Helifailid

Helifailid refer to digital audio files used to store sound recordings. The term encompasses a range of formats and containers, from uncompressed PCM data in WAV or AIFF to lossy and lossless compressed formats such as MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and Opus. They are used in music libraries, film and video production, broadcasting, and archiving.

Uncompressed formats store raw waveform data as PCM samples. WAV (Windows) and AIFF (Apple) are common containers for PCM audio at 16-bit or 24-bit depth with sample rates such as 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz; higher rates are used for professional audio.

Lossless compressed formats such as FLAC and ALAC reduce file size without sacrificing data integrity; lossy formats such as MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, and Opus achieve higher compression at the cost of audio quality depending on bitrate. File extensions typically reflect the container and codec: .wav, .aiff, .flac, .alac, .mp3, .aac, .ogg, .opus, .m4a.

Metadata and tagging: ID3, MP4/M4A metadata, Vorbis Comments; crucial for cataloging. In professional contexts, metadata standards accompany the audio files; example: track title, artist, album, copyright, licensing information.

Considerations: compatibility across devices, streaming vs local playback, licensing and patents for certain codecs, archival best practices often favor lossless formats with robust metadata for long-term preservation.

See also: List of audio file formats, Comparison of audio codecs, Digital audio.