Audio Bitrate for Amateurs – What Bitrate is Best for You?

Back when I was starting out in audio production and live streaming, I kept hearing people talking about audio bitrate. I had no idea what it was.

In general, audio bitrate is one of the main parameters that impact how good your sound is. Whether it’s a song, a podcast, or even a video, the bitrate makes a big difference. I devoted lots of time to learn as much as possible about bitrate and now I’m ready to share my findings.

In plain English, audio bitrate tells you how much data is packed into every second of your audio file. It is measured in kilobits per second (kbps). More kbps usually means better sound, but it also eats up more storage and bandwidth. I didn’t want to get lost in the tech jargon, so I reached out to the FixThePhoto team for expert help. They have rich experience with audio editing and production. They assisted me with the topic and explained what bitrate works best in different situations.

I discovered that different apps and gadgets use different audio bitrates by default. For example, YouTube streams at 128 kbps, which is fine for everyday use. Bluetooth devices can bump things up to 320 kbps, which means cleaner, fuller sound. But if you're an audiophile chasing perfection, lossless audio formats like FLAC can reach a whopping 1,411 kbps or higher. Thus, you can enjoy studio-level detail.

At some point, I started thinking - “What kind of bitrate does Bluetooth actually use?” That’s when I figured out that wireless headphones are undeniable awesome and very convenient, but they can’t quite match the audio quality of wired gear. It’s a bit of a trade-off. You get freedom of movement, but you lose some of that crisp, full sound.

I grasped the importance of bitrate even more once I got into streaming. A bitrate of 128-256 kbps usually sounds fine for casual listening or video playback. But if you're serious about sound, e.g., you’re streaming music in high quality or running a podcast, you should choose 320 kbps. Still, bitrate isn’t the only thing that affects your audio. Such parameters as bit depth, whether your file is 8-bit or 16-bit, also affect sound richness and clarity.

FLAC, WAV, and other lossless audio formats are somehow unique when it comes to sound quality. They use a much higher bitrate to capture every detail of the recording. I wondered, “How high does lossless audio go?” Now I know it is typically above 1,000 kbps. You’ll get larger file sizes, but the depth and clarity of the sound justify such compromises.

Audio files resemble pictures. Some are big and packed with detail, others are slimmed down for convenience. Generally speaking, uncompressed files have all the original data, so they also come with the highest bitrate. Compressed, or “lossy,” files are trimmed down to save space, which means they lose some quality and end up with a lower bitrate.

• Uncompressed files: They keep every detail your audio gear can capture, which means they have big file sizes. WAV, AIFF, and PCM are the most common examples of uncompressed audio formats.
• Compressed lossless files: They cut down the size without degrading any sound quality. FLAC, WMA, and ALAC are compressed lossless formats. These files are smaller than uncompressed ones, but still bigger than the usual compressed formats.
• Compressed or lossy files: These are the lightest audio files you’ll come across. They shrink down in size by cutting out parts of the audio that most people won’t even notice. MP3 and AAC are the most frequent representatives of this group.

It all depends on what you need the audio for and how it’ll be shared. Usually, higher bitrate equals better sound, but only if the other settings like sample rate and bit depth are up to par. We tested different bitrates to see how they work in different scenarios.

An audio CD always runs at 1,411 kbps. MP3 files usually range from 96 to 320 kbps. If you're streaming music on Spotify and similar platforms, you typically listen at around 96 to 160 Kbps.

While high bitrates may please audiophiles, they’re not always practical. It depends on how your audio is delivered. If people are downloading it or popping it into a CD player, you have room to go big. But if they’re streaming, too high a bitrate can cause hiccups. That said, try not to go below 90 kbps. Most people can spot the sound quality dip, even if they don’t know a thing about audio.

I juggle both streaming and producing audio, so my bitrate depends on the task. For laid-back listening, Spotify at 320 kbps does the trick. It is solid quality without hogging bandwidth. But when it’s production time, I reach for lossless files to make sure I’m not missing any of the good details. Chromebooks typically play audio at 128 to 256 kbps. This is totally fine for casual listening, but may leave picky ears wanting more.

There are lots of programs when it comes to audio editing. You can choose from online and offline platforms, as well as paid and free audio editing software. Using them, you can change not only the bitrate, but also the sample rate and bit depth. I have my favorite programs, which I use to customize audio for different purposes.

If you want to adjust audio, I recommend using Handbrake, Any Audio Converter, Xilisoft, and Freemake Audio Converter. If you’ve worked with Premiere Pro before, you can even tweak audio bitrate settings right inside it. That’s very convenient.

No matter which paid or free audio converter you’ve picked, take the following steps to alter the format:

• Download and install the audio bitrate converter.
• Launch it on your computer.
• Pick the audio file you’d like to convert.
• Select the right audio format and set the bitrate.
• Decide where to save your converted file.
• Click to start the conversion process.