WAV vs FLAC vs MP3, which format should you export your mix in?
Lossless vs lossy, bit depth, sample rate and dither explained simply, plus a cheat sheet for every situation.
Last updated · 7 min read
You’ve finished your mix and the export dialog asks: WAV, FLAC or MP3? Then 16 or 24 bits? 44.1 or 48 kHz? Here’s what each option actually means, and a cheat sheet so you can pick in five seconds next time.
The short answer
| If you want to… | Export as |
|---|---|
| Keep the best possible quality and a reasonable file size | FLAC 24-bit |
| Open the file in any audio software, guaranteed | WAV 24-bit (or 16-bit for CDs) |
| Play it on a phone, send it by message, upload it to most platforms | MP3 320 kbps |
| Your sources are all MP3 anyway | MP3 320 kbps |
Lossless vs lossy
WAV and FLAC are lossless: decoding gives back exactly the samples you exported, bit for bit. WAV stores them uncompressed; FLAC compresses them like a ZIP file does, usually to 50–60% of the WAV size, with zero quality loss.
MP3 is lossy: the encoder throws away sounds it predicts you won’t hear. At 320 kbps with a good encoder (MixSongs uses LAME), most people can’t tell it apart from the original in a blind test, and the file is about a quarter of the size of a 16-bit WAV.
Why exporting a better format can’t “upgrade” MP3 sources
If your mix is made of MP3s, the detail the MP3 encoder discarded is gone for good. Exporting it as a 24-bit WAV gives you a much bigger file of the same sound. That’s why MixSongs recommends MP3 320 when your sources are lossy, and FLAC when they’re lossless.
Bit depth: 16, 24 or 32-bit float
Bit depth sets the dynamic range, the gap between the loudest sound and the noise floor.
- 16-bit (CD quality): about 96 dB, more than enough for listening. MixSongs adds dither when reducing to 16 bits, which turns tiny rounding distortion into an inaudible, even noise.
- 24-bit: about 144 dB, the standard for production and archiving. Use it if the file will be processed further.
- 32-bit float (WAV only): stores the mix exactly as MixSongs computed it internally, and can even hold peaks above 0 dBFS. Useful for handing a file to another DAW; overkill for listening.
Sample rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96 kHz
Sample rate sets the highest frequency a file can contain. 44.1 kHz already covers the full range of human hearing.
- Keep the project rate. MixSongs runs your project at the highest sample rate among your sources, so nothing is resampled during mixing. Exporting at that rate avoids an extra conversion.
- 48 kHz is the video standard. Choose it if the mix goes into a video edit.
- MP3 tops out at 48 kHz, so MixSongs limits MP3 export to that.
Peaks, clipping and the limiter
Any format clips if the mix goes above 0 dBFS, and MP3 decoders can overshoot slightly even when the source didn’t. MixSongs protects you in three ways:
- The master limiter (on by default) keeps peaks under −1 dBFS.
- With the limiter off, clip protection scales the whole mix down just enough: to −0.3 dBFS for WAV/FLAC and −1 dBFS for MP3, which leaves headroom for the decoder.
- Normalize (optional) raises or lowers the whole mix so its peak hits that ceiling exactly.
File size cheat sheet (3-minute stereo mix)
| Format | Approximate size |
|---|---|
| WAV 24-bit / 44.1 kHz | 48 MB |
| WAV 16-bit / 44.1 kHz | 32 MB |
| FLAC 24-bit / 44.1 kHz | 25–35 MB |
| FLAC 16-bit / 44.1 kHz | 15–22 MB |
| MP3 320 kbps | 7 MB |
| MP3 192 kbps | 4 MB |
How to export in MixSongs
Click Export in the top bar. The dialog lists your sources and their quality, recommends a format, and lets you pick bit depth, bitrate, sample rate and range (the whole mix or the loop region). Encoding happens in your browser, so your mix never leaves your computer.