In 2024, Audio Formats Guide How to Choose Best Audio Formats Solved

In 2024, Audio Formats Guide How to Choose Best Audio Formats Solved

Kate Lv12

Audio Formats Guide: How to Choose Best Audio Formats [Solved]

How to Choose Best Audio Formats

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

 Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

 Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

 Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

 Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Premium Sound Design Software: Free Vs. Paid Edition - Focusing on Linux-Based Audio Editing Tools

Are you a professional audio editor? Or do you just like to create incredible music for fun? In any case, there is something that you must have. Well, no surprise, it’s an Audio Editor. The market is packed with some brilliant audio editors supporting different systems like Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.

Can you name a great Linux audio editor if you are a Linux user? In case you don’t have the answer to this question, we can share something with you. The article understudy will shed light on 6 top audio editing software Linux, so let’s make a start. You won’t be disappointed with the results.

Part 1. 6 Best Linux Audio Editor [Free & Paid]

The market is full of good audio editors; the only difference is that some are free, whereas some are paid. If you are interested in learning about the best and most popular Linux MP3 editors, then let’s get started in no particular order.

1. Ardour

Are you ready to learn about a Linux music editor that has multichannel tracks? We are talking about Ardour editor, the software that supports importing and exporting different file formats. This music editor offers features like automation, flexible recording, etc. Do you know you can also extract sound from videos by using Ardour on Linux? Isn’t this great?

ardour linux audio editor

Key Features

  • What is the coolest thing about Ardour? The software is extensible because of the plug-ins like LV2, LADSPA, LinuxVST, etc., and In-line plug-in controls.
  • The editor not only supports audio but also supports MIDI editing as well as recording. It offers non-linear editing along with non-destructive recording.
  • With Ardour, complex signal flows are made simple and elegant because of the interface. Moreover, you can easily connect output and input devices to hardware.

2. Audacity

What’s next? Its Audacity Linux MP3 editor! This editor is a free, cross-platform, and open-source that works perfectly with Linux. The song editor supports a large number of keyboard shortcuts, and in addition to that, the keyboard can fully manipulate tracks and selections. Basic Features like Cut, Delete, Copy and Paste are offered by Audacity audio editor. There is nothing better than Audacity.

audacity mp3 editor

Key Features

  • Audacity offers Spectrogram View Mode and Spectrogram Window for visualizing and selecting frequencies and also for detailed frequency analysis.
  • Do you know the best part about Audacity? It promises to deliver high-quality sounds like 16-bit, 24-bit, and also 32-bit.
  • What else can Audacity offer? This Linux music editor supports a long list of plugins that include; LV2, LADSPA, Audio Unit Effects, VST, and Nyquist.

3. Rosegarden

Rosegarden is the next Linux sound editor in the line to be discussed. Have you ever heard about it before? If not, then let’s tell you. The editor comes with cool features like track mixing, notation editing, recording, and some basic digital audio features are also supported. The best part about Rosegarden is that everyone can easily learn to use this editor. Impressed by this, right?

rosegarden linux mp3 editor

Key Features

  • This song editor is open source and free to use. Moreover, it has neither basic editing tools nor a fully-featured DAW; it stands somewhere in between.
  • Rosegarden is an internationally used editor; hence, it extends support to many languages, including French, Swedish, German, Czech, Russian, and others.
  • This editor provides various intuitive ways to edit and record. Along with this, features like mixing, using effects and samples, etc., are also offered.

4. Reaper

Can you name a Linux audio editor that supports modification and customization? Its Reaper editor. This audio editor allows MIDI recording, mixing, processing, editing, mastering, and whatnot. Above all, the editor is multitrack. Reaper has a simple and understandable interface that everyone can work with. This powerful audio editor is created by Cockos, and it is cross-platform. Want to know more about it? Go through the following features marked below:

reaper linux audio editor

Key Features

  • Can you identify the level of ease offered by Reaper? Well, this editor is as easy as dragging and dropping. For importing, rendering, and also arranging, just drag and drop things.
  • This audio editor is fully customizable. It lets you switch between the different layouts as per your task requirement.
  • With Reaper, you get hundreds of studio-quality effects. Along with this, various plugin effects are also supported like VST, LV2, AU, DX, etc.

5. LMMS

Let’s tell you about an audio editor made by musicians and made for musicians. For creating incredible music, LMMS is a great Linux song editor. Do you know why? This is because the list of features offered by the editor is unmatched. This cross-platform, open-source editor is widely used because of its modern, captivating, and intuitive interface. It surely is the best.

lmms linux interface

Key Features

  • Do you want to know something nice about LMMS? This editor offers a collection of instruments, effect plugins and also supports VST and SoundFont.
  • LMMS has a simple interface, yet heavy features are provided. For instance, sequencing, mixing, composing, and also automating songs with LMMS.
  • This editor easily imports MIDI files and also Hydrogen project files. Things like tune patterns, chords, melodies, notes, etc., can be edited with Piano Roll Editor.

6. Ocenaudio

The discussion will come to an end after talking about the Ocenaudio Linux MP3 editor. Do you know that this is the best MP3 editor for Linux? The reason for this is that Ocenaudio is the fastest editor as well as recorder for Linux. Aren’t you surprised?

