WAV vs MP3 — production master vs distribution copy
Keep the master as WAV, ship MP3 to listeners. Different jobs, different files.
Quick verdict
- Recording, editing, mastering → WAV.
- Distribution, sharing, podcasts → MP3.
- Both → archive WAV, publish MP3.
Side-by-side
| Property | WAV | MP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | None | Lossy |
| Quality | Identical to source | Bitrate-dependent |
| File size | ~10 MB per minute | ~1 MB per minute at 128 kbps |
| Metadata | Limited | Rich via ID3v2 |
| Playback | Near-universal | Universal |
Conversion
ffmpeg -i source.wav -ab 192k source.mp3
- 192 kbps and above is near-indistinguishable from WAV for most listeners.
- 320 kbps is a sensible ceiling for premium distribution.