{
  "slug": "sample-rate-file-size",
  "title": "Sample Rate & Bit Depth File Size Calculator",
  "heading": "Audio File Size Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/sample-rate-file-size",
  "summary": "Calculate uncompressed WAV/AIFF file size from sample rate, bit depth, and channels.",
  "description": "Uncompressed audio file size scales directly with sample rate, bit depth, channel count, and duration, and it adds up fast — a single stereo 24-bit/96kHz track runs roughly 33 MB per minute versus about 10 MB per minute at standard 16-bit/44.1kHz CD quality. This calculator computes exact file size for any combination so you can plan storage and backup needs for a multitrack session before you run out of drive space mid-recording.",
  "formula": "File size (bytes) = sample rate × bit depth ÷ 8 × channels × duration in seconds.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=sample-rate-file-size",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "sampleRate",
      "label": "Sample rate",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "48000",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "44100",
          "label": "44.1 kHz (CD quality)"
        },
        {
          "value": "48000",
          "label": "48 kHz (video standard)"
        },
        {
          "value": "96000",
          "label": "96 kHz (high-res)"
        },
        {
          "value": "192000",
          "label": "192 kHz (ultra high-res)"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "bitDepth",
      "label": "Bit depth",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "24",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "16",
          "label": "16-bit"
        },
        {
          "value": "24",
          "label": "24-bit"
        },
        {
          "value": "32",
          "label": "32-bit float"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "channels",
      "label": "Channels (1=mono, 2=stereo, etc.)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 128
    },
    {
      "id": "minutes",
      "label": "Duration",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 60,
      "unit": "min",
      "min": 0.1,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "mb",
      "label": "File size (MB)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "gb",
      "label": "File size (GB)",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "mbPerMin",
      "label": "MB per minute at this setting",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "bytes",
      "label": "Exact size in bytes",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Sample rate: 48 kHz (video standard)",
      "Bit depth: 24-bit",
      "Channels (1=mono, 2=stereo, etc.): 2",
      "Duration: 60 min"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "File size (MB): 988.8",
      "File size (GB): 0.966",
      "MB per minute at this setting: 16.48",
      "Exact size in bytes: 1,036,800,000"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter sample rate.",
      "Enter bit depth.",
      "Enter channels (1=mono, 2=stereo, etc.).",
      "Enter duration (min).",
      "Read your file size (mb) on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "sampleRate": "48000",
        "bitDepth": "24",
        "channels": 1,
        "minutes": 36
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "sampleRate": "48000",
        "bitDepth": "24",
        "channels": 2,
        "minutes": 60
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "sampleRate": "48000",
        "bitDepth": "24",
        "channels": 3,
        "minutes": 96
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How much storage does a full multitrack session need?",
      "a": "Multiply this single-track result by your track count — a 24-track session at 24-bit/48kHz for a 4-minute song runs roughly 24 × 27.5 MB ≈ 660 MB just for that one song's raw audio, before comping takes, stems, and backups multiply it further."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is 96kHz or 192kHz actually necessary for recording?",
      "a": "For most commercial releases destined for streaming (which cap out around 44.1-48kHz anyway), 48kHz/24-bit is the practical standard offering plenty of headroom without doubling storage and CPU load. Higher rates mainly help specific use cases like heavy time-stretching, pitch-shifting, or archival/classical recording where extra frequency resolution matters more."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why is 32-bit float not simply 33% bigger than 24-bit in real sessions?",
      "a": "The raw math here does scale files by bit depth proportionally, but 32-bit float's real advantage isn't file size — it's that it virtually eliminates clipping from level mistakes since it has enormous dynamic headroom, which is why many DAWs now record and bounce at 32-bit float by default regardless of the storage cost."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tape-session-runtime",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/bpm-delay-reverb-time"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Sample Rate & Bit Depth File Size Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/sample-rate-file-size)"
}