# downloadable .wav to .mp3 converters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761 "2002-05-02T00:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/21 "2002-05-02T22:32:55Z")
Just FYI, the command line I use for LAME is: ```auto LAME -q 0 -d -b 128 -v -V 0 -k infile.wav outfile.mp3 ``` This basically tells LAME to compress as much as it can without causing an audible difference in the sound, and to not go any lower than 128kbps, and to not throw away any frequency data. It results in MP3s that are, to my ears and speakers, perfectly CD quality. The resulting files range between 230 to 300kbps, depending on the complexity of the audio. ---
**Author:** ![askol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@askol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askol)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/22 "2002-05-02T22:43:19Z")
On preview, I noticed that other people have addressed this point. Oh well, I had fun typing it, so you can read it. 🙂 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > **As I have explained in other threads, WAV and MP3 files are compressed using the same MP3 codec and the difference is that MP3 files are in streaming format which is unnecessary and adds a bit to the size. So, on the Issue of size WAV has a small advantage. This applies to backups too.** Nearly every single .WAV file I have ever seen was PCM encoded, not mp3 compressed. Your statement is technically correct (in that wavs can be mp3 compressed) but it is missleading to say “WAVs and mp3’s are the same thing,” because any wav the average user will encounter will be PCM encoded. To do a little math: A PCM .WAV file of CD audio (44.1 kHz, 16bits/sample) that is five minutes long is 2_5min_60s/min\*44.1e3 sample/s \* 16bits/sample, which works out to: 50.46 megabytes. If you were to compress this PCM audio using mp3 compression, lowest compression (resulting in larger files) available in most apps is 320 kiliobits/s, resulting in a file size of: 5min\*60s/min \* 320 kilobits/s \*(1024)kilobits/bit, which works out to 11.7 megabytes. 11.7 (mp3) is significant smaller than the 50.46 for PCM. I mean, yeah, you can either call the compressed file x.mp3 or x.wav, it’ll work either way, but anyone who is looking at x.wav is justified in assuming its PCM, and anyone looking at x.mp3 will certainly expect it to be compressed audio. I understand where your coming from, but your statement could be taken as missleading. askol ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/23 "2002-05-05T21:01:03Z")
thanks all. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/24 "2002-05-05T21:34:40Z")
\>\> it is missleading to say “WAVs and mp3’s are the same thing,” That’s why I never said it. \>\> I mean, yeah, you can either call the compressed file x.mp3 or x.wav, it’ll work either way, but anyone who is looking at x.wav is justified in assuming its PCM, and anyone looking at x.mp3 will certainly expect it to be compressed audio. You are missing the point. _you_ can compress your files whichever way you want and whichever way is most convenient. I have certainly run into many compressed WAVs, in fact, all but the very smallest are compressed or they would be unmanageable over modems. WAV MP3 compressed files are a bit more effcicient than .MP3 for reasons I have explained. Both use the same codec but they are different formats. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761/25 "2002-05-05T23:10:09Z")
Nope, what **FDISK** said is right - WAVs compressed with MPEG layer III are just MP3s wrapped in a WAV header/footer. All the ‘streaming information’ - the MP3 frame headers - is still present. Take one of these WAVs, snip off the first 70 or so bytes with a hex editor (up to the first frame header, FF FB 90 6C or similar), and you have an MP3. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/downloadable-wav-to-mp3-converters/106761.md?page=1)