Many things have changed over the years and sound quality and file formats are amongst these, We now have a variety of file formats that are used for different purposes.
Each of these formats comes with its own limitations and benefits.
MP3
MP3 is an encoding format for digital audio, It is very common in this day and age and due to its nature it allows us the end user to store and playback audio very easily.
There are 3 main file types within an MP3. These are 192 Kbps, 256 Kbps and 320 Kbps (Kilobit Per Second).
These numbers correspond to the 'bit-depth' of the file, the lower the number the smaller the file size and the lower the sound quality.
When sending demos it is recommended that you always use the 320 Kbps MP3 format for the highest sound quality and detail.
MP3 ID3 & Metadata
When encoding MP3 it is highly recommended to add your artist name and track details into the file.
This can be done at source or by right clicking the mp3 file and looking under ‘properties.’ For example, when displaying an mp3 in iTunes all the tabs including Artist, Album, and Genre are taken from this information within the MP3 file.
Most music systems, mp3 players and decoders read and display this information.
WAV (Windows Audio File) by Microsoft
There is a large range of formats within the ‘WAV’ file consisting of two parts, bit depth and sample rate. The standard format is 44.1 KHz (sample rate) and 16bit (bit depth) or CD quality as we know it.
When preparing a WAV for mastering this is normally either 44.1KHz or 48KHz and 24bit.
The sample rate can go as high as 96KHz in a studio environment but is only used on rare occasions on top end equipment.
You may come across a WAV bit depth of 32bit float which is sometimes used in highly specified studios.
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) by Apple
This is the equivalent of the WAV file normally used by Mac users. It is also uncompressed and the highest quality file used for music production.