This audio editor provides trouble-free editing of the tracks. Ocenaudio editor is based on the Ocen Framework. Do you know the best part about using this Linux music editor? You can use this editor without any limits and can edit as many files as you want. Sounds perfect!

ocenaudio for linux users

Key Features

  • The fascinating thing about this editor is that it leaves the screen for editing. Whereas other tasks like adding effects, exporting tracks, etc., are done in the background.
  • Do you know anything interesting about this editor? Well, it’s cross-platform, and interestingly, it handles and efficiently edits large files.
  • Ocenaudio is the best editor for both beginners and professionals. It supports advanced features like spectrogram, VST, multi-select mode, and much more.

Bottom Line

For all Linux users and music lovers, this article has everything you need to know. We talked about the 6 best and most widely used Linux music editors along with their fascinating features. If any video editor is reading the article, we do have something for you too. Have you ever heard about Wondershare Filmora ? It’s the best video editor you will ever come across for Windows and Mac.

The video editor offers Basic Features like Cut, Trim, Split, Merge, and others. What about Advanced Features? Well, Wondershare Filmora is packed with incredibly powerful tools and functions. For instance, try its AI Portrait feature, Auto Highlight, Auto Reframe, Normalization, Stabilize Video, and much more. Along with this, you can also get hands-on editing elements.

Do you know what elements we are talking about? With Filmora, you get cool video effects, amazing sound effects, different title templates, and transitions. Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one editing software.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

2. Audacity

What’s next? Its Audacity Linux MP3 editor! This editor is a free, cross-platform, and open-source that works perfectly with Linux. The song editor supports a large number of keyboard shortcuts, and in addition to that, the keyboard can fully manipulate tracks and selections. Basic Features like Cut, Delete, Copy and Paste are offered by Audacity audio editor. There is nothing better than Audacity.

audacity mp3 editor

Key Features

  • Audacity offers Spectrogram View Mode and Spectrogram Window for visualizing and selecting frequencies and also for detailed frequency analysis.
  • Do you know the best part about Audacity? It promises to deliver high-quality sounds like 16-bit, 24-bit, and also 32-bit.
  • What else can Audacity offer? This Linux music editor supports a long list of plugins that include; LV2, LADSPA, Audio Unit Effects, VST, and Nyquist.

3. Rosegarden

Rosegarden is the next Linux sound editor in the line to be discussed. Have you ever heard about it before? If not, then let’s tell you. The editor comes with cool features like track mixing, notation editing, recording, and some basic digital audio features are also supported. The best part about Rosegarden is that everyone can easily learn to use this editor. Impressed by this, right?

rosegarden linux mp3 editor

Key Features

  • This song editor is open source and free to use. Moreover, it has neither basic editing tools nor a fully-featured DAW; it stands somewhere in between.
  • Rosegarden is an internationally used editor; hence, it extends support to many languages, including French, Swedish, German, Czech, Russian, and others.
  • This editor provides various intuitive ways to edit and record. Along with this, features like mixing, using effects and samples, etc., are also offered.

4. Reaper

Can you name a Linux audio editor that supports modification and customization? Its Reaper editor. This audio editor allows MIDI recording, mixing, processing, editing, mastering, and whatnot. Above all, the editor is multitrack. Reaper has a simple and understandable interface that everyone can work with. This powerful audio editor is created by Cockos, and it is cross-platform. Want to know more about it? Go through the following features marked below:

reaper linux audio editor

Key Features

  • Can you identify the level of ease offered by Reaper? Well, this editor is as easy as dragging and dropping. For importing, rendering, and also arranging, just drag and drop things.
  • This audio editor is fully customizable. It lets you switch between the different layouts as per your task requirement.
  • With Reaper, you get hundreds of studio-quality effects. Along with this, various plugin effects are also supported like VST, LV2, AU, DX, etc.

5. LMMS

Let’s tell you about an audio editor made by musicians and made for musicians. For creating incredible music, LMMS is a great Linux song editor. Do you know why? This is because the list of features offered by the editor is unmatched. This cross-platform, open-source editor is widely used because of its modern, captivating, and intuitive interface. It surely is the best.

lmms linux interface

Key Features

  • Do you want to know something nice about LMMS? This editor offers a collection of instruments, effect plugins and also supports VST and SoundFont.
  • LMMS has a simple interface, yet heavy features are provided. For instance, sequencing, mixing, composing, and also automating songs with LMMS.
  • This editor easily imports MIDI files and also Hydrogen project files. Things like tune patterns, chords, melodies, notes, etc., can be edited with Piano Roll Editor.

6. Ocenaudio

The discussion will come to an end after talking about the Ocenaudio Linux MP3 editor. Do you know that this is the best MP3 editor for Linux? The reason for this is that Ocenaudio is the fastest editor as well as recorder for Linux. Aren’t you surprised?

This audio editor provides trouble-free editing of the tracks. Ocenaudio editor is based on the Ocen Framework. Do you know the best part about using this Linux music editor? You can use this editor without any limits and can edit as many files as you want. Sounds perfect!

ocenaudio for linux users

Key Features

  • The fascinating thing about this editor is that it leaves the screen for editing. Whereas other tasks like adding effects, exporting tracks, etc., are done in the background.
  • Do you know anything interesting about this editor? Well, it’s cross-platform, and interestingly, it handles and efficiently edits large files.
  • Ocenaudio is the best editor for both beginners and professionals. It supports advanced features like spectrogram, VST, multi-select mode, and much more.

