WAV File Extension
Have a problem opening a .WAV file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what WAV files are. Additionally we recommend software suitable for opening or converting such files.
What is the .WAV file type?
The .wav filename extension is normally used with files that contain uncompressed audio data. This audio file format has been introduced by Microsoft. Uncompressed WAV files are supported by almost all software applications capable of handling digital audio, making this format universal.
Audio data in WAV files are organized following the RIFF specification that requires all content to be arranged into separate chunks with their proper tags.
Uncompressed WAV files are considered 'virgin audio' because of the fact that they have not been digitally modified. That makes them a good choice for those who need to make copies of their audio files with the best possible quality. Compared to their compressed MP3 rivals, uncompressed WAV files have larger size: every 1 minute of audio takes up ~10 Mb with a .wav and only ~1 Mb with an .mp3.
However, the .wav extension may also belong to audio files audio compressed with an ADPCM, MPEG Layer-3, Truespeech, Microsoft GSM 06.10, CELP or SBC codec. Compressed .wav files are much smaller in size than uncompressed WAV's and not so widely supported.
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