WAV Audio (MIME: audio/wav) is an uncompressed audio format developed by Microsoft and IBM. It stores raw PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) audio data, providing perfect audio fidelity at the cost of large file sizes.
History and Development
WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) was introduced by Microsoft and IBM in 1991 for Windows 3.1. Based on the RIFF container format, it became the standard uncompressed audio format on PCs. Despite being over 30 years old, WAV remains essential in professional audio production due to its simplicity and universal support.
Technical Specifications
- Compression: Typically uncompressed (PCM)
- Bit depth: 8, 16, 24, or 32-bit (float)
- Sample rates: 8-192 kHz
- Channels: Mono to multichannel
- Container: RIFF
- Max file size: 4 GB (standard WAV), unlimited (RF64/BWF)
Common Use Cases
WAV is the standard format for audio recording, editing, music production, sound effects libraries, and CD mastering. Professional DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live use WAV as the native recording format.
WAV vs Similar Formats
- WAV vs FLAC: Both are lossless, but FLAC compresses to 50-60% of WAV size. Use WAV for editing compatibility, FLAC for storage.
- WAV vs MP3: WAV is uncompressed (perfect quality, huge files); MP3 is compressed (good quality, small files).
- WAV vs AIFF: AIFF is Apple's equivalent of WAV. Both store uncompressed PCM; WAV is more common on Windows, AIFF on Mac.
How to Open and Edit
WAV files play on all computers and most mobile devices. Professional audio editors (Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Audacity, Ableton) all support WAV natively. For web playback, convert to MP3 or OGG.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are WAV files so large?
WAV stores uncompressed PCM data. A 3-minute song at CD quality (44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo) is about 30 MB. The same song as MP3 would be ~3 MB.
When should I use WAV?
Use WAV for recording, editing, and mastering audio. For sharing and distribution, convert to MP3, AAC, or FLAC to save space.