Bottom Line

For all Linux users and music lovers, this article has everything you need to know. We talked about the 6 best and most widely used Linux music editors along with their fascinating features. If any video editor is reading the article, we do have something for you too. Have you ever heard about Wondershare Filmora ? It’s the best video editor you will ever come across for Windows and Mac.

The video editor offers Basic Features like Cut, Trim, Split, Merge, and others. What about Advanced Features? Well, Wondershare Filmora is packed with incredibly powerful tools and functions. For instance, try its AI Portrait feature, Auto Highlight, Auto Reframe, Normalization, Stabilize Video, and much more. Along with this, you can also get hands-on editing elements.

Do you know what elements we are talking about? With Filmora, you get cool video effects, amazing sound effects, different title templates, and transitions. Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one editing software.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

2. Audacity

What’s next? Its Audacity Linux MP3 editor! This editor is a free, cross-platform, and open-source that works perfectly with Linux. The song editor supports a large number of keyboard shortcuts, and in addition to that, the keyboard can fully manipulate tracks and selections. Basic Features like Cut, Delete, Copy and Paste are offered by Audacity audio editor. There is nothing better than Audacity.

audacity mp3 editor

Key Features

  • Audacity offers Spectrogram View Mode and Spectrogram Window for visualizing and selecting frequencies and also for detailed frequency analysis.
  • Do you know the best part about Audacity? It promises to deliver high-quality sounds like 16-bit, 24-bit, and also 32-bit.
  • What else can Audacity offer? This Linux music editor supports a long list of plugins that include; LV2, LADSPA, Audio Unit Effects, VST, and Nyquist.

3. Rosegarden

Rosegarden is the next Linux sound editor in the line to be discussed. Have you ever heard about it before? If not, then let’s tell you. The editor comes with cool features like track mixing, notation editing, recording, and some basic digital audio features are also supported. The best part about Rosegarden is that everyone can easily learn to use this editor. Impressed by this, right?

rosegarden linux mp3 editor

Key Features

  • This song editor is open source and free to use. Moreover, it has neither basic editing tools nor a fully-featured DAW; it stands somewhere in between.
  • Rosegarden is an internationally used editor; hence, it extends support to many languages, including French, Swedish, German, Czech, Russian, and others.
  • This editor provides various intuitive ways to edit and record. Along with this, features like mixing, using effects and samples, etc., are also offered.

4. Reaper

Can you name a Linux audio editor that supports modification and customization? Its Reaper editor. This audio editor allows MIDI recording, mixing, processing, editing, mastering, and whatnot. Above all, the editor is multitrack. Reaper has a simple and understandable interface that everyone can work with. This powerful audio editor is created by Cockos, and it is cross-platform. Want to know more about it? Go through the following features marked below:

reaper linux audio editor

Key Features

  • Can you identify the level of ease offered by Reaper? Well, this editor is as easy as dragging and dropping. For importing, rendering, and also arranging, just drag and drop things.
  • This audio editor is fully customizable. It lets you switch between the different layouts as per your task requirement.
  • With Reaper, you get hundreds of studio-quality effects. Along with this, various plugin effects are also supported like VST, LV2, AU, DX, etc.

5. LMMS

Let’s tell you about an audio editor made by musicians and made for musicians. For creating incredible music, LMMS is a great Linux song editor. Do you know why? This is because the list of features offered by the editor is unmatched. This cross-platform, open-source editor is widely used because of its modern, captivating, and intuitive interface. It surely is the best.

lmms linux interface

Key Features

  • Do you want to know something nice about LMMS? This editor offers a collection of instruments, effect plugins and also supports VST and SoundFont.
  • LMMS has a simple interface, yet heavy features are provided. For instance, sequencing, mixing, composing, and also automating songs with LMMS.
  • This editor easily imports MIDI files and also Hydrogen project files. Things like tune patterns, chords, melodies, notes, etc., can be edited with Piano Roll Editor.

6. Ocenaudio

The discussion will come to an end after talking about the Ocenaudio Linux MP3 editor. Do you know that this is the best MP3 editor for Linux? The reason for this is that Ocenaudio is the fastest editor as well as recorder for Linux. Aren’t you surprised?

This audio editor provides trouble-free editing of the tracks. Ocenaudio editor is based on the Ocen Framework. Do you know the best part about using this Linux music editor? You can use this editor without any limits and can edit as many files as you want. Sounds perfect!

ocenaudio for linux users

Key Features

  • The fascinating thing about this editor is that it leaves the screen for editing. Whereas other tasks like adding effects, exporting tracks, etc., are done in the background.
  • Do you know anything interesting about this editor? Well, it’s cross-platform, and interestingly, it handles and efficiently edits large files.
  • Ocenaudio is the best editor for both beginners and professionals. It supports advanced features like spectrogram, VST, multi-select mode, and much more.

Bottom Line

For all Linux users and music lovers, this article has everything you need to know. We talked about the 6 best and most widely used Linux music editors along with their fascinating features. If any video editor is reading the article, we do have something for you too. Have you ever heard about Wondershare Filmora ? It’s the best video editor you will ever come across for Windows and Mac.

