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# Waveform Audio (.wav)
Waveform Audio (.wav) is a common file format. Created by Microsoft
and IBM, WAV was one of the first audio file types developed for
the PC. WAV files are defined as lossless, meaning that files are
large and complete; nothing has been lost. Professionally recorded
CDs are also a lossless audio source.
In contrast, the three audio formats listed below are
lossy-redundant and non-auditory data is removed to allow for more
compact storage; in essence, some data has been lost. This process
of removing data to shrink the file size is called
compression.
The three file formats below must begin with a lossless format-such
as a store-bought CD or a computer WAV file-then compress it. Most
lossy formats boast little or no detectable change in sound
quality. But because each compressing format selects the deleteable
data differently, converting one compressed file into another lossy
format will sometimes result in lower quality audio. Again, always
start with a CD or WAV file, then compress.
# MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (.mp3)
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (.mp3) is a common, compressed WAV file.
MPEG-1 files are about one-twelfth the size of WAV files. This is
why MP3 players can accommodate hundreds of songs on a tiny chunk
of storage space.
# Windows Media Audio (.wma)
Windows Media Audio (.wma) was developed to compete with the MP3
format for Windows Media Player. Microsoft claims that the WMA
files are compressed three times more than MP3s yet retain their
original sound quality.
# Ogg Vorbis (.ogg)
Ogg Vorbis (.ogg) is another compressed source code similar to MP3,
but like WMA, more compressed. Ogg Vorbis is also open source (free
to all, unlicensed, no strings attached). While MP3 compresses data
at a constant bit rate, Ogg uses a variable bit rate. To
illustrate-if you are copying chunks of silence into MP3 format,
the compression bit rate stays the same as if you were compressing
the sound of an entire orchestra. But if you are copying chunks of
silence into Ogg, your compression rate will drop to nothing. The
rate varies with the need.
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