Audio File Size Calculator (MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC)
Estimate track download and export sizes across MP3, AAC, WAV, and FLAC before purchasing or exporting sets.
320 kbps ร 1,000 ร 210s รท 8 = 8,400,000 bytes
Formulas & Worked Examples
Calculations are performed browser-side with exact mathematical formulas without intermediate rounding. Below are verified worked examples based on standard audio engineering definitions:
320 kbps MP3 at 60 Seconds
Parameters: 60 seconds at 320 kbps (CBR)
Result: 2,400,000 bytes (2.40 MB decimal / 2.29 MiB binary) before container overhead.
16-bit / 44.1 kHz Stereo PCM (WAV) at 60 Seconds
Parameters: 60 seconds, 44,100 Hz, 16-bit, 2 channels
Result: 10,584,000 bytes (10.58 MB decimal / 10.09 MiB binary) before container overhead.
24-bit / 44.1 kHz Lossless PCM (WAV) at 5 Minutes
Parameters: 300 seconds, 44,100 Hz, 24-bit, 2 channels
Result: 79,380,000 bytes (79.38 MB decimal / 75.70 MiB binary).
Technical Notes & Storage Assumptions
- Decimal (SI) vs Binary (IEC) Notation: Storage manufacturers and file systems calculate capacity differently. In decimal (SI), 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes and 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. In binary (IEC), 1 MiB = 1,048,576 bytes and 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Operating systems like Windows report binary capacities labeled as MB/GB, while drive packaging uses decimal.
- Lossless Audio & Container Overhead: Lossless compression (FLAC) preserves decoded audio bit-for-bit. However, re-encoding lossy MP3 files into FLAC or WAV inflates file size several times over without restoring high frequencies discarded during lossy compression.
- Compression & Artwork Assumptions: Stated FLAC compression ratios (~60โ65% of PCM) and cover art allowances (+1.5 MB/track) are estimated assumptions, not guarantees. Real-world FLAC file sizes vary with audio frequency density, and embedded artwork size depends on resolution and compression.
- Drive Capacity Realities: A nominal 128 GB drive equals approximately 119.2 GiB before filesystem overhead: this is unit conversion, not lost capacity. Filesystem structures and existing files reduce free space separately. A 132.74 GB library exceeds nominal 128 GB capacity; compare actual free space on a larger drive before copying.
- Calculator Settings vs Downloader Entitlements: General calculator options (including 24-bit PCM, 96 kHz, and multi-channel configurations) are provided for audio engineering calculations. Downloading capabilities from Beatport depend on your account tier and the resolution supplied by the record label.