{"id":1224,"date":"2020-05-09T16:07:50","date_gmt":"2020-05-09T16:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/?p=1224"},"modified":"2020-05-09T16:07:50","modified_gmt":"2020-05-09T16:07:50","slug":"the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/","title":{"rendered":"The 10 most common audio formats: which one to use?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#The_10_most_common_audio_formats_which_one_to_use\" >The 10 most common audio formats: which one to use?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Uncompressed_audio_formats\" >Uncompressed audio formats<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_PCM\" >Audio file format: PCM<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_WAV\" >Audio file format: WAV<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_AIFF\" >Audio file format: AIFF<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Lossy_compression_audio_formats\" >Lossy compression audio formats.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_MP3\" >Audio file format: MP3<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_AAC\" >Audio file format: AAC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_OGG_Vorbis\" >Audio file format: OGG (Vorbis)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_WMA_lossy\" >Audio file format: WMA (lossy)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_formats_with_lossless_compression\" >Audio formats with lossless compression.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_FLAC\" >Audio file format: FLAC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_ALAC\" >Audio file format: ALAC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/#Audio_file_format_WMA_lossless\" >Audio file format: WMA (lossless)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_10_most_common_audio_formats_which_one_to_use\"><\/span>The 10 most common audio formats: which one to use?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Audio files are available in all types and sizes. And although we are all familiar with MP3, what do you think of AAC, FLAC, OGG or WMA? Why are there so many audio standards? Which are important and which to ignore?<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s actually quite easy to find that all audio formats fall into three main categories. Once you know what the categories mean, you can simply choose a format within the category that best suits your needs.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Uncompressed_audio_formats\"><\/span>Uncompressed audio formats<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Uncompressed audio consists of actual sound waves that have been captured without further processing and converted into a digital format. As a result, uncompressed audio files are usually the most accurate, but take up a lot of space, about 34MB per minute for 96-bit and 96-bit stereo.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_PCM\"><\/span>Audio file format: PCM<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>PCM stands for Pulse Code Modulation, a digital representation of analog audio signals. Analog tones exist as waveforms, and in order to convert a waveform into digital bits, the tone must be sampled and recorded at certain intervals (or pulses).<\/p>\n<p>This digital audio format has a &#8220;sample rate&#8221; (how often a sample is taken) and a &#8220;bit depth&#8221; (how many bits are used to represent each sample). No compression is required. The digital recording is an almost exact representation of the analog sound.<\/p>\n<p>PCM is the most common audio format used on CD and DVD. There is a PCM subtype called Linear Pulse Code Modulation, in which samples are taken at linear intervals. LPCM is the most common form of PCM, so the two terms are almost interchangeable at this point.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_WAV\"><\/span>Audio file format: WAV<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>WAV stands for Waveform Audio File Format (at some point also called Audio for Windows, but no longer). It is a standard developed by Microsoft and IBM in 1991.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bandwith-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-718\" src=\"http:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bandwith-1.jpg\" alt=\"audio formats\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Many people believe that all WAV files are uncompressed audio files, but that&#8217;s not exactly true. WAV is actually a Windows container for various audio formats. This means that a WAV file may contain compressed audio, but this is rarely used.<\/p>\n<p>Most WAV files contain uncompressed audio in PCM format. The WAV file is just a container for PCM encoding, so it is more suitable for use on Windows systems. However, Mac systems can generally open WAV files with ease.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_AIFF\"><\/span>Audio file format: AIFF<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>AIFF stands for Audio Interchange File Format. Similar to how Microsoft and IBM developed WAV for Windows, AIFF is a format developed by Apple for Mac systems in 1988.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to WAV files, AIFF files can contain several types of audio formats. For example, there is a compressed version called AIFF-C and another version called Apple Loops that is used by GarageBand and Logic Audio. Both use the same AIFF extension.<\/p>\n<p>Most AIFF files contain uncompressed audio in PCM format. The AIFF file is just a container for PCM encoding, making it more suitable for use on Mac systems. However, Windows systems can generally open AIFF files with ease.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lossy_compression_audio_formats\"><\/span>Lossy compression audio formats.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Lossy compression occurs when some data is lost during the compression process. Compression is important because uncompressed audio takes up a lot of space.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, lossy compression means that the sound quality and fidelity for smaller files are affected. If you are hurt, you will hear artifacts and other oddities in the audio. But if done correctly, you won&#8217;t feel the difference.