About Audio File Size Calculator
In the era of high-resolution digital audio, storage space fills up faster than you might expect. A multi-track recording session with 24 microphones running at 96kHz can generate gigabytes of data in minutes. The Audio File Size Calculator is a project planning necessity for engineers, letting you estimate the disk space required before you even hit the record button.
Understanding the Variables
The size of an uncompressed audio file (WAV/AIFF) is determined by pure math, not the content of the sound:
- Sample Rate: How many snapshots of the audio are taken per second. 44,100 (CD quality) is the standard, but 48,000 is used for Video, and 96,000 or 192,000 for high-end archival. doubling the rate doubles the file size.
- Bit Depth: The dynamic resolution (amplitude accuracy) of each snapshot. 16-bit covers 96dB of dynamic range. 24-bit covers 144dB (studio standard). 32-bit float allows for virtually infinite headroom but requires 33% more space than 24-bit.
- Channels: 1 for Mono, 2 for Stereo. A stereo file is literally just two mono files interleaved, so it takes exactly double the space.
Practical Use Cases
Imagine you are recording a live 2 hour concert. You have 32 input channels. You want to record at 96kHz/24-bit. Will this fit on your portable 128GB SSD? This tool gives you the immediate answer. It also helps in budgeting cloud storage for backups—knowing if a project is 5GB or 50GB changes how you archive it.