An audio-size estimate is most useful when it makes its assumptions visible. The duration, encoding settings, and unit convention matter more than a filename extension alone. This calculator separates those inputs and uses one calculation model for file size, library totals, and average audio bitrate.

What the estimate includes

For uncompressed PCM, the audio payload follows directly from sample rate, bit depth, channels, and duration. Multiply those quantities and divide by eight to convert bits to bytes. A three-minute stereo recording at 44.1 kHz and 16-bit contains 31,752,000 audio bytes: 31.752 MB, or about 30.28 MiB. Changing to 24-bit at otherwise identical settings increases that payload by 50%.

A real WAV file adds a container header and may include other chunks. Compressed files may contain tags, cover art, padding, and container information. Those extras are excluded here. For a precise existing file size, inspect the actual file in your operating system. For recording or storage planning, these estimates provide a transparent baseline rather than an exact promise.

Compressed formats need an average bitrate

For MP3, AAC, and OGG, the total average audio bitrate determines estimated storage for a given duration. At 320 kbps, three minutes use 7.2 MB regardless of which of these formats is selected. This does not mean that the codecs produce the same sound. Codec efficiency, encoder settings, the source material, and listening conditions affect perceived quality.

The bitrate here covers the complete stream. Switching from stereo to mono while keeping that total bitrate unchanged does not halve file size. A smaller mono export is possible when you also select a lower bitrate. For variable bitrate encoding, a target is only an estimate; the actual average may differ. A custom bitrate lets you use a known average from encoder output.

FLAC, libraries, and streaming budgets

FLAC preserves the original samples while compressing redundant information. Its compression ratio changes with the recording and encoder settings. The calculator assumes 55% of the uncompressed payload and keeps the selected source bit depth. It does not treat 24-bit FLAC as a smaller 16-bit recording. The average FLAC data rate uses the same compression assumption as the size estimate.

A library estimate multiplies the size of an average track by the track count. For 1,000 tracks averaging 3.5 minutes, MP3 at 320 kbps needs about 8.4 GB. Stereo 44.1 kHz, 16-bit PCM needs about 37.044 GB; FLAC at the 55% assumption needs about 20.3742 GB. Artwork, backups, project files, and other media require additional storage.

Average audio bitrate describes audio data, not a guaranteed minimum internet connection speed. Streaming also involves protocol overhead, buffering, and bitrate peaks. Use the result as the audio portion of a network budget. Decimal MB/GB and binary MiB/GiB are displayed together so storage-device labels and operating-system readings can be compared without changing the underlying byte count.

Method references: Microsoft PCM format definitions, NIST binary prefixes, and Xiph FLAC documentation.