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_MP3\"><\/span>Audio file format: MP3<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>MP3 stands for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3. It was released in 1993 and is becoming increasingly popular. It is the world&#8217;s most popular audio format for music files. There is a reason why we had &#8220;MP3 players&#8221; but no &#8220;OGG players&#8221;!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/mp3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1147\" src=\"http:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/mp3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/mp3.png 256w, https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/mp3-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 85vw, 256px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The main purpose of MP3 is in three ways: 1) removing all audio that is out of the normal human hearing range, and 2) reducing the quality of inaudible sounds, then 3) compressing all the other audio as efficiently as possible.<\/p>\n<p>Almost every digital device in the world with audio playback can read and play MP3 files, be it PC, Mac, Android, iPhone, Smart TV or anything else. If you need a universal device, MP3 will never disappoint you.<\/p>\n<p>Note: MP3 is not the same as MP4!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_AAC\"><\/span>Audio file format: AAC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>AAC stands for Advanced Audio Coding. It was developed in 1997 as the successor to MP3 and although it has become popular as a format to be used, it has never surpassed MP3 as the most popular.<\/p>\n<p>The compression algorithm used by AAC is much more advanced and technical than MP3. So if you compare the same recording in MP3 and AAC format with the same bit rates, the AAC generally has better audio quality.<\/p>\n<p>Although MP3 is a more popular format, AAC is still widely used today. In fact, this is the standard audio compression method used by YouTube, Android, iOS, iTunes, later Nintendo laptops, and later PlayStation.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_OGG_Vorbis\"><\/span>Audio file format: OGG (Vorbis)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>OGG represents nothing. In fact, it&#8217;s not even a compression format. OGG is a multimedia container that can contain all types of compression formats. However, Vorbis files are most commonly used. Therefore, these audio files are called Ogg Vorbis files.<\/p>\n<p>Vorbis was first released in 2000 and is growing in popularity for two reasons: 1) it conforms to the principles of open source software and 2) it works significantly better than most other lossy compression formats (ie) this results in a smaller file size for an equivalent sound quality.<\/p>\n<p>MP3 and AAC are so strong that OGG struggles to get into the spotlight &#8211; not many devices support them natively, but they do improve over time. It is currently used primarily by supporters of hardcore open source software.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_WMA_lossy\"><\/span>Audio file format: WMA (lossy)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>WMA stands for Windows Media Audio. It was first published in 1999 and has gone through several developments since then, always keeping the same name and WMA extension. It is a proprietary format created by Microsoft.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to AAC and OGG, WMA should fix some of the errors in the MP3 compression method, and it turns out that WMA&#8217;s approach to compression is very similar to that of AAC and OGG. Yes, in terms of the quality of objective compression, WMA is really better than MP3.<\/p>\n<p>However, since WMA is proprietary, it is not supported by many devices and platforms. In addition, it offers no real advantage over AAC or OGG. If MP3 is not good enough, it is only more practical to use one instead of WMA.<\/p>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_formats_with_lossless_compression\"><\/span>Audio formats with lossless compression.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>The opposite lossy compression is lossless compression, in which the size of an audio file is reduced without loss of data between the source audio file and the compressed audio file.<\/p>\n<p>The disadvantage is that lossless compressed audio files are larger than lossy compressed audio files, up to 2 times 5 times larger for the same source file.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_FLAC\"><\/span>Audio file format: FLAC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>FLAC is an abbreviation for Free Lossless Audio Codec. Maybe a bit on the nose, but it has quickly become one of the most popular lossless formats since its launch in 2001.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is that FLAC can compress an original source file by up to 60 percent without losing a single bit of data. What&#8217;s even better is that FLAC is a free, open source audio file format, so there are no intellectual property restrictions.<\/p>\n<p>FLAC is compatible with most major programs and devices and is the primary alternative to MP3 for music. You basically get the full quality of uncompressed audio with half the file size. That is why many see FLAC as the best audio format.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_ALAC\"><\/span>Audio file format: ALAC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>ALAC stands for Apple Lossless Audio Codec. It was developed and published as a proprietary format in 2004, but became open source and copyright-free in 2011. ALAC is sometimes referred to as Apple Lossless.<\/p>\n<p>While ALAC is good, it is somewhat less efficient than FLAC in terms of compression. However, Apple users cannot choose between the two, as iTunes and iOS offer native support for ALAC and no support for FLAC.