Audio File Size Calculator
Calculate uncompressed audio file sizes by sample rate, bit depth, channels, and duration
Calculate Audio File Size
Total duration: 3m 30s (210 seconds)
Audio File Size Results
Technical Details
Calculation Formula
File Size (bytes) = Sample Rate × Bit Depth × Channels × Duration ÷ 8
= 44,100 Hz × 16 bits × 2 channels × 210s ÷ 8
= 3,70,44,000 bytes
Audio Quality Analysis
Example Calculations
CD Quality Audio (3 minutes)
Sample Rate: 44,100 Hz
Bit Depth: 16-bit
Channels: 2 (Stereo)
Duration: 3 minutes (180 seconds)
Calculation: 44,100 × 16 × 2 × 180 ÷ 8 = 31,752,000 bytes
File Size: ≈ 31.75 MB
Professional Audio (1 minute)
Sample Rate: 96,000 Hz
Bit Depth: 24-bit
Channels: 2 (Stereo)
Duration: 1 minute (60 seconds)
Calculation: 96,000 × 24 × 2 × 60 ÷ 8 = 34,560,000 bytes
File Size: ≈ 34.56 MB
Audio Quality Standards
8 kHz, 8-bit
Telephone quality, voice only
22.05 kHz, 16-bit
FM radio quality, acceptable music
44.1 kHz, 16-bit
CD quality, standard for music
48 kHz, 24-bit
Professional audio, studio recording
96 kHz, 24-bit+
High-resolution audio, mastering
Channel Configurations
Audio Tips
Sample rate must be 2× highest frequency (Nyquist theorem)
Higher bit depth provides better dynamic range
44.1 kHz/16-bit is CD standard for music
48 kHz is standard for video production
This calculator shows uncompressed sizes
Understanding Digital Audio
How Audio File Size is Calculated
Digital audio files store sound as a series of discrete samples taken at regular intervals. The file size depends on four key factors:
File Size = Sample Rate × Bit Depth × Channels × Duration ÷ 8
(Result in bytes)
- •Sample Rate: How many samples per second (Hz)
- •Bit Depth: Bits per sample (quality/dynamic range)
- •Channels: Number of audio channels
- •Duration: Length of audio in seconds
Digital Audio Concepts
Sample Rate
The frequency at which audio samples are captured. Higher rates capture more detail but create larger files. CD quality uses 44.1 kHz.
Bit Depth
The number of bits used to represent each sample's amplitude. Higher bit depths provide better dynamic range and lower noise floor.
Nyquist Theorem
Sample rate must be at least twice the highest frequency you want to capture. For 20 kHz audio, you need at least 40 kHz sampling.
Uncompressed vs Compressed Audio
This calculator shows uncompressed file sizes (like WAV or AIFF). Real-world audio files often use compression:
Uncompressed Audio
- • Perfect quality, no data loss
- • Large file sizes
- • Used in professional recording
- • Formats: WAV, AIFF, raw PCM
Compressed Audio
- • 90-95% smaller file sizes
- • Some quality loss (lossy) or no loss (lossless)
- • Suitable for distribution and streaming
- • Formats: MP3, AAC, FLAC, OGG