The video editor offers Basic Features like Cut, Trim, Split, Merge, and others. What about Advanced Features? Well, Wondershare Filmora is packed with incredibly powerful tools and functions. For instance, try its AI Portrait feature, Auto Highlight, Auto Reframe, Normalization, Stabilize Video, and much more. Along with this, you can also get hands-on editing elements.

Do you know what elements we are talking about? With Filmora, you get cool video effects, amazing sound effects, different title templates, and transitions. Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one editing software.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

2. Audacity

What’s next? Its Audacity Linux MP3 editor! This editor is a free, cross-platform, and open-source that works perfectly with Linux. The song editor supports a large number of keyboard shortcuts, and in addition to that, the keyboard can fully manipulate tracks and selections. Basic Features like Cut, Delete, Copy and Paste are offered by Audacity audio editor. There is nothing better than Audacity.

audacity mp3 editor

Key Features

  • Audacity offers Spectrogram View Mode and Spectrogram Window for visualizing and selecting frequencies and also for detailed frequency analysis.
  • Do you know the best part about Audacity? It promises to deliver high-quality sounds like 16-bit, 24-bit, and also 32-bit.
  • What else can Audacity offer? This Linux music editor supports a long list of plugins that include; LV2, LADSPA, Audio Unit Effects, VST, and Nyquist.

3. Rosegarden

Rosegarden is the next Linux sound editor in the line to be discussed. Have you ever heard about it before? If not, then let’s tell you. The editor comes with cool features like track mixing, notation editing, recording, and some basic digital audio features are also supported. The best part about Rosegarden is that everyone can easily learn to use this editor. Impressed by this, right?

rosegarden linux mp3 editor

Key Features

  • This song editor is open source and free to use. Moreover, it has neither basic editing tools nor a fully-featured DAW; it stands somewhere in between.
  • Rosegarden is an internationally used editor; hence, it extends support to many languages, including French, Swedish, German, Czech, Russian, and others.
  • This editor provides various intuitive ways to edit and record. Along with this, features like mixing, using effects and samples, etc., are also offered.

4. Reaper

Can you name a Linux audio editor that supports modification and customization? Its Reaper editor. This audio editor allows MIDI recording, mixing, processing, editing, mastering, and whatnot. Above all, the editor is multitrack. Reaper has a simple and understandable interface that everyone can work with. This powerful audio editor is created by Cockos, and it is cross-platform. Want to know more about it? Go through the following features marked below:

reaper linux audio editor

Key Features

  • Can you identify the level of ease offered by Reaper? Well, this editor is as easy as dragging and dropping. For importing, rendering, and also arranging, just drag and drop things.
  • This audio editor is fully customizable. It lets you switch between the different layouts as per your task requirement.
  • With Reaper, you get hundreds of studio-quality effects. Along with this, various plugin effects are also supported like VST, LV2, AU, DX, etc.

5. LMMS

Let’s tell you about an audio editor made by musicians and made for musicians. For creating incredible music, LMMS is a great Linux song editor. Do you know why? This is because the list of features offered by the editor is unmatched. This cross-platform, open-source editor is widely used because of its modern, captivating, and intuitive interface. It surely is the best.

lmms linux interface

Key Features

  • Do you want to know something nice about LMMS? This editor offers a collection of instruments, effect plugins and also supports VST and SoundFont.
  • LMMS has a simple interface, yet heavy features are provided. For instance, sequencing, mixing, composing, and also automating songs with LMMS.
  • This editor easily imports MIDI files and also Hydrogen project files. Things like tune patterns, chords, melodies, notes, etc., can be edited with Piano Roll Editor.

6. Ocenaudio

The discussion will come to an end after talking about the Ocenaudio Linux MP3 editor. Do you know that this is the best MP3 editor for Linux? The reason for this is that Ocenaudio is the fastest editor as well as recorder for Linux. Aren’t you surprised?

This audio editor provides trouble-free editing of the tracks. Ocenaudio editor is based on the Ocen Framework. Do you know the best part about using this Linux music editor? You can use this editor without any limits and can edit as many files as you want. Sounds perfect!

ocenaudio for linux users

Key Features

  • The fascinating thing about this editor is that it leaves the screen for editing. Whereas other tasks like adding effects, exporting tracks, etc., are done in the background.
  • Do you know anything interesting about this editor? Well, it’s cross-platform, and interestingly, it handles and efficiently edits large files.
  • Ocenaudio is the best editor for both beginners and professionals. It supports advanced features like spectrogram, VST, multi-select mode, and much more.

Bottom Line

For all Linux users and music lovers, this article has everything you need to know. We talked about the 6 best and most widely used Linux music editors along with their fascinating features. If any video editor is reading the article, we do have something for you too. Have you ever heard about Wondershare Filmora ? It’s the best video editor you will ever come across for Windows and Mac.

The video editor offers Basic Features like Cut, Trim, Split, Merge, and others. What about Advanced Features? Well, Wondershare Filmora is packed with incredibly powerful tools and functions. For instance, try its AI Portrait feature, Auto Highlight, Auto Reframe, Normalization, Stabilize Video, and much more. Along with this, you can also get hands-on editing elements.

Do you know what elements we are talking about? With Filmora, you get cool video effects, amazing sound effects, different title templates, and transitions. Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one editing software.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Elite Sound Mixers for Superior Stream Quality

As the popularity of streaming services like YouTube and Twitch Gaming continues to grow, so does the need for high-quality audio in streams. If you want more viewers and followers, you have to make sure your content sounds great. To do this, you have to invest in good streaming mixers.

