Estimate the storage needed for an audio file using its duration and bitrate.
Calculated from constant bitrate. WAV uses 44.1 kHz, 16-bit stereo PCM: 1,411.2 kbps.
| Format | 10 minutes | 30 minutes | 60 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP3 128 kbps | 9.6 MB | 28.8 MB | 57.6 MB |
| MP3 192 kbps | 14.4 MB | 43.2 MB | 86.4 MB |
| MP3 320 kbps | 24 MB | 72 MB | 144 MB |
| WAV PCM | 105.8 MB | 317.5 MB | 635 MB |
Metadata and container overhead can add a small amount. Compressed lossless formats and variable bitrate require different estimates.
At a fixed bitrate, an hour of audio needs six times as much space as ten minutes. This makes duration the first value to check when planning storage.
128 kbps creates the smallest of the common options, 192 kbps offers a useful everyday balance, and 320 kbps creates the largest file.
Metadata, artwork, variable bitrate encoding and container overhead can change the finished size slightly. The result is a planning estimate.
A larger output bitrate cannot recover detail missing from the source. Choose a bitrate that suits the original material and your playback needs.