Format Atlas

Guides

Choose an audio preservation format

Check whether you need lossless audio and which tools must read it. FLAC saves space; WAV fits many recording and editing workflows.

Which format should you choose?

Choose by the role each file plays in your workflow.

  • Compact lossless archive → FLAC
  • Recording and editing workflow → WAV
  • MPEG-4 audio for supported players → M4A

Separate masters from delivery copies

Even lossless formats differ in workflow support. Keep an editing or preservation master, then make lossy delivery copies when a target service or player requires them.

Formats to consider

FLAC

Good for: Lossless audio with smaller files than uncompressed PCM

Less suitable for: Delivery when recipient support is unknown

WAV

Good for: Recording and editing workflows

Less suitable for: Long-term distribution with strict size limits

M4A

Good for: MPEG-4-family audio for compatible players

Less suitable for: Choosing preservation settings before identifying its codec

Before you export

  • Lossless and uncompressed do not mean the same thing.
  • M4A is a container; check the codec inside.

Related comparisons

MP3 vs FLACMP3 uses lossy audio compression to reduce file size; FLAC compresses audio losslessly and can restore the original PCM samples. Choose according to delivery size, playback support, and whether an editing or archival master must be preserved.FLAC vs WAVFLAC is a lossless compression format that can reconstruct the original PCM audio. WAV is an audio container commonly used for uncompressed PCM, but its internal codec should be checked.M4A vs MP3M4A is a filename extension commonly used for audio in an MPEG-4 container, while MP3 names an audio coding format. An M4A file may contain AAC, ALAC, or another supported codec, so the extension alone does not identify its encoding.

Guides

Choose an audio distribution formatFor delivery, check the listener's playback environment as well as file size and whether the source must remain available.Checking audio masters before handoffAfter choosing a storage format, record audio parameters and metadata, then check converted data separately from recipient playback.

References and specifications