An audio mixer will help you adjust the levels of your different audio sources and add effects like reverb and delay. This can result in a world of difference in how your live stream sounds.

To help you find the best audio mixer for streaming, we’ve put together a list of the six best options on the market. So read on to find the perfect audio mixer for adding icing on the cake for your streams!

  1. Pyle Professional Audio Mixer Sound Board Console
  2. Mackie Mix8 8-Channel Compact Mixer
  3. TC-Helicon GO XLR Broadcast Production Studio Mixer
  4. YAMAHA MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo Mixer
  5. YOUSHARES Portable Digital Audio Mixer
  6. Soundcraft EPM12 High-Performance 12-Channel Audio Mixer

Why Do You Need An Audio Mixer For Streaming?

If you’ve ever wondered why some people’s audio sounds so much better than others when streaming, it’s likely because they’re using an audio mixer.

An audio mixer is a console that takes multiple audio signals and combines them into one signal. This allows you to control the individual levels of each sound, as well as add special effects like EQ and reverb.

While you don’t necessarily need an audio mixer to stream, it can certainly make your life easier. So, if you’re planning on doing any sort of professional streaming, this device is a must-have. However, they can be expensive, complicated to use, and sometimes add latency to your live audio.

6 best Audio Mixer for Streaming

1.Pyle Professional Audio Mixer Sound Board Console

A Cost-Effective Audio Mixer

Product details

Price $90.52 (With a discount)
Compatibility External USB, Computer PC, Flash drive, Bluetooth device
Item Dimensions LxWxH 2.26 x 9.69 x 9.26 inches
Number of Channels 6
Connectivity Technology Interface, XLR, USB, Bluetooth
Mic & Stereo line inputs XLR, unbalanced 1/4” Plug with plus 48V Phantom button
Power supply 100V-240V (plus/minus 15V DC power adapter)

pyle professional audio mixer

Introduction

Looking for a professional audio mixer that can take the sound in your streams to the next level? You need the Pyle Professional Audio Mixer Sound Board Console.

The console has 6 channels to mix multiple audio sources at once and also comes with an ultra-musical 3-band EQ for each channel so you can fine-tune the sound.

This audio mixer features that will help you create the perfect sound, such as support for XLR and an unbalanced 1/4” Plug with a +48V Phantom button, Bluetooth connectivity, ED Peak Level Indicator, and extra low noise. The downside, however, is the lack of customization options for streaming music.

Pros

  • Has an audio interface and a USB sound card
  • Easy-to-use functionalities
  • Compatible with universal digital files
  • high headroom mixer
  • Rugged steel chassis

Cons

  • Only basic music streaming capabilities

2.Mackie Mix8 8-Channel Compact Mixer

Best Artistic Audio Mixer

Product details

Price $99.99
Compatibility 1 mic/line input
Item Dimensions LxWxH 9.6 x 7.8 x 2.1 inches
Number of Channels 8 Channels
Connectivity Technology Auxiliary
Mic & Stereo line inputs Dual Mic/Line Inputs with studio-level audio quality and 2 stereos 1/4” line inputs
Power supply 100-240V

mackie mix8 8 channel compact mixer

Introduction

Mackie Mix8 8-Channel Compact Mixer is designed for podcasters, YouTubers, and other content creators who need a high-quality mixer in a small form factor.

Despite its small size, Mackie Mix8 gives a high-quality sound and is durable. The mixer has 8 channels - each with its level control, a 3-band EQ on all channels, phantom power for studio condenser mic, and 2 1/4” line input.

When it comes to design, this livestream sound mixer has a rugged, durable, and reliable structure. Moreover, it is compact in size and offers high portability.

Although this mixer is perfect for home studios or small venues, you won’t find enough channels to tune your music for large events.

Pros

  • Supports 2 microphones at a time
  • Affordable and easy to set up
  • Compact design
  • Mono and stereo inputs
    li>Headphone output having a separate volume control

Cons

  • Not suitable as a primary mixer

3. TC-Helicon GO XLR Broadcast Production Studio Mixer

Super-fast USB Audio Mixer For Streaming

Product details

Price $399.00 (after discount)
Compatibility Windows 7, 8, and 10
Item Dimensions LxWxH 6.5 x 11 x 2.75 inches
Number of Channels 4-channels
Connectivity Technology USB
Mic & Stereo line inputs Mic Preamps: 1 x XLR, 1 x 1/8” TRS.
Power supply 12V DC

tc helicon go xlr

Introduction

The TC-Helicon GO XLR is an excellent audio mixer for streaming that gives you all the controls you need to create professional podcasts or videos.

The mixer has four channel mixers that let you control the audio sources in real-time, 48V phantom power for XLR mic, and a MIDAS preamp that lets you create a polished, professional sound.

With its vocal effects, including Morph, Reverb, Robot, Pitch Shift, HardTune, Megaphone, and Echo, you can fine-tune your music and engage your audiences like never before.

From its tons of customization options to RGB lighting and instant mute option to numerous audio effects, this audio mixer has everything a gamer or streamer needs. Like any other high-end sound mixer, TC-Helicon GO XLR is not cheap and comes with a huge price tag of $399 (after a 27% discount).