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_file_format_WMA_lossless\"><\/span>Audio file format: WMA (lossless)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>WMA stands for Windows Media Audio. We already discussed this in the lossy compression section, but we explained this here because there is a lossless alternative called WMA Lossless that uses the same extension. Confused, I know.<\/p>\n<p>Compared to FLAC and ALAC, WMA Lossless is the worst compression efficiency, but not much. Since it is a proprietary format, it is not suitable for open source software enthusiasts, but is natively supported on Windows and Mac systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 10 most common audio formats: which one to use? Audio files are available in all types and sizes. And although we are all familiar with MP3, what do you think of AAC, FLAC, OGG or WMA? Why are there so many audio standards? Which are important and which to ignore? It&#8217;s actually quite easy &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The 10 most common audio formats: which one to use?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[257],"tags":[29119,30535,30534,30532,6893,14742,30533,15880,14748,22199,14747,14739,28905,27546,14744,6896,28903,6850,14745,22467,6848,28904,6897,28902,6920,23660,6923,14740,6924,6921,14738,29136,6836,6964,6961,6960,22470,22471,14741,14743,7017,6840,28906,7025,6829,30536,28916,14737,6821,6820,28910,6825,6823,6826,6822,6824,28921,22462,22463,28922,6831,28917,6832,6830,30538,22465,30537,28920,6833,22461,6839,6837,6834,6835,6838,6843,6844],"class_list":["post-1224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio-normalizer","tag-audio-file-format","tag-audio-file-format-comparison","tag-audio-file-format-comparison-chart","tag-audio-file-formats-about","tag-audio-file-formats-explained","tag-audio-file-formats-pro-tools","tag-audio-file-types-explained","tag-audio-format","tag-audio-format-better-than-m4a","tag-audio-format-comparison","tag-audio-formats-better-than-mp3","tag-audio-formats-by-quality","tag-audio-formats-by-size","tag-audio-formats-comparison","tag-audio-formats-compatible-with-premiere-pro","tag-audio-formats-for-android","tag-audio-formats-for-davinci-resolve","tag-audio-formats-for-facebook","tag-audio-formats-for-final-cut-pro","tag-audio-formats-for-google-slides","tag-audio-formats-for-iphone","tag-audio-formats-for-powerpoint","tag-audio-formats-for-web","tag-audio-formats-for-youtube","tag-audio-formats-in-1991","tag-audio-formats-in-2000","tag-audio-formats-in-android","tag-audio-formats-in-audacity","tag-audio-formats-in-html","tag-audio-formats-in-html5","tag-audio-formats-in-multimedia","tag-audio-formats-in-the-90s","tag-audio-formats-is-not-supported-by-html5","tag-audio-formats-on-itunes","tag-audio-formats-on-netflix","tag-audio-formats-other-than-mp3","tag-audio-formats-over-arc","tag-audio-formats-over-optical","tag-audio-formats-premiere-pro","tag-audio-formats-supported-by-premiere-pro","tag-audio-formats-vs-mp3","tag-audio-formats-was-developed-by-microsoft","tag-audio-formats-with-expansion","tag-audio-formats-with-full-form","tag-can-you-convert-audio-formats","tag-difference-between-audio-file-formats","tag-does-youtube-accept-audio-formats","tag-supported-audio-formats-after-effects","tag-what-are-audio-file-formats","tag-what-are-audio-formats","tag-what-are-common-audio-formats","tag-what-are-compressed-audio-formats","tag-what-are-different-audio-formats","tag-what-are-digital-audio-formats","tag-what-are-lossless-audio-formats","tag-what-are-uncompressed-audio-formats","tag-what-audio-formats-does-android-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-arc-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-imovie-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-iphone-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-itunes-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-lightworks-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-netflix-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-optical-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-plex-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-premiere-pro-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-ps4-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-sonos-beam-support","tag-what-audio-formats-does-sonos-support","tag-what-audio-formats-were-around-in-1991","tag-what-is-audio-coding-formats","tag-what-is-audio-file-formats","tag-what-is-audio-formats","tag-what-is-audio-formats-definition","tag-what-is-digital-audio-formats","tag-where-is-audio-coding-formats","tag-which-audio-formats-are-lossless"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The 10 most common audio formats: which one to use? - mp4gain.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Audio files are available in all types and sizes. And although we are all familiar with MP3, what do you think of AAC, FLAC, OGG or WMA? Why are there so many audio standards? Which are important and which to ignore?It&#039;s actually quite easy to find that all audio formats fall into three main categories. Once you know what the categories mean, you can simply choose a format within the category that best suits your needs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 10 most common audio formats: which one to use? - mp4gain.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Audio files are available in all types and sizes. And although we are all familiar with MP3, what do you think of AAC, FLAC, OGG or WMA? Why are there so many audio standards? Which are important and which to ignore?It&#039;s actually quite easy to find that all audio formats fall into three main categories. Once you know what the categories mean, you can simply choose a format within the category that best suits your needs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/the-10-most-common-audio-formats-which-one-to-use\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"mp4gain.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mp4gain\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-09T16:07:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/mp4gain.com\/mp4gain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bandwith-1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"R. 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