Sound File Formats

   A sound file format is the format in which a digital sound is stored within a computer. There are two ways to store the sound; one is where the sound is compressed and the other isn’t. A compressed sound is much smaller than an uncompressed one.

   A WAV is a file format used to store audio on computers; it is the most commonly used format to store uncompressed sounds within Windows. This format can hold both compressed and uncompressed files but obviously it is most commonly used to hold uncompressed files. Uncompressed files are ones which include all the original information; this format is usually used for small files or files that can’t afford to be shrunk.

   A lossy compressed file format is the opposite of a WAV because it uses a method which discards some of the data in order to decrease the size. Lossy files aren’t the best format to store a file because it reduces the quality of a sound. The benefit of a lossy file is that it doesn’t take up a lot of space on a hard drive but if you are a sound designer it is best you don’t use this because it will reduce the dynamic range of the sound.