Pros

  • Comes with customizable motorized faders
  • Supports optical input for PlayStation/Xbox
  • Built-in vocal effects and audio effects
  • Instant mute button
  • Easy to use and set up

Cons

  • Not affordable for some users
  • Only compatible with Windows operating system

4. YAMAHA MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo Mixer

Best Lightweight Audio Mixer For Live Streaming

Product details

Price US$143.20
Compatibility PC
Item Dimensions LxWxH 10.63 x 9.53 x 4.69 inches
Number of Channels 6
Connectivity Technology USB
Mic & Stereo line inputs Max. 2 Mic / 6 Line Inputs (2 mono + 2 stereos)
Power supply 100-240V

yamaha mg06x 6 input compact stereo

Introduction

The Yamaha MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo is a compact mixer that packs a lot of punch. With its onboard processors with 24 SPX digital effects, 48V phantom power, EQ, and High-pass Filters, the MG06X can easily handle live performances, recording sessions, and more.

And thanks to its intuitive interface, and compact and flexible design, the Yamaha MG06X is easy to take with you wherever you go. The mixer also features two mono XLR/TRS combo inputs with studio-quality preamps, two stereo line inputs, and a high-quality sound Op-amp.

Yamaha MG06X’s 1 Knob compressors make it easy to get punchy bass lines, a tighter snare, lively guitars, and a cleaner vocal sound. This top-of-the-line audio mixer provides peak performance and unrivaled sound quality, making it perfect for small-to-medium-sized venues. However, its input system is very slow and takes time to start audio.

Pros

  • Delivers clean and natural sound
  • 2 band EQ on all mono channels
  • Durable and flexible design
  • TRS and XLR 10 1/4 stereo output
  • XLR 2 mono mic/line input and 2 1/4 stereo input
  • BMS10A microphone stand adapter (optional)

Cons

  • Customer service is not good

5.YOUSHARES Portable Digital Audio Mixer

Best Budget-Friendly Audio Mixer

Product details

Price $69.99
Compatibility Bluetooth, Laptop, Smartphones, and Tablets
Item Dimensions LxWxH 10.87 x 10.28 x 3.23 inches
Number of Channels 6
Connectivity Technology Interface, Xlr, USB, Bluetooth
Mic & Stereo line inputs 4 XLR/TRS combined mono mic/line input jacks and 2 TRS & 2 RCA stereo input jacks
Power supply DC 5V low voltage power supply

youshares portable digital audio mixer

Introduction

The YOUSHARES Portable Digital Audio Mixer is a great tool for mixing multiple audio signals. This six-channel mixer has four XLR/TRS combined mono mic/line input jacks and two TRS & two RCA stereo input jacks, making it perfect for a variety of applications.

YOUSHARES audio mixer also has 24 DSP multipurpose effects, high and low sound adjustment, 48V phantom power, and is compatible with Bluetooth, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This makes it perfect for daily use or on most occasions.

The mixer’s compact and durable design makes it highly portable, but it is not suitable for large events.

Pros

  • Easy to Adjust
  • The 4-channel mixing console and monitor paths
  • Low-noise 4-channel audio mixer
  • Built-in 48V phantom power
  • high-definition headset output port
  • 24 DSP multipurpose effects

Cons

  • Not many channels for large events

6. Soundcraft EPM12 High-Performance 12-Channel Audio Mixer

High-end Audio Mixer For Live Streaming

Product details

Price $439.00
Compatibility Computer
Item Dimensions LxWxH 14.25 x 17 x 3.56 inches
Number of Channels 12+2
Connectivity Technology Auxiliary
Mic & Stereo line inputs XLR inputs and 2-band EQ on stereo inputs
Power supply 230 Volts

soundcraft epm12 high performance 12 channel audio mixer

Introduction

The EPM12 is a high-performance 12-channel audio mixer with 2 configurable auxiliary buses, XLR-type, and 1/4-inches metal jack connector sockets.

The EPM12 has a stereo headphone output (stereo RCA) and an independent record output for monitoring. The input channels also have 3-band EQs with a swept mid control on mono inputs and +48V phantom power.

The EPM12 is designed to be compact, easy to use, and has an easy-to-read LCD display that can handle various tasks at once. One downside, however, is that this audio mixer is highly expensive and can cost you up to $439.00.

Pros

  • 14 different channels
  • 2 auxiliary buses
  • 3-band EQ and +48V phantom power
  • Precision GB30 mic preamps

Cons

  • Extremely expensive

Bonus Tips: How To Record Your Live Stream Easily And Quickly?

Recording your live stream can be a great way to create content for your gaming channel or vlog. But it can also be a pain to set up and manage if you’re not familiar with the process.

Luckily, there are many user-friendly screen recorder programs available. Still, we recommend using Wondershare Filmora - a great option for gamers and vloggers, as it’s easy to use and comes with all the advanced features you need to record and edit your live stream.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve provided a detailed review of the 6 best audio mixers for streaming live content on different platforms.

After testing and researching the six different audio mixers, we have concluded that the YOUSHARES Portable Digital Audio Mixer is the best audio console for streaming. This mixer is an affordable option that provides good sound quality and is easy to use. The Soundcraft EPM12 High-Performance 12-Channel Audio Mixer is a great choice for those who want a higher-end option.

