Audio formats: types and their description

As a rule, today the term "audio" denotes everything related to sound, whether it is playback, processing, mixing, mastering or listening to records. But very few people know that audio formats have constantly undergone a lot of significant changes from the time of their appearance, for the better, then for the worse. The trouble is that in comparison with the initial formats, the creators of new formats tried to improve the sound quality, and this invariably affected the size of the file being played. Reducing the size, on the contrary, led to a loss of quality. But it was not always so.

The first audio format in computer games

The very first mention of computer sound went from creating primitive games at that time, in which the sound was reproduced through the system dynamics. But no matter how hard the developers of such software (software), of the required quality, compatible with bobbin or cassette tape recorders or record players , could not be achieved.

That's why many manufacturers are looking for a solution, how to change the audio format, so that the sound is natural. Frankly, this led to further competition, which we have now. This concerns not only the reproduced material, but also the studio sound, live performances, quality or adjustment of the basic parameters from the point of view of knowledge of physics, acoustics, etc.

Appearance of WAV format

It is believed that the first high-grade quality of audio formats was associated with the appearance of the standard and extension of the .wav files (such a reduction was formed from the English word "wave" or wave). Just the same, he became the first child who could be processed in computer programs at a professional level.

Such files already had their characteristics: sampling frequency, sound depth, bitrate and much more. This sound was compatible even with what could be obtained after processing a normal audio CD with the help of certain tools such as a conventional equalizer. But the size was clearly unjustified. For example, a three-minute track could take from 20 to 50 MB.

CD-ROM drive

The format of the audio CD, more precisely, the extension. Cda, appeared almost at the same time.

Unlike the "wave" files stored on the hard drive, it can not be edited. You can open it today in the audio processing program, change the format by audio-recoding and save it in any place other than the CD-ROM.

MP3 Codec

With the advent of the LAME MP3 Encoder codec, the music industry has experienced a real shock, because "weighed" such files tens of times less than the same WAV file. Even the five-minute composition with maximum compression rarely exceeds the size of 5-7 MB. Agree, a significant breakthrough, not to mention the fact that such files allowed not only to correct the above characteristics, but also some additional parameters in the form of ID3 tags containing information about, for example, the performer, the title of the album and tracks, the release date.

The formats of audio files of this type have become the most popular. Look, almost the whole Internet is filled with this universal format. In general, we can say that the audio format in MP3 has become a real revolution in sound. It remains one of the most popular and most popular so far, despite the fact that it is replaced by other varieties of audio. But more about this later.

AIFF files

Audio formats have one more variety. The so-called .aiff format was originally created for use on Macintosh computer systems.

Only much later, there was a transformation that predetermined the compatibility of audio formats with their use on platforms that differed between each other operating systems.

OGG Format

Music in the format of audio .ogg also occurs quite often. This standard was developed by Vorbis. However, it should be noted that it has a number of significant drawbacks. First, this is an unjustified load on the system resources of the computer, despite the minimum size. Secondly, the use of their own codecs and decoders, which the system may not automatically install. For example, when working in FL Studio Producer Edition (or XXL) in versions below 9.xx, there was a folder with an installation file in the .inf format, which you had to activate for installation after installing the main application manually (otherwise the presets in this format simply do not Were lost).

Nevertheless, now audio formats of this type are found, and the sound itself looks very good.

AMR Standard

As for this format, it, perhaps, refers to the most base. Its appearance is associated with the appearance of the first clumsy mobile phones, which still could not install the melody in the .mp3 format.

AMR could then replace the natural sound with a certain amount of quality loss. But this quality does not go to any comparison with what is offered by more "advanced" formats.

MIDI

Surprisingly, MIDI can also be attributed to what is commonly called "audio formats." Although it is generally accepted (and many, in fact, still think so), that the MIDI system is just a set of commands, this can be argued. The interpretation of the abbreviation MIDI is the Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Actually, this is a system for recording and editing certain data such as keystrokes, pitch, tempo, key, effects, etc.

However, there are files with the extension .mid or .midi that are quite simply played in modern sequencers or studio recording programs using a standard set of GM sounds (General MIDI), GS (which is the same thing) from Roland or XG (Extended MIDI) from Yamaha Corporation. In the first two sets there are 128 standard sounds, not counting the effects, in the third - almost three times as much.

FLAC

Now we come to one of the most modern and unique formats of our time. Music in FLAC audio format is becoming more widespread today. This is due to the quality that true music lovers pay attention to, first of all.

If you understand, this format was created based on the already known MP3. That's only if previously used distribution for individual tracks, this format is not such (for the time being, until the time). The structure is one or two files, one of which is informational. Only specialized software audio players can play this format. The most famous is AIMP. Only when the main file is opened, the list of tracks recorded in the main container also appears. In such a player, the switching between tracks is performed in exactly the same way as in any other. But there is no probability of accidental deletion of a particular composition (as already mentioned, information about them is contained in a single file).

Format Compatibility

Naturally, all audio formats are compatible today. In other words, any standard home DVD player or software player can do it easily. The same applies to sound processing programs. Semi-professional and professional programs recognize all the formats known to date (even despite the specifics of operating systems). Audio editors, sequencers, additional modules such as VST, RTAS (for Windows systems) or AU (for Mac OS X) are able to work with such formats in the so-called cross-platform mode.

Convert formats

There are several ways to change audio. For example, you can open the "native" format, and save the file in another. You can do even easier. For this, there are special converters. In them, you can simply download the desired file of the initial format from the list, and then simply select the final file. As they say, nothing at all.

Sound quality processing

It's another matter when the question concerns changing some frequency source file. Here you can not do without specialized software packages. It is with their help and you can change the quality of audio files. In this case, you can change not only the standard sampling frequency 44100 Hz, increasing it to, say, 96000 Hz, but also to adjust the depth from the same 16 to 24 or 32 bits. And this we are not talking about that you can also adjust the bitrate, that is, the bandwidth reproducibility, expressed in kilobits per second. The standard value is 128 kbps. Bitrate can be changed at its discretion, but the best sound quality is achieved at 320 kbit / s. Of course, not everyone can catch the difference between the standard sound and the maximum set characteristics. Nevertheless, once you try to play an audio track with different data on good hardware. Here the difference does not make you wait.

Moreover, besides all these parameters, you can edit and much more. What is just the use of software equalizers, limiters, compressors, crossovers, normalizers, de-essers, etc., etc. Each such module allows you to customize the sound, as they say, "for yourself." And absolutely all the formats known to date, programs of this type can be processed.

Final comparison

Let's try to make some comparison between the formats used (although this is not all that is in the world of sound).

So! The WAV format, though "heavyweight," can still be used as intermediate files for later conversion in some audio detectors. Formats of audio files of this type are most often present when saving open projects or recording live instruments in the studio. It is clear that the sequencer will then process the incoming information in the form of an audio stream. And then change the format of the audio file or save it as a preset or track can be anything.

Audio disc formats today are also irrelevant. If you take into account AIFF or OGG, they are better used in virtual studios. It is not necessary to speak about AMR format at all. MIDI is useful only for musicians who know this.

As it is believed, today the best audio format is still FLAC. According to many experts and musicians, he is not only the most "advanced", but even revolutionary in comparison with what existed or exists today.

However, it is worth noting that MP3 can not be discarded from accounts, because almost all the encoded audio on the same DVDs or in MKV-files has this format. The only difference is in the codec and decoder versions. But the industry of sound and video in its development on the spot is not worth it. It is very likely that we will soon see something new.