | 32.9 MB | Studio Recording Pro Std |
| 192 kHz | 24-bit | 96 kHz | 144 dB | 65.8 MB | Mastering / Archival |
| 192 kHz | 32-bit | 96 kHz | 192 dB | 87.9 MB | Highest quality |
Bit Depth & Dynamic Range
| Bit Depth | Values | Dynamic Range | Noise Floor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-bit | 256 | 48 dB | -48 dBFS | Retro/lo-fi effects, game audio |
| 16-bit | 65,536 | 96 dB | -96 dBFS | CD standard. Sufficient for most playback |
| 24-bit | 16.7M | 144 dB | -144 dBFS | Recording & production standard. Plenty of headroom |
| 32-bit float | ~4B | ~1,528 dB | -768 dBFS | Floating point — immune to clipping during processing |
Rule of thumb: Record at 24-bit. The extra headroom below the noise floor means you can recover material that would clip in 16-bit. Export for streaming at 16-bit/44.1kHz — streaming services downsample anyway. Keep 24-bit masters for future re-masters.