We’ve also discussed a bonus tip for using Filmora to record your live streams and keep it for later sharing or any other purpose. Hopefully, you find this comprehensive review helpful and can now make the right buying decision.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Why Do You Need An Audio Mixer For Streaming?

If you’ve ever wondered why some people’s audio sounds so much better than others when streaming, it’s likely because they’re using an audio mixer.

An audio mixer is a console that takes multiple audio signals and combines them into one signal. This allows you to control the individual levels of each sound, as well as add special effects like EQ and reverb.

While you don’t necessarily need an audio mixer to stream, it can certainly make your life easier. So, if you’re planning on doing any sort of professional streaming, this device is a must-have. However, they can be expensive, complicated to use, and sometimes add latency to your live audio.

6 best Audio Mixer for Streaming

1.Pyle Professional Audio Mixer Sound Board Console

A Cost-Effective Audio Mixer

Product details

Price $90.52 (With a discount)
Compatibility External USB, Computer PC, Flash drive, Bluetooth device
Item Dimensions LxWxH 2.26 x 9.69 x 9.26 inches
Number of Channels 6
Connectivity Technology Interface, XLR, USB, Bluetooth
Mic & Stereo line inputs XLR, unbalanced 1/4” Plug with plus 48V Phantom button
Power supply 100V-240V (plus/minus 15V DC power adapter)

pyle professional audio mixer

Introduction

Looking for a professional audio mixer that can take the sound in your streams to the next level? You need the Pyle Professional Audio Mixer Sound Board Console.

The console has 6 channels to mix multiple audio sources at once and also comes with an ultra-musical 3-band EQ for each channel so you can fine-tune the sound.

This audio mixer features that will help you create the perfect sound, such as support for XLR and an unbalanced 1/4” Plug with a +48V Phantom button, Bluetooth connectivity, ED Peak Level Indicator, and extra low noise. The downside, however, is the lack of customization options for streaming music.

Pros

  • Has an audio interface and a USB sound card
  • Easy-to-use functionalities
  • Compatible with universal digital files
  • high headroom mixer
  • Rugged steel chassis

Cons

  • Only basic music streaming capabilities

2.Mackie Mix8 8-Channel Compact Mixer

Best Artistic Audio Mixer

Product details

Price $99.99
Compatibility 1 mic/line input
Item Dimensions LxWxH 9.6 x 7.8 x 2.1 inches
Number of Channels 8 Channels
Connectivity Technology Auxiliary
Mic & Stereo line inputs Dual Mic/Line Inputs with studio-level audio quality and 2 stereos 1/4” line inputs
Power supply 100-240V

mackie mix8 8 channel compact mixer

Introduction

Mackie Mix8 8-Channel Compact Mixer is designed for podcasters, YouTubers, and other content creators who need a high-quality mixer in a small form factor.

Despite its small size, Mackie Mix8 gives a high-quality sound and is durable. The mixer has 8 channels - each with its level control, a 3-band EQ on all channels, phantom power for studio condenser mic, and 2 1/4” line input.

When it comes to design, this livestream sound mixer has a rugged, durable, and reliable structure. Moreover, it is compact in size and offers high portability.

Although this mixer is perfect for home studios or small venues, you won’t find enough channels to tune your music for large events.

Pros

  • Supports 2 microphones at a time
  • Affordable and easy to set up
  • Compact design
  • Mono and stereo inputs
    li>Headphone output having a separate volume control

Cons

  • Not suitable as a primary mixer

3. TC-Helicon GO XLR Broadcast Production Studio Mixer

Super-fast USB Audio Mixer For Streaming

Product details

Price $399.00 (after discount)
Compatibility Windows 7, 8, and 10
Item Dimensions LxWxH 6.5 x 11 x 2.75 inches
Number of Channels 4-channels
Connectivity Technology USB
Mic & Stereo line inputs Mic Preamps: 1 x XLR, 1 x 1/8” TRS.
Power supply 12V DC

tc helicon go xlr

Introduction

The TC-Helicon GO XLR is an excellent audio mixer for streaming that gives you all the controls you need to create professional podcasts or videos.

The mixer has four channel mixers that let you control the audio sources in real-time, 48V phantom power for XLR mic, and a MIDAS preamp that lets you create a polished, professional sound.

With its vocal effects, including Morph, Reverb, Robot, Pitch Shift, HardTune, Megaphone, and Echo, you can fine-tune your music and engage your audiences like never before.

From its tons of customization options to RGB lighting and instant mute option to numerous audio effects, this audio mixer has everything a gamer or streamer needs. Like any other high-end sound mixer, TC-Helicon GO XLR is not cheap and comes with a huge price tag of $399 (after a 27% discount).

Pros

  • Comes with customizable motorized faders
  • Supports optical input for PlayStation/Xbox
  • Built-in vocal effects and audio effects
  • Instant mute button
  • Easy to use and set up

Cons

  • Not affordable for some users
  • Only compatible with Windows operating system

4. YAMAHA MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo Mixer

Best Lightweight Audio Mixer For Live Streaming

Product details

Price US$143.20
Compatibility PC
Item Dimensions LxWxH 10.63 x 9.53 x 4.69 inches
Number of Channels 6
Connectivity Technology USB
Mic & Stereo line inputs Max. 2 Mic / 6 Line Inputs (2 mono + 2 stereos)
Power supply 100-240V

yamaha mg06x 6 input compact stereo

Introduction

The Yamaha MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo is a compact mixer that packs a lot of punch. With its onboard processors with 24 SPX digital effects, 48V phantom power, EQ, and High-pass Filters, the MG06X can easily handle live performances, recording sessions, and more.

And thanks to its intuitive interface, and compact and flexible design, the Yamaha MG06X is easy to take with you wherever you go. The mixer also features two mono XLR/TRS combo inputs with studio-quality preamps, two stereo line inputs, and a high-quality sound Op-amp.

Yamaha MG06X’s 1 Knob compressors make it easy to get punchy bass lines, a tighter snare, lively guitars, and a cleaner vocal sound. This top-of-the-line audio mixer provides peak performance and unrivaled sound quality, making it perfect for small-to-medium-sized venues. However, its input system is very slow and takes time to start audio.

Pros

  • Delivers clean and natural sound
  • 2 band EQ on all mono channels
  • Durable and flexible design
  • TRS and XLR 10 1/4 stereo output
  • XLR 2 mono mic/line input and 2 1/4 stereo input
  • BMS10A microphone stand adapter (optional)

Cons

  • Customer service is not good

5.YOUSHARES Portable Digital Audio Mixer

Best Budget-Friendly Audio Mixer

Product details

Price $69.99
Compatibility Bluetooth, Laptop, Smartphones, and Tablets
Item Dimensions LxWxH 10.87 x 10.28 x 3.23 inches
Number of Channels 6
Connectivity Technology Interface, Xlr, USB, Bluetooth
Mic & Stereo line inputs 4 XLR/TRS combined mono mic/line input jacks and 2 TRS & 2 RCA stereo input jacks
Power supply DC 5V low voltage power supply

youshares portable digital audio mixer

Introduction

The YOUSHARES Portable Digital Audio Mixer is a great tool for mixing multiple audio signals. This six-channel mixer has four XLR/TRS combined mono mic/line input jacks and two TRS & two RCA stereo input jacks, making it perfect for a variety of applications.

YOUSHARES audio mixer also has 24 DSP multipurpose effects, high and low sound adjustment, 48V phantom power, and is compatible with Bluetooth, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This makes it perfect for daily use or on most occasions.

The mixer’s compact and durable design makes it highly portable, but it is not suitable for large events.

Pros

  • Easy to Adjust
  • The 4-channel mixing console and monitor paths
  • Low-noise 4-channel audio mixer
  • Built-in 48V phantom power
  • high-definition headset output port
  • 24 DSP multipurpose effects

Cons

  • Not many channels for large events

6. Soundcraft EPM12 High-Performance 12-Channel Audio Mixer

High-end Audio Mixer For Live Streaming

Product details

Price $439.00
Compatibility Computer
Item Dimensions LxWxH 14.25 x 17 x 3.56 inches
Number of Channels 12+2
Connectivity Technology Auxiliary
Mic & Stereo line inputs XLR inputs and 2-band EQ on stereo inputs
Power supply 230 Volts

soundcraft epm12 high performance 12 channel audio mixer

Introduction

The EPM12 is a high-performance 12-channel audio mixer with 2 configurable auxiliary buses, XLR-type, and 1/4-inches metal jack connector sockets.

The EPM12 has a stereo headphone output (stereo RCA) and an independent record output for monitoring. The input channels also have 3-band EQs with a swept mid control on mono inputs and +48V phantom power.

The EPM12 is designed to be compact, easy to use, and has an easy-to-read LCD display that can handle various tasks at once. One downside, however, is that this audio mixer is highly expensive and can cost you up to $439.00.

Pros

  • 14 different channels
  • 2 auxiliary buses
  • 3-band EQ and +48V phantom power
  • Precision GB30 mic preamps

Cons

  • Extremely expensive

Bonus Tips: How To Record Your Live Stream Easily And Quickly?

Recording your live stream can be a great way to create content for your gaming channel or vlog. But it can also be a pain to set up and manage if you’re not familiar with the process.

Luckily, there are many user-friendly screen recorder programs available. Still, we recommend using Wondershare Filmora - a great option for gamers and vloggers, as it’s easy to use and comes with all the advanced features you need to record and edit your live stream.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve provided a detailed review of the 6 best audio mixers for streaming live content on different platforms.

After testing and researching the six different audio mixers, we have concluded that the YOUSHARES Portable Digital Audio Mixer is the best audio console for streaming. This mixer is an affordable option that provides good sound quality and is easy to use. The Soundcraft EPM12 High-Performance 12-Channel Audio Mixer is a great choice for those who want a higher-end option.

We’ve also discussed a bonus tip for using Filmora to record your live streams and keep it for later sharing or any other purpose. Hopefully, you find this comprehensive review helpful and can now make the right buying decision.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Also read:

  • Title: In 2024, Audio Formats Guide How to Choose Best Audio Formats Solved
  • Author: Kate
  • Created at : 2024-05-20 02:42:23
  • Updated at : 2024-05-21 02:42:23
  • Link: https://audio-editing.techidaily.com/in-2024-audio-formats-guide-how-to-choose-best-audio-formats-solved/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
On this page
In 2024, Audio Formats Guide How to Choose Best Audio Formats Solved